DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1915 Session I, A-02

A.—2,

1915. NEW ZEALAND

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

INDEX.

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No. of Series. Date. Subject. Page. 1914. 1 Feb. 19 2 „ 20 3 „ 20 4 „ 27 5 „ 27 6 „ 27 7 „ 27 8 „ 27 9 Mar. 3 10 „ 6 H „ 13 12 „ 13 Importation of potatoes into United States of America Copyright Act, 1911 : Order in Council relating to Italy Marriage oi British women with Moslems Grants by Government to Rifle Associations in New Zealand Imperial Institute Advisory Committee Naval Defence Act, 1913 (New Zealand Parliament) Conditions regarding award of Edward Medal Plumage Bill Importation of sheep for breeding-purposes into Argentina Revision of British Pharmacopoeia .. .. .. .. .. .. Naturalization Bill (of tho Imperial Parliament) Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill, 1913 (New Zealand Parliament) : Order in Council of His Majesty assenting thereto International map of the World International Conference for the Protection of Juvenile and Female Labour Currency questions .. .. Copyright Royal assent to New Zealand Acts International Agricultural Institute Cartier Centenary celebrations Copyright Naval officers : Pensions contributions Inspection of meat in United States of America Certificate of proficiency in wireless telegraphy Peace Conference Conventions Bill Copyright Representation of Dominions on Committee of Imperial Defence and proposed Naval Conference Maternity benefit for soldiers' wives International Load-line Conference : Load-line Regulations Importation of plumage into Canada Pelagic Sealing Convention Pacific Cable terminal charges Dominions Royal Commission : Recommendations re. telegraph matters Imperial Institute : Advisory Committee .. , .. Radio-telegraphy : Certificate of proficiency Trade representatives of New Zealand in foreign countries .. Her Majesty's Birthday : Acknowledgment of congratulations Shooting prizes for men of H.M.S. " New Zealand," subscribed in Christehurch His Majesty's Birthday : Acknowledgment of congratulations Bulletins of the International Institute of Agriculture New Zealand Army Nursing Reserve Maritime Conventions : Limitation of shipowners' liability, &c. .. Opium traffic Prince of Wales' Birthday : Thanks for congratulations Health insurance of seamen 3 3 4 5 6 6 6 7 8 9 10 10 13 „ 19 14 „ 20 15 „ 20 16 „ 27 17 April 3 18 „ 3 19 „ 8 20 „ 9 21 „ 9 22 „ 17 23 „ 17 24 „ 17 25 „ 20 26 „ 24 27 „ 30 28 „ 30 29 May I 30 ! „ 6 31 ] 8 32 I 8 33 „ 14 34 „ 15 35 „ 29 36 „ 29 37 June 3 38 „ 5 39 „ 5 40 „ 12 41 „ 17 42 „ 24 43 „ 26 44 „ 26 11 12 12 13 13 13 14 15 15 16 17 17 20 21 27 27 28 28 29 30 31 32 32 32 32 33 33 34 34 35 35 35

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INDEX— continued.

No. ot Series. Date. Subject. j Page. 45 46 47 48 49 50 July 7 „ 24 - „ 28 „ 31 „ 31 Aug. 6 Alliance of New Zealand regiments to King Edward's Horse Panama Canal Amendment Act Proposed Naval Conference Political crisis in Tasmania Order in Council extending provisions of Naval Discipline Act, 1911, to New Zealand Inspector-General of Oversea Forces and Inspector-General of Home Forces now merged in one officer with title of Inspector-General of the Forces Moratorium Proclamation and Act Foreign marriages : Order in Council War: Imperial Acts—Currency and Bank-notes Act, 1914; Army (Supply of Food, Forage, and Stores) Act, 1914 ; Defence of the Realm Act, 1914 War: Imperial Act—Unreasonable withholding of Food-supplies Act, 1914 White Slave Traffic Convention .. .. War: Prize Courts War risks insurance : Cargo insurances War: Imperial Acts—Defence of the Bealm (No. 2) Act, 1914: and Customs (Exportation Prohibition) Act, 1914 War : War risks insurance—Alteration of rates Income-tax : Exemption of Dominions' Naval officers undergoing training in United Kingdom Export of Live-stock from Ireland : Foot-and-mouth disease restrictions removed War : Vessels detained in British ports, &c. War : Declaration of London will be observed by Russia Marriages of English women with Hindus, &c. .. Certificates of proficiency in radio-telegraphy War : Insurance of cargoes on neutral vessels Nobel Peace Prize, 1915 Importation of dogs order, 1914 War : Vessels detained or captured by His Majesty's armed Forces War : Comparative state of British and German shipping Health insurance of seamen War : Separation allowance for families of Army Reservists recalled to the colours from New Zealand Queen Alexandra's birthday : Acknowledgement of congratulations sent to Her Majesty Magazine postage-rate to New Zealand Ocean adjacent to southern shores of Australia to be named the " Southern Ocean " Defence of the Realm Consolidation Act, 1914 Egypt, British Protectorate over Naturalization : Draft regulations 36 36 37 37 41 44 51 52 53 6 „ 12 „ 14 44 45 46 54 55 56 57 58 „ 14 „ 25 „ 28 Sept. 4 „ 4 48 4!) 49 49 51 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 „ 10 „ 14 ., 17 „ 21 „ 30 „ 30 Oct. 8 „ 23 „ 27 Nov. 10 „ 30 „ 30 Dec. 3 4 52 52 53 53 53 54 55 55 55 56 60 04 65 66 73 74 75 76 77 78 8 Nov. 26 Dec. 11 „ 17 „ 23 „ 31 1915. Jan. 5 5 8 „ 22 „ 22 Feb. 2 4 5 „ 12 „ 18 „ 18 „ 26 Mar. 2 5 » 5 66 66 67 0!) 70 71 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 Trade Representatives abroad Prize Court appeal Sale of prize ships Passports for British subjects travelling to foreign countries Death of Professor John Shand, C.M.G. British passports : Fees Health insurance of seamen Trading with the enemy Panama Canal rules .. .. .. Copyright Currency in Dominions European crisis : Correspondence between His Majesty the King and the President of France Blockade of German East Africa coast Dependants of Army Reservists in New Zealand Reduction of French duty on paper, &c. 77 78 7!) 79 80 80 80 81 81 82 83 83 85 85 86

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No. 1. New Zealand, No. 83. My Lord, — Downing Street, 19th .February, 1914., With reference to my despatch, No. 44, of the 30th January, I have the honour to transmit to iTour Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of an Order dated 23rd January, amending the wording of Regulation 2, paragraph 1, of the regulations of the 30th December, 1913, with regard to restrictions on the importation of potatoes into the United States of America. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Regulation 2.—General Conditions governing Potato Importations (First Paragraph only). Potatoes will be admitted from any country or well-defined district thereof not specifically mentioned in Notice of Quarantine No. 11, issued 22nd December, 1913, when it is determined by adequate field-inspection conducted by recognized experts of the country concerned that such country or district thereof is free from injurious potato-diseases and injurious insect pests, and such country must further agree to examine and certify all potatoes offered for export in compliance with these regulations : Provided that the entry of potatoes will not be permitted from any country unless such country either has an effective quarantine prohibiting the entry into such country or district thereof of potatoes from any country or district under quarantine by the United States, or forbids by law the exportation to the United States of all potatoes not grown within the countiy, or district or locality thereof, from which the potatoes are exported : Provided further that potatoes grown in a district which is believed by a duly authorized official to be free from injurious potato-diseases, and which have at the time of the issuance of these regulations been taken from the ground and stored, may be certified after inspection as hereinafter provided in Regulation 5.

No. 2. New Zealand, No. 87. My Lord, — Downing Street, 20th February, 1914. With reference to previous correspondence, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of an Order of His Majesty in Council dated the 9th February, 1914, varying the provisions of the Order in Council of the 24th June, 1912, under the Copyright Act, 1911, in so far as they relate to Italy. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A. I, 1915, No. 12. A.-1,1915, No. 32.

Enclosure. At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 9th day of February, 1914. Present : The King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. Whereas His Majesty, by virtue of the authority conferred on him by the Copyright Act, 1911, and having regard to the provisions of the Berne Copyright Convention, was pleased to make an Order in Council dated the 24th day of June, 1912 (hereinafter called " the principal Order "), extending the protection of the said Act to certain classes of works to which protection is guaranteed by the said Convention : And whereas it is provided in Article (2), proviso (i), of the principal Order that sections 1 (2) (d) and 19 of the Copyright Act, 1911, and such other- part or parts thereof as confer upon the owner of the copyright in a literary, dramatic, or musical work the exclusive right of making any record, perforated.roll, cinematograph film, or other contrivance by means of which the work may be mechanically performed, and such other part or parts thereof as confer copyright in any record or perforated roll, shall not apply in the case of any work of which the country of origin is Italy :

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And whereas His Majesty has received an assurance from the Italian Government to the effect that the widest protection is granted in Italy to works of British origin, to the authors of which is reserved the exclusive right of every form of reproduction, execution, or representation by any means whatever (including the cinematograph as well as mechanical musical instruments) : And whereas in view of this assurance it is expedient to revoke the provision above referred to in Article (2), proviso (i), of the principal Order : Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, and by virtue of the authority conferred upon him by the Copyright Act, 1911, is pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered as follows : — (1.) The provisions of Article (2), proviso (i), of the principal Order are hereby revoked so far as they relate to works of which the country of origin is Italy. (2.) In the application of the provisions of Article (3) of the principal Order to works of which the country of origin is Italy the commencement of this Order shall be substituted for the commencement of the Act and for the commencement of the principal Order. (3.) In the application to works of which the country of origin is Italy of sections 1 (2) (d) and 19 of the Copyright Act, 1911, the commencement of this Order shall be substituted for the commencement of the Act and for the passing of the Act in sections 19 (7) and 19 (8), whereever those expressions occur, and the Ist day of July, 1914, for the Ist day of July, 1913. (4.) Where any person has before the date of this Order taken any action whereby he has incurred any expenditure or liability in connection with the reproduction or performance of any work at a time when such reproduction or performance would but for the making of this Order have been lawful nothing in this Order shall diminish or prejudice any rights or interest arising from or in connection with such action which are subsisting or valuable at the said date, unless the person who by virtue of this Order becomes entitled to restrain such reproduction or performance agrees to pay such compensation as, failing agreement, may be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act, 1911. (5.) This Order shall come into operation on the Ist day of April, 1914, which date is in this Order referred to as the commencement of the Order. And the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury are to give the necessary orders accordingly. Almeric Fitzrot.

