Mr Elliot
                     The last clause of the Royal Instructions forbid the 
Govr from
                     absenting himself from his 
Govt without having first obtained leave
                     from the Sovereign for so doing either under the Sign Manual & Signet
                     or through one of H.M's Principal Secretaries of State.
                     
 
                  
                  
                     Permission was granted to 
Sir George Bowen
 George Bowen received permission
                     to go to Sydney [marginal note: (
June?) 1860]
                     
                     if he should think it desirable for the purpose of consulting the
                     Governor General, and a Circular Dispatch was addressed to the
                     Governors of the North American Colonies on the 
30 April 1862,
                     authorising them to visit the neighbouring Colonies provided that
                     their absence from their Governments for such purpose did not exceed
                     3 Weeks at a time or 4 Weeks in the year & that the absences should
                     be reported to the Secy of State.  This is rather a Departmental
                     question, but as the Letter has reference to a provision of the R.
                     Instructions, I have given this explanation.