No. 3. New Zealand, No. 88. My Lord, — Downing Street, 20th February, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of a circular letter which has been addressed to Superintendent Eegistrars in this country in regard to marriages between women of British nationality professing the Christian religion and Moslems, Hindus, and other persons belonging to countries where polygamy or concubinage is legal, together with a copy of the memorandum accompanying the letter. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Sir, — General Register Office, Somerset House, London W.C., 19th January, 1914. The question of marriages contracted in this country under English law between women of British nationality professing the Christian religion and Moslems, Hindus, and other subjects or citizens of countries where polygamy or concubinage is legal has been engaging my attention for some time past. It is quite certain that the legal position of a wife in the country of the domicil of the husband (which in such cases will almost invariably be found to be the country of origin) is very imperfectly understood by British women, and it is desirable that in their own interests they should apprehend as fully as possible the risks and responsibilities attendant upon such a marriage. Provided that there is full legal capacity on both sides according to English law for a projected marriage, a Superintendent Registrar has no power to place any obstacle in the way of a marriage for which due notice is given to him, but in any case of an intended marriage in which the man is a Hindu, a Moslem, or a subject or citizen of a country in which polygamy or concubinage is lawful, the points set forth in the accompanying memorandum, which has been prepared witty the sanction of the Secretaries of State for the Home Department and for India, should be brought to the notice of the women. If after these have been made clear to her she still desires the marriage to take place, the Superintendent Registrar will have no option but to issue his certificate or license for the marriage in due course. I am, etc., The Superintendent Registrar. Bernard Mallet, Registrar-General.

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Marriage of English Women with Hindus, Moslems, African Negroes, etc. The marriage of a woman of British nationality professing the Christian faith with a Hindu or Mohammedan, even in a case when it is valid in all respects in this country, is not necessarily so when the husband returns to India or his own Mohammedan country. In India he is subject to what is known as his " personal " law if a Hindu, and this law would probably not recognize the marriage at all, and in the case of a Mohammedan the fact that the marriage took place under forms prescribed by English law only might give rise to doubts in a Mohammedan country as to the validity of the marriage, or at least place the parties in a position of some difficulty. The Indian Courts would in such cases be able to offer very inadequate (if any) protection to the wife of such an English marriage, while her position under a foreign Court would be presumably worse. In neither case is the marriage one that necessarily implies (outside England) the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, for under his " personal " law the Hindu, and under Mohammedan law the Mohammedan, husband may if he desires take other wives in addition to the first without consulting his Christian wife in any way. Even if the Hindu or Mohammedan husband had entered into a covenant with his Christian wife not to take any other wife such a covenant could not prevent him from taking another wife in India or a Mohammedan country if he so desired. The forms observed at a marriage under English law before a Registrar are not necessarily recognized by Mohammedan law as giving any legal effect or validity to the marriage relationship, and afford no protection to the wife in a country where Mohammedan law is observed. Wliere a marriage relationship is constituted which the Mohammedan law will recognize a Mohammedan husband may, under Mohammedan law, divorce his wife at will without any legal formality beyond that of repudiating her, while should he return to his own country leaving his Christian wife here, the difference of domestic domicil might be equivalent to divorce under Mohammedan law; in either case such divorce, while not dissolving the marriage in England under English law, would be operative in the Mohammedan country. In the case of a woman of British nationality professing the Christian faith who marries a Mohammedan who is not a British subject, but is a subject or citizen of a Mohammedan State, she loses her British nationality on her marriage, and when the husband and wife land in any Mohammedan country (not being in the Dominions or under the protectorate of His Britannic Majesty) they both become subject to the Mohammedan law. Further, the wife, having lost her British nationality, would appear to have become disentitled to the protection or assistance of any British authoritjr, Consular or otherwise. African Negroes : These are in many cases in their own countries subject in certain particulars to native law and custom which may permit of polygamy.

No. 4. New Zealand, No. 94. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th February, 1914. With reference to my predecessor's despatch, No. 78, of the 20th May, 1908, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, to be laid before your Ministers, a copy of an Address of the House of Commons for a return of the amounts of the grants made during each of the last six years by Governments of the self-governing Dominions to rifle associations for the encouragement of rifle shooting and the expenses of colonial representative rifle teams. 2. I shall be grateful if your Ministers can see their way to furnish me with particulars of the money, if any, expended for these purposes from public funds in New Zealand. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, X C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-i, 1915. No. 13.

Enclosure. House of Commons. Thursday, 19th February, 1914. Rifle Associations (Colonies' Grants). Resolved, That an humble address be presented to His Majesty that he will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House a return of the amounts of the grants made during each of the last six years by Governments of the self-governing Dominions, Crown and other colonies, and Protectorates to rifle associations for the encouragement of rifle shooting and for the maintenance and expenses of colonial representative rifle teams (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper No. 319 of session 1908). Ordered, That the said address be presented to His Majesty by such Members of this House as are of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council or of His Majestj-'s household. Clerk of the House of Commons.

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No. 5. New Zealand, No. 95. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th February, 1914. I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that, in accordance with the provisions of Part 2 of the Third Schedule of the Imperial Institute (Transfer) Act, 1902, the term of office of the members of the Advisory Committee of the Institute who were appointed during and since the year 1910 expired in November last. 2. In accordance with the terms of the schedule of the Act under reference, one of the vacancies is to be filled by an appointment made by your Government, and I have accordingly to request that you will invite your Ministers to appoint a representative of the Dominion of New Zealand to serve on the new Committee. 3. I shall be glad to learn by telegraph the name of the representative so chosen. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Lion, the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 6. New Zealand, No. 99. My Lord,— Downing Street, 27th February, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 27th February, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that I have consulted the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty with regard to the Naval Defence Act, 1913, of the Dominion, and to inform you that His Majesty will not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance in respect of the Act. 2. I have to request that six copies of all regulations made by the Governor under the Act may be forwarded to me as soon as possible after their promulgation. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915. No. n.

No. 7. New Zealand, Miscellaneous. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th February, 1914. With reference to the Earl of Elgin's circular despatch of the 16th December, 1907, respecting the institution of the Edward Medal, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to draw the attention of your Ministers to the necessity of supplying with each recommendation for the medal full particulars in regard to all points which bear on the nature and degree of the courage displayed. 2. Such points are, for example, the nature of the rescue operations; the me during which the rescuer was exposed to danger; the apparent risk which he had reason to apprehend; his promptitude in facing them; the coolness, intelligence, and initiative displayed in the measures he took. If the rescuer has been in any way responsible for the circumstances causing the danger— e:g., by negligence, breach of rules, or the like—particulars should be given. 3. In all cases where it is possible a plan or diagram to illustrate .'the circumstances of the accident and of the rescue operations, and any reports by the Government Inspectors, should be forwarded; and also the evidence given at any inquiry or inquest, and in cases where loss of life has occurred, a report of the medical evidence as to the cause of death.

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4. Each recommendation has to be considered with reference to the general standard observed in connection with awards of the medal, and unless sufficient particulars are available it is impossible to judge satisfactorily of the merits of the cases submitted or to compare them with previous cases of the kind. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 8. New Zealand, No. 100. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th February, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, to be laid before your Ministers, copies of a Bill entitled the Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Act, 1914, which is being introduced into the Flouse of Commons by His Majesty's Government. It will be seen that this Bill differs in certain particulars from last year's Bill enclosed in my despatch, No. 301, of the Bth August, 1913. 2. Your Ministers are doubtless aware that the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, by a Proclamation dated 10th May, 1913, prohibit the importation of the plumage and skins of certain birds specified in the schedule to the Proclamation, except for educational or scientific purposes; and also that the following provision appears in item 347 of Schedule A of the recent United States Customs Tariff Act: " That the importation of aigrettes, egret-plumes, or so-called osprey plumes, and the feathers, quills, heads, wings, tails, skins, or parts of skins, of wild birds, either raw or manufactured, and not for scientific or educational purposes, is hereby prohibited; but this provision shall not apply to the feathers or plumes of ostriches, or to the feathers or plumes of domestic fowls of any kind." 3. I should be glad if your Ministers would consider the question of introducing similar legislation to prohibit the importation of plumage, without waiting for the proposed International Conference on the subject, to which reference was made in my despatch, No. 443, of the 7th November last. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915 No. 10.

Enclosure. Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Bill. A Bill to prohibit the Importation of the Plumage and Skins of Wild Birds, and for other Purposes incidental thereto. Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and -by the authority of the same, as follows : — 1. (1.) Subject to the exemptions in this Act contained, a person shall not import into the United Kingdom the plumage of any wild bird, and accordingly section forty-two of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, shall be read as if there were included in the table of prohibitions and restrictions therein — " The plumage of wild birds as defined by the importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Act, 1914, subject to the exceptions contained in that Act." (2.) A person shall not have in his possession or be concerned in selling the plumage of any wild bird which has been imported in contravention of this Act, or which, having been allowed to be imported on the ground that it is being put to a certain use or intended to be put to a certain use, is being put to some other use; and if any person has in his possession or is concerned in selling any such plumage he shall be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts to a fine not exceeding five pounds in respect of the first offence and twenty-five pounds in

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respect of the second or any subsequent offence, and the Court before whom he is convicted may order the forfeiture or destruction of any plumage in respect of which the offence has been committed. 2. (1.) The following plumage is excepted from the prohibition on importation under this Act :— (a.) The plumage of birds for the time being included in the Schedule to this Act : (b.) The plumage of birds imported alive : (c.) The plumage of birds imported under a license granted under this Act for the purpose of supplying specimens for any natural history or other museum, or for the purpose of scientific research : (d.) The plumage of wild birds ordinarily used as articles of diet and imported for that purpose. (2.) His Majesty may by Order in Council from time to time add the name of any bird to the Schedule to this Act or remove the name of any bird from that Schedule. (3.) The Board of Trade may grant a license under such conditions and regulations as they think fit to any person to import specimens of birds for any natural history or other museum, or for the purpose of scientific research. (4.) Any importer claiming an exemption under this section for any plumage on the ground that it is to be put to a certain use shall deliver to an officer of Customs and Excise, if required by any such officer, on importation a written declaration of the purpose for which it is imported. 3. Where the Court is satisfied in any proceedings under this Act that any plumage is the plumage of a bird which is never or rarely found alive in. a wild state in the United Kingdom the plumage shall be deemed to be imported in contravention of this Act unless the contrary is proved. 4. In this Act— Hie expression " plumage " includes the skin or body of a bird with the plumage on it: The expression " sell " includes exchange and let out on hire : The expression " importer " has the same meaning as in the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876. 5. This Act may be cited as the Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Act, 1914, and shall come into operation on the first day of January, nineteen hundred and fifteen. SCHEDULE. Ostriches. Eider ducks.

No. 9. New Zealand, No. 101. My Lord, — Downing Street, 3rd March, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the paper noted below on the subject of the importation of sheep for breeding purposes into the Argentine Republic. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure. Sir, — Buenos Aires, 27th January, 1914. In continuation of my despatch, No. 32, of this day's date, I have the honour to report that La Nacion states, apropos of the questions which some cattle-breeders and sheep-farmers are making for keeping the Argentine ports closed to live-stock from England on the one hand, and which others are making for the early opening of the ports on the other, that their reporter has obtained statistics as to the number of sheep imported for breeding purposes during the years 1909-13, inclusive, in order to ascertain whether there is any urgent necessity for the importation of new blood. Sheep, as you are already aware, deteriorate more quickly in this Republic than cattle, and a constant influx of new blood is, in the opinion of most sheep-farmers, a sine qua non for keeping their flocks up to the high standard which they have now obtained. The information, the paper states, has been afforded by the Argentine Cattle Department, and it proves, the writer says, that as last year 2,699 sheep were imported, of which 2,463 came from the United Kingdom, there is no urgent need to import fresh stock at the present moment.

Date. 27th January, 1914 Description. From H. M. Minister at Buenos Aires.

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The following are the statistics above referred to : —

I have, Arc, The Right Hon. Sir E, Grey, Bart., X.0., &«. Reginald Tower

■ ■ No. 10. New Zealand, No. 104. My Lord, — . Downing Street, 6th March, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch, No. 10, of the 22nd Jamiary. forwarding a copy of a letter from the Pharmacy Board of New Zealand on the subject of the revision of the British Pharmacopoeia.

2—A. 2.

546 6 4 131 96 1 65

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2. I have to inform you that similar representations made by the Pharmaceutical Society of Queensland have already been referred to the Lord President of the Council, and that in reply he has stated that, prior to another revision of the Pharmacopoeia being undertaken, these representations will be considered in connection with a general review of the whole position. A copy of this correspondence is being forwarded to the Privy Council. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

•No. 11. New Zealand, No. 111. My Lord, — Downing Street, 13th March, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 105, of the 6th March, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency,' for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of the British Nationality and Status - of Aliens Bill as introduced into the Imperial Parliament. I have, &c, . L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool,;; ~.-.■. • ;,-■ ■ K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c. •

-:, No. 12. New Zealand, No. 118. My Lord.— Downing Street, 13th March, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 10th March, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, one sealed and six plain copies of the Order of His Majesty in Council of the 9th March declaring His Majesty's assent to the Bill (No. 77 of 1913) passed by the Legislative Council and House of Eepresentatives of the Dominion of New Zealand entitled " An Act to amend the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1908." I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-1, 1915. No. 15.

Enclosure. At the Court of Buckingham Palace, the 9th day of March, 1914. Present: The King's Most Excellent Majesty, Lord President, Marquess of Lincolnshire, Master of tho Horse, Lord Wimborne, Mr. Charles Hobhouse. Whereas it is, among other things, enacted by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, that the Legislature of any British possession may, by any Act or Ordinance confirmed by His Majesty in. Council, repeal wholly or in part any provisions of the said Act (other than those of the Third Part thereof, which relate to emigrant ships) relating to ships registered in that possession, but that any such Act or Ordinance shall not take effect until the approval of His Majesty has been proclaimed in the possession or until such time thereafter as may be fixed by the Act or Ordinance for the purpose : And whereas by an Act passed in the session held in the 15th and 16th years of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria's reign, entitled " An Act Act to grant a .Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand," it is, amongst other things, declared that no Bill which shall be reserved for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure thereon shall have any force or authority within the Colony of New Zealand until the Governor of the said Colony shall signify, either by speech or message to the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the,said colony, or by Proclamation ', that such Bill hay, been laid before His Majesty in Council, and that. His Majesty has been pleased to assent to the same :

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..-■' I And whereas by a Proclamation dated the lOth day of September, 1907, His late Majesty King Edward VII was graciously pleased to change the style and designation of " the Colony of New Zealand " to " the Dominion of New Zealand " : And whereas a certain Bill of 1913 (No. 77) passed by the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives of the said Dominion, entitled. " An Act to amend the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1908," was presented to the Governor of the said Dominion for His Majesty's assent : And whereas the said Bill was reserved by the said Governor for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure thereon : , V .And whereas the said Bill so reserved as aforesaid has been laid before His Majesty in Council and it is expedient that the said Bill should be assented to by His Majesty : Now, therefore, His Majesty, in pursuance of the said Act and in exercise of the powers thereby reserved to His Majesty as aforesaid, doth by tho present Order, by and with the advice of His Majesty's-Privy Council, confirm and declare His Majesty's assent to the said Bill. Almeric Fitzroy.

No. 13, New Zealand, No. 116. My Lord— Downing Street, 19th March, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 176, of the 27th November last, I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, a copy of a resolution-which was passed unanimously at the recent Conference on the International Map of the World, in favour of the establishment of a Permanent Bureau in connection with the undertaking. 2. In accordance with this resolution a Permanent Bureau has been established at the Ordnance Survey Office, Southampton, and I shall be glad to learn if your Government desire to take part in the •arrangement. In that event it would be convenient if the contribution of £6 per annum towards the secretarial expenses of the Bureau conld be paid direct to the Ordnance Survey Department. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G, M.V.0., &c.

A.-1, 1915 No. 16.

Enclosure. Extract from the Proceedings of the Conference held in Paris- in December, 1913, to discuss the'lnternational Map of the World ; forwarded to the Senior British Delegate by General Bourgeois, the President Of the Conference. Carte dv Monde au T,000,'000 c . Deiixieme Conference Internationale. 5 e Seance pleniere. Jeudi, 18 Decembre, 1913. * * * * . * * Lecture est donnee de la proposition Anglaise relative a l'etablissemeut dun Bureau permanent, dont voici le teste : " La delegation Britannique est autorirsee par le Gouvernement de la Grande Bretagne a proposer a la Conference de la Carte Internationale dv Monde qu'un Bureau permanent soit etabli en Angleterre. ~.,...-, " Cc Bureau compreudrait a la fois un Office Central sis a Southampton, clans les Batiments de l'Ordnance Survey, et une Succursale sise a Londres. " Les attributions dv Bureau consisteraient a publier un Rapport, annuel et a organiser un service d'echange de renseignements, en vue. de fournir aux interesses toutes donnees utiles. "En outre, les minutes lvi seraient soumises. pour avis, avant qu'il ne soit procede a la publication. ■" Dans le cas oil l'envoi dcs dessins originaux se heurterait a certaines difficultes, ces minutes pourraient etre remplacees par dcs photographies ou par une epreuve provisoire. " Chacun dcs Etats acceptant cette proposition pourrait contribuer aux depenses dv Bureau Central jusqu'a concurrence dune somme annuelle de 150 fcs. Cette somme serait remise a gui de droit, par les voies diplomatiques ordinaircs." Le proposition mise aux voix est adoptee. Mr. le General Bourgeois sefait I'interprete de tousles delegues en addressant au Gouvernement Anglais les remerciements de la Conference. (Applaudissements.) ****** Le Secretaire General, "'}' ; : '■'- -'■ Emm. de Margerie.

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No. 14.

New Zealand, No. 121. My Lord,— Downing Street, 20th March, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 54, of the 22nd January, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that His Majesty's Government having announced their intention of sending delegates to the' International Conference for the Protection of Juvenile and Female Labour which is to meet at Berne on the 3rd September next, the Swiss Government have extended the invitation to be represented at this Conference to the Governments of the self-governing Dominions. 2. I shall be glad to learn in due course the names of the delegates whom your Government may select to represent them on this occasion. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c. •

A.-l, 1915, No. 19.

No. 15. New Zealand, No. 122. My Lord,-— Downing Street, 20th March 1914. I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the Deputy Master of the Mint is anxious to include in his annual report information with regard to the currency of the oversea Dominions similar to that which has for many years past been given in the case of foreign currency (see, e.g., pages 25-30, 146-164 of the report for 1912, copies of which accompanied my library despatch of the 23rd January last). The addition of this information would be of material assistance to the Departments of His Majesty's Government concerned with currency questions, and would considerably increase the value of the report to financiers and economists generally. 2. I accordingly enclose a list of questions which is based on that sent to foreign Governments, and I should be glad if your Ministers would be so good as to cause me to be furnished with the information desired by the Mint in so far as it is conveniently available. It is desired that the information should be obtained at as early a date as possible for inclusion in the report of the Deputy Master of 1913, and it would be of advantage if similar information could be sent in future years, as early in each year as may be convenient, I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915, No. 15.

Enclosure. 1. What is the monetary unit or standard of currency? 2. What coins are legal tender currency, and to what amount? •'!. What coins (if any) not strictly legal tender are in actual circulation ? 4. Is any form of bank-note, Government currency note, or other paper money current? If so, please state (a) if legal tender, (b) by whom issued and under what guarantee, (c) if payable on demand, (d) if a reserve of gold is held, and (c) if the paper circulates at a discount. .">. Is any form of currency in use other than coins or paper? G. What is the estimated amount of currency in circulation? Please distinguish between British gold coin, foreign gold coin, local metallic currency, notes, &o. 7. How aro supplies of currency obtained, and how is the balance maintained between excessive and deficient amounts of currency in circulation? 8. What steps are taken to withdraw worn coin from circulation? !). What is the rate of exchange for British gold? 10. What are the legal instruments regulating the currency? Please attach copies where possible of all Royal or local Orders in Council, Proclamations, Ordinances, &c, still in force. 11. Any other informal ion of interest relating to the currency will be useful.

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No. 16. New Zealand, No. 128. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th March, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of correspondence with the GovernorGeneral of the Commonwealth of Australia, on the subject whether a mechanical instrument record made in England and stamped in accordance with the Copyright Eoyalty System (Mechanical Musical Instruments) Eegulations, 1912, would require to be stamped a second time if exported to a selfgoverning Dominion. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.CT.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Commonwealth of Australia, No. 175. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th March, 1914. I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that 1 have been in communication with the Board of Trade and the Law Officers of the Crown with regard to the question discussed in your despatch, No. 129, of the 3rd June last, as to whether a mechanical instrument record made in England and stamped in accordance with the Copyright Royalty System (Mechanical Musical Instruments) Regulations, 1912, would require to be stamped a second time if exported to Australia. 2. The Law Officers of the Crown have advised that a maker in the United Kingdom of a record which is made in compliance with section 19 of the Act, and upon which the prescribed royalty has consequently been paid to the British owner of the copyright, is not required to pay the royalty over again in any part of His Majesty's Dominions to any other owner, and that "' the owner of the copyright " in section 19 (2) means, in the case where there are different owners in different parts of the Empire, the owner "in that part in which the record is made. They also point out that the right of the owner to receive royalty depends upon the statute, and not upon the regulations, and that if, contrary to the opinion which they have expressed, the statute provides for payment twice over in the case in question, its effect cannot be altered by regulations. I have, &c., L. Harcotjrt. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. Lord Dennian, G.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., <fee.

No. 17. New Zealand, No. 137. My Lord, — Downing Street, 3rd April, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch, No. 21, of the 12th February, and to inform you that His Majesty will not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance with respect to the following Acts of the Parliament of New Zealand : — 3 George V, No. 22 : " An Act to amend the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, 1908." 4 George V, No. 69 : " An Act to amend the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, 1908." I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.A 7 .0., <tc.

No. 18. New Zealand, No. Ml. My Lord, — Downing Street, 3rd April, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 24th February, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copy of a letter from the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, enclosing an extract

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from a communication received from Mr. H. G. Dering, M.V.0., on relinquishing his appointment as British Eepresentative on the Permanent Committee of the International Agricultural Institute. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosures. No. A. 27622/1914. Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, Sir,— 4. Whitehall Place, London S.W., 28th March, 1914. I am directed by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to refer to their letter of the 18th ultimo, No. 27;546/14, and to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State, an .extract from a communication which they have received from Mr. H. G. Dering, M.V.0., Councillor of the British Embassy, Rome, on relinquishing his appointment as British Representative on the Permanent Committee of the International Agricultural Institute. I am, &c., A. W. Anstruther, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W. Assistant Secretary. Sir, — British Embassy, Rome, 27th February, 1914. Sir James Wilson having arrived in Rome to take up the duties of British representative at the Institute, I venture to take this opportunity, when finally severing my direct official connection with the Board, of exjiressing my grateful thanks for all the assistance and support which I have received from the Department since taking up the work at the Institute in 1911. The relations which I have been fortunate enough to maintain with yourself and Sir Thomas Elliott will always remain a most pleasant memory. Feeling, as I have done, that the Governments of His Majesty and of the Dominions adhering to the Institute have up to the present been but inadequately represented by myself with a limited amount of time to devote to the Institute, - it is with much gratification that I have noted the appointment of a distinguished delegate who will worthily safeguard His Majesty's Government's and all Dominion interests as a permanent representative at the Institute on a par with those sent here by other Great Powers. Any experience which I may have acquired will always be at Sir James Wilson's disposal as long as I remain at Rome. I cannot close this letter without recording the great assistance which I have received in all Institute matters connected with Canada from Mr. T. K. Doherty, of the Publications Branch of the Department of Agriculture at Ottawa. His letters and advice to me have always proved instructive and of the utmost use. I have, &c, Herbert G. Dering. Sir Sydney Olivier, K.C.M.G., Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.

No. 19. New Zealand, No. 149. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bth April, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for communication to your Prime Minister, copy of a despatch from the Governor-General of Canada forwarding a letter from the Cartier Centenary Committee of Montreal inviting your Government to send representatives to the ceremony of inauguration of the memorial to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Sir Georges E. Cartier, which will take place in Montreal on the 7th September next. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G.. M.V.0., &c.

A.-1, 1915. No. 20.

Enclosures. Sir, — Government House, Ottawa, Canada, 20th March. 1914. I have the honour to forward herewith, with the request that the invitations may be transmitted to their various destinations, a copy of a letter from the Department of the Secretary- of State for External Affairs covering invitations to the self-governing Dominions to send representatives to the Cartier Celebration in September. I have, &c, Arthur. The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, M.P., Secretary of State for the Colonies.

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From. Department of External Affairs to Governor-General's Secretary. Sir, — Ottawa, 16th March, 1914. I have the honour to transmit herewith three envelopes, each containing an invitation from the Cartier Centenary Committee of Monreal to the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Dominion of New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa respectively, inviting them to send representatives to the ceremony of inauguration of the memorial to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Sir Georges E. Cartier, which will take place in Montreal on Monday, the 7th September, 1914, and I am. to request that His Royal Highness the Governor-General may be humbly moved to cause these three letters to be transmitted through the Colonial Office to their various destinations. I have, &c, Joseph Pope, Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Governor-General of Canada. 1814. 6th September. 1914. The Cartier Centenary Committee respectfully invite to send representatives to the Centenary of Inauguration of the Memorial to commemorate the Centenary of the birth of Sir Georges Etienne Cartier, Bart., which will take place on the slope of Mount Royal, in the City of Montreal, on Monday, the 7th of September, 1914, at 3 p.m., and also to the function attending the National Celebration in connection therewith.

No. 20. New Zealand, No. 151. My Lord,— Downing Street, 9th April, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 87, of the 20th February, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency,' for the information of your Ministers, copies of an Order of His Majesty in Council, dated the 30th March, amending the Order in Council of the 9th February, 1914, under the Copyright Act, 1911, relating to the copyright of works of which the country of origin is Italy. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 30th day of March, 1914. Present: The King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. Whereas His Majesty, by virtue of the authority conferred upon him by the Copyright Act, 1911, was .pleased to make an Order in Council, dated the 9th day of February, 1914, revoking, so far as they relate to works of which the country of origin is Italy, the provisions of Article 2, proviso (1), of the Order in Council therein referred to as the principal Order : And whereas it is expedient that Article 3 of the said first-mentioned Order should be varied : Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, and by virtue of the authority conferred upon him by the Copyright Act, 1911, is pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows : — 1. Article 3 of the said Order shall be varied by omitting therefrom the words, " and the first day of July, 1914, for the first day of July, 1913," and the article shall take effect as if those words had'not been inserted therein. 2. This Order shall come into operation on the Ist day of April, 1914. And the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury are to give the necessary Orders accordingly. Almeric Fitzrgy.,.

No. 21. New Zealand, No. 153. My Lord, — Downing Street, 9th April, 1914 With reference to my despatch, No. 292, of the 18th August, 1911, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that

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the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have engaged a professional actuary to determine the annual rates of contribution to be charged to Dominion Governments borrowing naval and marine officers in respect of retired pay and pension liability, and, after full consideration of his reports, have fixed the following rates for the different classes of officers, viz. : — Per Annum. £ Commissioned officers of the Executive and Engineer lists ... ... 100 Medical Officers ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 120 Accountant Officers ... ... ... ... ... ... 80 Chaplains and Naval Instructors ... ... ... ... ... 115 Chaplains, Naval Instructors ... ... ... ... ... 85 Eoyal Marine commissioned officers... ... ... ... ... 70 Executive warrant officers and carpente/s, and Lieutenants from those ranks ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 35 Engineer warrant officers and Lieutenants from those ranks ... ... 40 I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 22. New Zealand, No. 161. My Lord, — Downing Street, 17th April, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 25, of the 16th January, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a circular issued by the United States Department of Agriculture introducing amendments into Bureau of Animal Industry Order 150 (regulations governing the meat-inspection of the United States Department of Agriculture). I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. (Amendment 6 to 8.A.1. Order 150.) United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry. Amendment to Paragraph 1 of Section 17 of Regulation IS, B. A. I. Order 150 (Regulations governing the Meat-inspection of the United States Department of Agriculture), governing the Disposition of Carcases of Animals infested with Tapeworm Cysts known as- Cysticercus bovis. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, Washington, D.C., 20th January, 1914. For the purpose of preventing the use in inter-State or foreign commerce of meat and meatfood products which are unsound, unhealthful, unwholesome, or otherwise unfit for human food, under the authority conferred on the Secretary of Agriculture by the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 30th June, 1906 (34 Stats., 674), that part of paragraph 1 of section 17 of regulation 13 relating to Cysticercus bovis is hereby amended to read as hereinafter set out. This amendment, which for purposes of identification is designated as Amendment (i to B. A. I. Order 150, shall supersede previous rulings on this subject and become effective immediately. Amendment 3 to B. A. I. Order 150 is hereby revoked. B. T. Galloway, Acting-Secretary of Agriculture. Section 17, Paragraph I. — (a.) Carcases of cattle (including the vicera) infested with tapeworm cysts, known as Cysticercus bovis, shall be condemned if the infestation is excessive or if tho meat is watery or discoloured. Carcases shall be considered excessively infested if incisions in various parts of the musculature expose on most of the cut surfaces two or more cysts within an area the size of the palm of the hand.

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(b.) Carcases (including the viscera) showing a slight infestation—viz., not to exceed ten cysts —as determined by a careful examination of the heart, muscles of mastication, tongue, diapragm and its pillars, and of portions of the carcase rendered visible by the process of dressing may be passed for food after removal and condemnation of the cysts, with the surrounding tissures, provided the carcase and parts appropriately identified by retained tags are held in cold storage or pickle for not less than twenty-one days under conditions which will ensure proper preservation : Provided further that if the temperature at which such carcases and parts are held in cold storage does not exceed 15° F., the period of retention may be reduced to six days. Fats of carcases passed for food under the provisions of this paragraph may be passed for food without refrigeration, provided they are melted at a temperature of not less than 140° F. Carcases which show no cysts except in the heart may be passed for food after retention in cold storage or pickle as above provided, irrespective of the number of cysts in the heart. (c.) Carcases (including the viscera) showing a moderate infestation —viz., a greater number of cysts than prescribed in clause (b), but which are not so extensively infested as prescribed in clause (a) of this amendment —may be rendered into edible tallow. In case such carcases and viscera are not rendered into tallow they shall be condemned. (d.) The inspection for Gysticercus bovis may be omitted in the case of calves under six weeks old. The routine inspection, of calves over six weeks old for Cysttcercus bovis may be limited to a careful examination of the surface of the heart and such surfaces of the body musculature as are rendered visible by the process of dressing.

No. 23. New Zealand, No. 162. My Lord, — Downing Street, 17th April, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch, No. 31, of the 3rd ultimo, and to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, copy of a despatch from the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, from which it appears that certificates of proficiency in radio-telegraphy granted by His Majesty's Government or by any Colonial Government will be recognized by the Commonwealth authorities as entitling their holders, if British subjects, to work wireless-telegraphy installations on any British ship. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Commonwealth of Australia, Governor-General's Office, Sir, — Melbourne, 12th February, 1914. Referring to your despatch, No. 746, dated sth November, 1913, and in continuation of my despatch to you, No. 258, dated Ist November last, on the subject of the proposal that certificates of proficiency in radio-telegraphy issued by His Majesty's Government and by the Governments of the oversea Dominions should entitle the holders to work wireless apparatus both on ships registered in the United Kingdom and in the Dominions, I have the honour to inform you that I am advised by my Prime Minister that the Commonwealth Postmaster-General considers that certificates of proficiency granted by the Imperial Government or by any British colonial Government should entitle the holders, provided they are British subjects, to work wireless apparatus on all British ships. 2. The Commonwealth Postal Administration only issue certificates to British subjects. I have, &c, Denman, Governor-General. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 24. New Zealand, No. 165. My Lord, — Downing Street, 17th April, 1914. With reference to my desoatch, No. 210, of the 29th June, 1911, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a Bill which has been reintroduced into the Imperial Parliament entitled " A Bill to make such amendments in the Law

3—A. 2.

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with respect to International Tribunals, Neutrality, and other Matters as are necessary to enable certain Conventions to be carried into Effect," together with copies of an explanatory memorandum. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Second Peace Conference (Conventions) Bill. memorandum. This Bill contains such provisions as are necessary to enable the Conventions drawn up at the Hague in 1907 (other than the Convention relative to the establishment of International Prize Courts) to be put in force. Clause 1. The object of this clause is to enable the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to be enforced in connection with proceedings before a Commission of inquiry (see Article 23 of the Convention for the Specific Settlement of International Disputes) and before Courts of Arbitration (see Article 76 of the same Convention and Article 25 relative to the creation of a Judicial Arbitration Court). The powers under the clause are made exerciseably by the Secretary of State, but only if put in motion by the international tribunal. Clause 2. This clause proposes to enable His Majesty by Order in Council to regulate various matters so that the obligations imposed by the Conventions on neutrals may be enforced. The obligations covered are— (1.) By paragraph (a), the obligations imposed by Articles 17, 18, 19, and 20 of the Convention respecting the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers in Maritime War (for which purpose the present provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act, 1870, are insufficient). (2.) By paragraph (b), the obligation of interning foreign troops and crews of foreign vessels, imposed by Article 11 of the Convention respecting the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers and Persons in War on Land, Article 15 of the Convention for the Adaptation of the Principles of the Geneva Convention to Maritime War, and Articles 3 and 21 of the Convention respecting the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers in Maritime War. (3.) By paragraph (c), the obligation of prohibiting the erection and use of wireless-telegraph stations and apparatus imposed by Article 3 of the Convention respecting the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers and Persons in War on Land, and Article 5 of the Convention respecting the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers in Maritime War. Clause 3. This clause is necessary in order to carry into effect the provisions of Articles 6 and 21 of the Convention for the Adaptation of the Principles of the Geneva Convention to Maritime War, which prohibit the painting of ships other than hospital ships with the marks characteristic of hospital ships. Clause I^. This clause is inserted in view of the provisions of Article 12 of the Convention for the Adaptation of the Principles of the Geneva Convention to Maritime Warfare. A Bill to make such Amendments in the Law with respect to International Tribunals, Neutrality, and other Matters as are necessan' to enable certain Conventions to be carried into Effect. Whereas at the Second Peace Conference, held at The Hague in the year nineteen hundred and seven, various Conventions were drawn up, but it is desirable that the same should not be ratified by His Majesty the King until such amendments of the law as are in this Act contained have been made : Be it therefore enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : — 1. (1.) A Secretary of State, on the application of any international tribunal constituted in accordance with any treaty or convention to which His Majesty is a party for inquiring into or settling any questions of an international character, shall, for the purpose of — (i.) Enforcing the attendance of witnesses before any such tribunal, wherever sitting, whether within or without His Majesty's dominions, or before any member of any such tribunal or any other person duly authorized to take evidence in connection with any proceedings before any such tribunal; and (ii.) Compelling the production of documents,

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have power to issue orders which shall have the like effect as if the proceedings before the international tribunal were an action in the Court, and the order were a formal process issued by the Court in the due exercise of its jurisdiction, and shall be enforceable by the Court accordingly, and disobedience to any such order shall be punishable as contempt of Court. (2.) A member of any such international tribunal, if not a British subject, shall, whilst residing or travelling in any part of His Majesty's dominions for the purpose of the performance of his duties as such member, enjoy all the privileges which are conferred by law or custom on Ambassadors and public Ministers of foreign States. (3.) In this section the expression "the Court" mean in England and Ireland the High Court, in Scotland the Court of Session, and in any other place to which this Act extends a superior Court of that place. (4.). The powers conferred by this section on the Secretary of State may be exercised by him in any place to which this Act extends, and those powers may also be exercised by any of the following officers within their respective jurisdictions, that is to say — (i.) In Ireland, by the Lord Lieutenant; (ii.) In Jersey, by the Lieutenant-Governor; (iii.) In Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, and independent islands, by the Lieutenant- ' Governor; (iv.) In the Isle of Man, by the Lieutenant-Governor; (v.) In India, the Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Union of South Africa, by the Governor-General, including any person who for the time being has the powers of the Governor-General; (vi.) In any British possession, by the Governor. 2. (1.) Without prejudice to any other powers exercisable by His Majesty for the purpose of enforcing the obligations of neutrality, His Majesty may by Order in Council— (a.) Make regulations for preventing or prohibiting, or authorizing, subject to conditions or restrictions, the supply of fuel or stores to, and the repairing or manning of ships belonging to any foreign State at war with any other foreign State at peace with His Majest}' (in this Act referred to as a friendly State); (6.) Authorize the arrest and detention of any persons forming part of the crew of any ship belonging to, or of the forces of, any foreign State at war with any friendly State whom His Majesty by virtue of any treaty, Convention, or otherwise is under an obligation to intern; (c.) Prohibit the erection by or on behalf of any foreign State at war with any friendly State of any wireless telegraphic station or any apparatus for the purpose of communicating with their forces on land or sea, and the use of any such station or apparatus established by any such State for purely military purposes before the commencement of the war and not previously opened for the service of public messages; and the Order may contain such incidental, consequential, and supplemental provisions as may appear to His Majesty to be necessary or proper for the purposes of the Order, and any such Order may be revoked and varied by any subsequent Order in Council. (2.) If any person contravenes the provisions of any such Order or obstructs any officer in the execution of his duties thereunder he shall be guilty of an offence under the Foreign Enlistment Act, 1870, and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished as if he had been guilty of increasing the warlike force of a foreign ship upder section ten of that Act. (3.) An Order in Council under this section shall, if made before the outbreak of hostilities between two foreign States, come into force on the issue of a Proclamation of neutrality by His Majesty in connection with such outbreak, and, if made during such hostilities, come into force on the -making thereof ;' and in either case shall, unless previously revoked, continue in force until the issue of a Proclamation declaring such hostilities to be at an end, and whilst in force shall have effect as if enacted in this Act: Provided that the issue of such last-mentioned Proclamation shall not affect any legal proceeding commenced or offence committed whilst the Order in Council was still in force, but any such legal proceeding may be continued and any such offence prosecuted as if the Order remained in force. 3. (1.) A British vessel other than a hospital ship or a boat belonging thereto shall not be painted white outside with a broad horizontal band of red or green so as to resemble such a ship or boat, and if any such vessel is so painted the owner or master of the vessel shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, and on a certificate from a Surveyor of Ships or a Board of Trade Inspector under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, that a vessel is so painted, the vessel may be detained until the defect has been remedied. (2.) It shall not be lawful to display on any British ship or boat, other than a hospital ship or a boat belonging thereto, the Geneva flag —that is to say, a flag consisting of a red cross on a white ground, formed by reversing the federal colours of the Swiss Confederation—or any flag so nearly resembling the same as to be calculated to deceive, and if any such flag is displayed on any such vessel the owner or master of the vessel shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds. (3.) For the purposes of this and the next succeeding section the expression " hospital ship " means any ship constructed or adapted for the sole purpose of assisting the sick, wounded, or shipwrecked. (4.) This section shall have effect and be construed as though it were part of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, as amended by any subsequent enactment. (5.) This section shall not come into operation until three months after the passing of this Act.

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4. (1.) The master of any British ship having on board any sick, wounded, or shipwrecked men, being combatants who have been rescued during or after a naval engagement in which they have taken part, shall, on demand being made in person or on behalf of a commissioned officer actually in command of a warship of any of the belligerent States, deliver to him all such men. (2.) This section shall not, except as respects British hospital ships, extend to cases where the officer making the demand is an officer of a warship of a State at war with His Majesty. (3.) In this section expressions have the same meaning as in the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, as amended by any subsequent enactment. 5. This Act shall extend to the whole of His Majesty's dominions. 6. This Act may be cited as the Second Peace Conference (Conventions) Act, 1914.

No. 25. New Zealand, No. 166. My Lord, — Downing Street, 20th April, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 142, of the 3rd April, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying signed certificate which I have given, in accordance with section 25 (2) of the Imperial Copyright Act, 191.1, regarding the legislation of the Dominion on the subject of copyright. 2. The certificate is being published in. the London Gazette. 3. I take this opportunity to mention that the Imperial Copyright Act, 1911, has been extended by Order of His Majesty in Council, in pursuance of section 28, to the Island of Cyprus and to Weihaiwei, and to the following British Protectorates : Bechuanaland Protectorate; East Africa Protectorate; Gambia Protectorate; Gold Coast (Northern Territories); Nigeria Protectorate; Nyasaland Protectorate; Sierra Leone Protectorate; Somaliland Protectorate; Northern Ehodesia; Southern Ehodesia; Swaziland; Uganda Protectorate; Gilbert and Ellice Islands Protectorate; Solomon Islands Protectorate. 4. Section 28 of the New Zealand Copyright Act, 1913, provides only for reciprocal protection of copyright as between New Zealand and other parts of the British dominions. The territories mentioned above are not parts of the British dominions, nor do they appear to be covered by the provisions of Part II relating to international copyright. I should be glad if your Ministers would consider the possibility of amending the Copyright Act, 1913, with a view to the territories to which the Imperial Act has been extended by Order of His Majesty in Council, under section 28 of the Imperial Act, being placed in the same position as the parts of His Majesty's dominions to which the Imperial Act extends. 5. I have to add that His Majesty will not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance with respect to the New Zealand Copyright Act, 1913. I also enclose, for the information of your Ministers, copy of the Note in which the Swiss Government was informed of the accession of the Dominion to the Berne Copyright Convention, 1908. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915. No. 25.

Enclosure. I, Lewis Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies, do hereby certify, pursuant to section 25, subsection (2), of the Imperial Copyright Act, 1911, that the Dominion of New Zealand has passed legislation—that is to say, the New Zealand Copyright Act, 1913, and Orders in Council made thereunder and dated the 27th March, 1914—under which works the authors whereof were at the date of the making of the works British subjects resident elsewhere than in the Dominion of New Zealand, or (not being British subjects) were resident in the parts of His Majesty's dominions to which the said Imperial Acts extends, enjoy within the Dominion of New Zealand rights substantially identical with those conferred by the said Imperial Act. Downing Street, 20th April, 1914. L. Harcoubt.

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Monsieur le President, — British Legation, Berne, 30th March, 1914. With reference to Mr. Clive's note of the 14th June, 1912, in which he had the honour to communicate to the Federal Government the ratification of His Majesty the King to the International Copyright Convention signed at Berne on the 13th November, 1908, I have the honour to inform your Excellency, in compliance with instructions from His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, that the Dominion of New Zealand now desire to accede to the Convention. I have the honour at the same time to state that it is desired that the accession of the Dominion of New Zealand shall take effect from the Ist April, 1914. While notifying the above accession to Your Excellency, I have received instructions to state that it is subject to the same reservation as that made by His Majesty's Government at the time of the deposit of the ratification of His Britannic Majesty. I avail myself of this opportunity, Monsieur le President, to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration. E. Hicks-Beach. His Excellency Monsieur Hoffman, President of the Swiss Confederation.

No. 26. New Zealand, No. 170. My Lord, — Downing Street, 24th April, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's telegram of the 9th April, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, six copies of a parliamentary paper containing correspondence relating to the representation of the self-governing dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence, and to a proposed Naval Conference. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosures. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE REPRESENTATION OF THE SELF-GOVERNING DOMINIONS ON THE COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE, AND TO A PROPOSED NAVAL CONFERENCE. No.' 1. The Secretary of State to the Governor-General of Australia, the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa, and the Governors of New Zealand and Newfoundland. My Lord [Sir], — Downing Street, 10th December, 1912. I am forwarding by post, for the confidential information of your Ministers, a record of the proceedings at the Committee of Imperial Defence on the 30th May, 1911 (during the Imperial Conference), and on the Ist August, 1912 (during the visit of the Canadian Ministers to London). This record deals solely with the question of the representation of the Dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence. [Omitted to New Zealand: Your Ministers, who were present on the first occasion, will remember that] the matter arose out of a resolution by Sir Joseph Ward on the agenda of the Imperial Conference, asking that the High Commissioners of the Dominions should be summoned to the Committee of Imperial Defence when naval and military matters affecting the oversea Dominions were under consideration. The unanimous view of all those present on the 30th May, 1911, was that the representation of the Dominions should be, not by the High Commissioner, but by Ministers, who would be responsible to their own colleagues and Parliament, and at the same time it was decided that a Defence Committee should be established in each Dominion, which would be kept in close touch with the Committee of Imperial Defence at Home. The resolutions ultimately put forward by His Majesty's Government and accepted unanimously by the members of the Imperial Conference at the Committee of Imperial Defence were as follows : (1.) That one or more representatives, appointed by the respective Governments of the Dominions, should be invited to attend meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence when questions of naval and military defence affecting the oversea Dominions are under consideration. (2.) The proposal that a Defence Committee should be established in each Dominion is accepted in principle. The constitution of these Defence Committees is a matter for each Dominion to decide. The Canadian Government having changed in the autumn of 1911, it was necessary, when Mr. Borden and his colleagues visited England this summer, to put these proposals before them, as they were, of course, unaware of the previous proceedings. Subject to consultation with his colleagues in Canada, Mr. Borden provisionally accepted the resolutions as passed, and stated that he saw no difficulty in one of his Ministers, either with or without portfolio, spending some months of every year in London in order to carry out this intention. Mr. Asquith

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and 1 had, subsequently, several private conversations with him, at which he expressed the desire that the Canadian and other Dominions' Ministers who might be in London as members of the Committee of Imperial Defence should receive, in confidence, knowledge of the policy and proceedings of the Imperial Government in foreign and other affairs. We pointed out to him that the Committee of Imperial Defence is a purely advisory body, and is not, and cannot under any circumstances become, a body deciding on policy, which is and must remain the sole prerogative of the Cabinet, subject to the support of the House of Commons. But at the same time we assured him that any Dominion's Minister resident here would at all times have free and full access to the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, and the Colonial Secretarjf for information on all questions of Imperial policy. In a public speech which I made a short time ago I used the following words: "There is on the part of Canadian Ministers and people a natural and laudable desire for a greater measure of consultation and co-operation with, us in the future than they have had in the past. This is not intended to, and it need not, open up those difficult problems of Imperial federation which, seeming to entail questions of taxation and representation, have made that policy for many years a dead issue. But, speaking for myself, I see no obstacle and certainly no objection to the Governments of all the Dominions being given at once a larger share in the executive direction in matters of defence and in personal consultation and co-operation with individual British Ministers whose duty it is to frame policy here. I should welcome a more continuous representation of Dominions Ministers, if they wish it, upon the Committee of Imperial Defence; we should all be glad if a member or members of those Cabinets would be annually in London. The door of fellowship and friendship is always open to them, and we require no formalities of an Imperial Conference for the continuity of Imperial confidence." The foreging accurately represents the views and intentions of His Majesty's Government. From Mr. Borden's public speech in introducing the Canadian Naval Bill it appears that he accepts the proposals which we have made. The same offer is, of course, open to all the other self-governing Dominions if and when they wish to adopt it, but the proposal is not one of necessary or strict uniformity, and can be varied in the case of each or any Dominion to suit their wishes or the special circumstances of their case. I should be glad to know, at their convenience, whether your Ministers desire to adopt some such method of more continuous connection in naval and military affairs with the Committee of Imperial Defence in the United Kingdom. I have, &c, L. Harcourt. Colonial Office Note.—This despatch was telegraphed on 10th December, 1912, with the following addition : " His Majesty's Government propose to publish this despatch here in a short time, and you will be informed of date when publication will take place." At the same time it was also communicated to the Governor-General of Canada.

No. 2. Australia.—The Governor-General to the Secretary of State. (Received 10.45 a.m., 19th December, 1912.) • Telegram. [Answered by No. 3.] Your telegram, 10th December [see note No. 1] : It is impracticable for any Commonwealth Ministers to visit England during the ensuing year, but in view of great importance of the Dominions adopting a common policy and having a complete understanding on question of co-operation for naval defence, it is suggested that a subsidiary conference should be convened in Australia, in either January of February, 1913. If this is not practicable Ministers would be prepared to attend a conference in New Zealand, South Africa, or Vancouver, Canada.—Denman. No. 3. Australia.—The Secretary of State to the Governor-General. (Sent 4.10 p.m., Bth January, 1913.) Telegram. [Answered by No. J/..] Your telegram, 19th December [No. 2\ : Is date of proposed conference correctly given in your telegram as 1913? Please telegraph reply.—Harcourt. No. 4. Australia.—The Governor-General to the Secretary of State (Received 9.30 a.m., 9th January, 1913.) Telegram. [Answered by No. 5,] Your telegram, Bth January [No. 3] : Year named, 1913, correct. Ministers desired Conference might be held at once in view of general elections probably occurring May next.—Denman.

No. 3. Australia. —The Secretary of State to the Governor-General. (Sent 4.10 p.m., Bth January, 1913.) Telegram. [Answered by No. Your telegram, 19th December [No. 2] : Is date of proposed conference correctly given in your telegram as 1913? Please telegraph reply.—Harcourt.

No. 4. Australia. —The Governor-General to the Secretary of State (Received 9.30 a.m., 9th January, 1913.) Telegram. [Answered by No. 5,] Your telegram, Bth January [No. 3] : Year named, 1913, correct. Ministers desired Conference might be held at once in view of general elections' probably occurring May next. —Denman.

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No. 5. Australia.—The Secretary of State to the Governor-General. (Sent 7 p.m., 10th January, 1913.) Telegram. Your telegram, 9th January [No. J/-] : Please inform your Ministers, owing to situation of public affairs here, we find it quite impossible to hold general Naval Defence Conference at date named and places suggested. Other Dominions could not attend at short notice, and it is doubtful whether'they would desire a general conference at present. Defence Minister of New Zealand is now on his way to England, and Defence Minister of South Africa comes here in May for individual consultation. After your general election we shall welcome any Minister of yours who could visit England for discussion.—Harcourt. No. 6. The Secretary of State to the Governors-General and Governors [Canada, New Zealand, Union of South Africa, Newfoundland]. My Lord [Sir], — Downing Street, 22nd February, 1913. With reference to statements which have appeared in the public Press as to a proposed conference upon naval defence, I have the honour to transmit to Your Royal Highness [Your Excellency] [you], for the information of your Ministers, copies of telegraphic correspondence [Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5] with the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the subject of a proposal of his Government that a conference should be held on. the subject in Australia in January or February of this year, or, if that should not be practicable, in New Zealand, or South Africa, or Vancouver. I have, &c, L. Harcourt. No. 7. Union of South Africa. —The Governor-General to the Secretary of State. (Received 24th February, 1913.) Sir, — Governor-General's Office, Cape Town, sth February, 1913. I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, with reference to your despatch of the 10th December, 1912 [No. I], a copy of a minute from Ministers, dated 30th January, 1913, on the subject of the more continuous connection of the Overseas Dominions in naval and military affairs with the Committee of Imperial Defence in the United Kingdom. I have, &c, Gladstone, Governor-General. Enclosure in No. 7. Prime Minister's Office, Cape Town, 30th January, 1913. Ministers have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of His Excellency's minute of the 2nd January, 1913, on the subject of the representation of the dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence, and His Excellency's minute of the 2nd January, 1913, covering copies of secret printed documents dealing with the same subject. 2. Ministers desire to express their appreciation of the views expressed by the Right Hon. the Secretary of State contained in his despatch of the 10th December, 1912, and of the readiness evinced by His Majesty's Government to make provision, through the machinery of the Imperial Defence Committee, for more frequent opportunities of consultations between the Imperial and Dominion Governments. Ministers have noted with pleasure that, as Mr. Secretary Harcourt clearly indicates, no new departure in constitutional practice is intended, but that the proposals of His Majesty's Government are simply a further expression of that spirit of mutual consultation and helpful co-operation which in the past has so happily animated the British Government in its relations to the Governments of the self-governing dominions. 3. Not only have matters of grave military and naval concern to the Empire and its component parts been very fully and frequently discussed at various Imperial Defence Conferences, but, at meetings of the Imperial Defence Committee, His Majesty's Government have made to representatives of the Dominion Governments full and frank disclosures on very important aspects of Imperial foreign policy. In the interval between these conferences Ministers have repeatedly received from the Overseas Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence the most valuable technical advice in regard to defence arrangements for the Union. 4. The existing machinery for consultation and suggestion has thus worked so smoothly that Ministers would be loth to see any new departure inaugurated which might in the end prove less satisfactory in practice. In particular they doubt whether the idea of a Minister of the Union residing in London for the purpose of constantly representing the Union Government on the Imperial Defence Committee is practicable. 5. As long as the control of foreign policy remains, as under present conditions it must necessarily remain, solely with the Imperial Government, and the Imperial Government con-

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tinue, as agreed at the last Imperial Cinference, to consult the dominions on all questions of foreign policy which affect them individually, Ministers do not think it is necessary to have a Union Minister in constant attendance at the Imperial Defence Committee. 6. It is always open to the Union Government either to seek advice from the Imperial Defence Committee in writing, or, in more important cases, to ask for a personal consultation between that Committee and the representative of the Union Government. In the latter case, undoubtedly the more convenient course, at any rate so far as the Union is concerned, would be that either" the Prime Minister or the Minister or Ministers whose Departments are more specially concerned should visit London for the purpose of such consultation. Louis Botha.

No. 8. The Secretary of State to the Governors-General and Governors [Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland]. My Lord [Sir], — Downing Street, 20th March, 1913. With reference to my telegram and despatch of the 10th December last [See No. 1 and footnote thereto], I have the honour to transmit to Your Royal Highness [Your Excellency] [you], to be laid before your Ministers, a copy of a despatch [No. 7] from the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa forwarding a minute from his Ministers on the subject of the representation of the self-governing dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence. I have, &c, L. Harcourt.

No. 9. Newfoundland.—The Governor to the Secretary of State. (Received 21st April, 1913.J Sir, — Government House, St. John's, Bth April, 1913. With reference to your despatch of the 10th December, 1912 [No. I], with respect to the representation of the dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence, I have the honour to transmit copy of a letter received from the Colonial Secretary on the subject. I have, &c, W. E. Davidson. Enclosure in No. 9. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, St. John's, Newfoundland, 2nd April, 1913. Referring to despatch of date 10th December last [No. I], from the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies, regarding the representation of the dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence, I have the honour to intimate that the arrangement made with the Dominion of Canada would be agreeable to Your Excellency's Ministers—namely, that we see no difficulty in Ministers from this colony when in London putting themselves in touch with the Imperial Defence Committee. As regards the matter of the establishment of a local Defence Committee, I may say that this will engage the attention of Ministers at a later date. I have, &c, R. Watson, Colonial Secretary. His Excellency Walter Edward Davidson, Esq., C.M.G., &c, Governor. No. 10. The Secretary of State to the Governors-General and Governor [Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Union of South Africa], My Lord [Sir],— Downing Street, 2nd May, 1913. With reference to my despatch of the 20th March [No. B], I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency [you], for the information of your Ministers, a copy of a despatch [No. 9] from the Governor of Newfoundland on the subject of the representation of the self-governing dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence. I have, &c, L. Harcourt. No. 11. New Zealand.—The Governor to the Secretary of State. (Received 28th July, 1913.) Sir,— _ Government House, Wellington, 19th June, 1913. With reference to your despatch of the 10th December last [No. I], relative to the representation of the self-governing dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence, I have the honour to inform you that I have received a communication from my Prime Minister intimating that my Government do not consider it advisable at present for' a permanent appointment to be

No. 10. The Secretary of State to the Governors-General and Governor [Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Union of South Africa], My Lord [Sir],— Downing Street, 2nd May, 1913. With reference to my despatch of the 20th March [No. B], I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency [you], for the information of your Ministers, a copy of a despatch [No. 9] from the Governor of Newfoundland on the subject of the representation of the self-governing dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence. I have, &c, L, Harcourt.

No. 11. New Zealand.—The Governor to the Secretary of State. (Received 28th July, 1913.) Sir, — _ Government House, Wellington, 19th June, 1913. With reference to your despatch of the 10th December last [No. I], relative to the representation of the self-governing dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence, I have the honour to inform you that I have received a communication from my Prime Minister intimating that my Government do not consider it advisable at present for' a permanent appointment to be

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made, but rather that, when at any time accredited Ministers of the Government of the Dominion are in England, they may be invited to attend the deliberations of the Committee of Imperial Defence in a like manner as has been the privilege of the New Zealand Minister of Defence, Colonel the Hon. James Allen, during his recent visit. I have, &c, Liverpool, Governor.

No. 12. The Secretary of State to the Governors-General and Governor [Canada, Australia, Union of South Africa, Newfoundland]. My Lord [Sir], — Downing Street, 15th August, 1913. With reference to [io Newfoundland only: your despatch of the Bth April (No. 9f] [my despatch of the 2nd May (No. 10)] I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency [you], for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a despatch [No. 11] from the Governor of New Zealand on the subject of the representation of the self-governing dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence. I have, &c, L. Harcourt.

No. 13. Australia.—The Governor-General to the Secretary of State. (Received 9 a.m., 16th August. 1913.) Telegram. Government of Commonwealth of Australia are considering naval defence situation, especially arrangement come to at Imperial Conference in London, 19th August, 1909, by which Australian Fleet unit will form part of Eastern Fleet of the Empire with similar units of the Royal Navy to be known as China and East Indies units respectively. Completion of Australian Fleet unit as then agreed to in near at hand, but it does not appear to my Ministers that China and East Indies units are in course of being provided. Government of Commonwealth of Australia anxious to know exactly intention of His Majesty's Government in this respect. If any new circumstances have arisen which it is considered should necessitate an alteration in this agreement to provide units, my Ministers would be glad to be informed, and, if thought necessary, will arrange for representation at a conference, should His Majesty's Government consider such a course necessary.—Denman. Colonial Office Note.—The Secretary of State for the Colonies in a telegram dated 17th October forwarded the reply of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on the subject of the carrying-out of the arrangement arrived at in 1909, and added: "If, after consideration of the statement of the Admiralty, your Ministers consider it desirable to confer, as the Governments of other dominions have done, with His Majesty's Government, His Majesty's Government will be glad to welcome, at any date convenient to them next year, a visit of representatives of your Government." No. 14. Australia.—The Secretary of State to the Governor-General. [Answered by No. 15.] My Lord,— Downing Street, 21st November, 1913. I have received a copy of " Parliamentary Debates (Commonwealth of Australia)," (No.. 17), on page 1981, of which I observe that the Prime Minister, replying to a question by Mr. Higgs. stated that the Commonwealth Government had requested the Imperial Government to convene a conference of representatives of the dominions and of the United Kingdom. 2. I have been unable to trace such a request from your present Ministers, and I should be glad if I could be informed on what occasion it was made to His Majesty's Government. No such request appears to have been contained in your telegram of the 16th August [No. IS]. I have, &c. L. Harcourt. Annexure to No. 14. Australia.—Extract from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates, 10th October, 1913. Housr of Representatives: Imperial Defence Conference. Mr. Higgs asked the Prime Minister, upon notice—(l.) Whether the Government has requested the Imperial Government to convene a conference of representatives of the dominions and of the United Kingdom? (2.) If so, at what time and place is it proposed to hold the said conference? (3.) What subjects, if any, have been suggested by the Commonwealth Government for discussion at the conference? Mr. Joseph Cook.—The answers to the honourable member's questions are—(l.) Yes. (2.) These to be mutually arranged. (3.) Defence primarily.

No. 14 Australia.—The Secretary op State to the Governor-General. [Answered by No. 15.] My Lord, — Downing Street, 21st November, 1913. 1 have received a copy of " Parliamentary Debates (Commonwealth of Australia)," (No.. 17), on page, 1981, of which I observe that the Prime Minister, replying to a question by Mr. Higgs. stated that the Commonwealth Government had requested the Imperial Government to convene a conference of representatives of the dominions and of the United Kingdom. 2. T have been unable to trace such a request from your present Ministers, and I should be glad if I could be informed on what occasion it was made to His Majesty's Government. No such request appears to have been contained in your telegram of the 16th August [No. 13]. I have, &c. L. Harcourt.

Annexure to No. 14. Australia.—Extract from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates, 10th October, 1913. Housr of Representatives: Imperial Defence Conference. Mr. Hiaas asked the Prime Minister, upon notice—(l.) Whether the Government has requested the Imperial Government to convene a conference of representatives of the dominions and of the United Kingdom? (2.) If so, at what time and place is it proposed to hold the said conference? (3.) What subjects, if any, have been suggested by the Commonwealth Government for discussion at the conference? Mr. Joseph Cook. —The answers to the honourable member's questions are—(l.) Yes. (2.) These to be mutually arranged. (3.) Defence primarily.

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No. 15. Australia.—The Governor-General to the Secretary of State. (Received 11.27 a.m.. 9th February, 1914.) Telegram. [Answered by No. 16.] Your despatch 21st November [No. H] stating you have been unable to trace request for conference from Government of Commonwealth of Australia : Am desired by Prime Minister to inform you, that my telegram of 16th August [No. 13] was so regarded by my Ministers.—Denman.

No. 16. Australia.—The Secretary of State to the Governor-General. (Sent 5.20 p.m., 13th March, 1914.) Telegram. [Answered by No. 19.] Your telegram 9th February [No 15]. Please inform your Ministers His Majesty's Government will gladly confer with representatives of Australia regarding naval defence is so desired. Should be glad to know when it is desired that conference should be held, and whether discussion should be limited to subjects referred to in your telegram 16th August last [No. 13]. Am communicating with New Zealand to ask whether that Government would desire to participate in conference.— Harcourt . No. 17. New Zealand.—The Secretary of State to the Governor. (Sent 5.40 p.m., 13th March, 1914.) Telegram. [Answered by No. 18.] As it is understood that Government of Commonwealth desire conference on naval position in Pacific, I have informed Governor-General that His Majesty's Government will be glad to confer with Australian representatives if desired, and have asked when it is wished that conference should take place, and whether scope of conference should be limited to question of arrangement arrived at at Defence Conference in August, 1909. Would your Government wish to participate in conference ?—-Harcourt .

No. 17. New Zealand. —The Secretary op State to the Governor. (Sent 5.40 p.m., 13th March, 1914.) Telegram. [Answered by No. 18.] As it is understood that Government of Commonwealth desire conference on naval position in Pacific, I have informed Governor-General that His Majesty's Government will be glad to confer with Australian representatives if desired, and have asked when it is wished that conference should take place, and whether scope of conference should be limited to question of arrangement arrived at at Defence Conference in August, 1909. Would your Government wish to participate in conference ?—Harcourt .

No. 1.8. New Zealand.—The Governor to the Secretary of State. (Received 7.45 a.m.. 17th March, 1914.) Telegram. [Answered by No. 21 .] Your telegram 13th March [No. 17]: Prime Minister informs me that New Zealand desires to participate in Naval Conference, but unless time and place convenient representation cannot be adequate. Will telegraph again further, as at. present many of the Ministers are absent from Wellington and it will riot be possible to hold Cabinet Council for two weeks,—-Liverpool. No. 19. Australia.—The Governor-General to the Secretary of State. (Received 10.10 a.m., 23rd March. 1914.) Telegram:. [Answered by No. 20.] Your telegram of 13th March [No. 16] : In view of the early meeting of Parliament it is now impossible for any Commonwealth Minister to visit London during this year, although my Ministers still hold the opinion expressed in my telegram of 15th August [No. 13] that a conference is desirable. My Ministers, while not ignoring the advantages of the limited conference His Majesty's Government suggest, yet urge greatly the desirability of a full conference at which shall be represented all the self-governing dominions.—Denman. No. 20. Australia.—The Secretary of State to the Governor-General. (Sent 1.10 p.m.. Ist April. 1914.) Telegram. Your telegram 23rd March [No. 19] : Please inform your Ministers that in circumstances mentioned in your telegram question of Defence Conference must stand over for the present. I have informed Governor of New Zealand.

No. 19. Australia.—The Governor-General to the Secretary of State. (Received 10.10 a.m., 23rd March. 1914.) Telegram:. [Answered by No. BO.] Your telegram of 13th March [No. 16] : In view of the early meeting of Parliament it is now impossible for any Commonwealth Minister to visit London during this year, although my Ministers still hold the opinion expressed in my telegram of 15th August [No. 13] that a conference is desirable. My Ministers, while not ignoring the advantages of the limited conference His Majesty's Government suggest, yet urge greatly the desirability of a full conference at which shall be represented all the self-governing dominions.—Denman.

No. 20. Australia. —The Secretary op State to the Governor-General. (Sent 1.10 p.m.. Ist April. 1914.) Telegram. Your telegram 23rd March [No. 19] : Please inform your Ministers that in circumstances mentioned in your telegram question of Defence Conference must stand over for the present. I have informed Governor of New Zealand.

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No. 21.

New Zealand.—The Secretary of State to the Governor. (Sent 1.10 p.m., Ist April, 1914.) Telegram. Your telegram 17th March [No. 18]: Government of Commonwealth state that, owing to early meeting of Parliament, it is impossible for Commonwealth Minister to visit London this year, and conference must therefore be postponed for the present. Colonial Office Note.—ln August, 1913, the Hon. W. T. White, Minister of Finance of Canada, and the Hon. Martin Burrell, Minister of Agriculture of Canada, attended a meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence. An invitation to attend the same meeting was sent to the Hon. H. Burton, Minister of Railways and Harbours of the Union of South Africa, but he was unavoidably precluded from attending the meeting.

No. 27. New Zealand, No. 177. My Lord, — Downing Street, 30th April, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency a copy of Army Order 94 of 1914, regarding the payment of maternity benefit under the National Insurance Acts, 1911-1913, to the wives of soldiers, and to request that you will invite the attention of your Ministers to paragraph 5 (c), which refers to the case of the wives of soldiers serving under the Governments of the self-governing dominions whose contributions are paid into the Navy and Army Fund. 2. It will be observed that, the Army order provides that the wives of such soldiers, if residing with their husbands, are to claim the benefit as instructed by the Government concerned. The Army Council will be obliged if your Government can see its way to undertake in such cases the payment of the maternity benefit, and to arrange for the subsequent recovery through the High Commissioner of any amount so paid from the National Health Insurance Commissioners. 3. I also enclose for the information of your Ministers a copy of Army form 0 1834 for claiming the benefit. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.GM.G., M.V.0., &c.

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No. 28. New Zealand, No. 181. My Lord, — Downing Street, 30th April, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 103, of the 18th July last, relative to the proposed International Load-line Conference, I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that I learn from the Board of Trade that they are still awaiting the report of the Departmental Committee which was appointed to advise as to the instructions to be given to the British delegates at the Conference, and that until this report has been received it will be impossible to issue the draft regulations proposed to be submitted to the Conference, or to fix the date of meeting. 2. The Board do not anticipate that the report of the Committee will be ready for some months. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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No. 29. New Zealand, No. 182. My Lord, — Downing Street, Ist May, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 100, of the 27th February last, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the amendments of the Customs tariff of Canada announced by the Dominion Minister of Finance when introducing the Budget for 1914-15 include one for the prohibition, after the Ist January, 1915, of the importation into the Dominion of aigrettes, egret-plumes, or so-called osprey-piumes, and the feathers, quills, heads, wings, tails, skins, or parts of skins of wild birds either raw or manufactured. 2. This provision will not, however, apply to— (a) The feathers or plumes of ostriches : (b.) The plumage of the English pheasant and the Indian peacock : (c.) The plumage of wild birds ordinarily used as articles of diet : (d.) The plumage of birds imported alive : (c.) Specimens imported under regulations of the Canadian Minister of Customs for any natural-history or other museum or for education a J purposes. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Ear) of Liverpool, X C.M.G., M V.0., &c.

No. 30. New Zealand, No. 189. My Lord, — Downing Street, 6th May, 1914. With reference to previous correspondence on the subject of the measures taken to give effect to the provisions of the Pelagic Sealing Convention of 1911, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, a translation of the text of a law passed by the Russian Government establishing restrictive measures in the sea-otter and sealing industry. T have, &c, L. harcourt. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. The "Bulletin of Laws" No. 82 (Series No. 1), dated 29th March-11th April, publishes the following Law, approved by the Legislative Chambers, and Imperially confirmed 18th-31st March, 1914:— Law respecting the Establishment of Restrictive Measures in the Sea-otter and Sealing Industry. 1. In amendment of and supplementary to the laws concerned, to enact that— '(I.) llie pursuit of sea-otter beyond the limits of a coastal-waters zone of three nautical miles in width, as also every description of the sealing industry, are absolutely prohibited. The pursuit of sea-otters on land and within the limits of the zone specified and the sealing industry on land shall be allowed only with the sanction of the Government granted under specific conditions. (2.) Persons guilty of engaging in the pursuit of sea-otter beyond the limits of a coastalwaters zone of three nautical miles in width, or in any description of the sealing industry beyond these limits, and persons guilty of engaging in an unauthorized pursuit of sea-otter on land or within the limits of the zone specified, or in the sealing industry on land, will be liable to punishment as specified in Article 921 2 (in this law) of the Criminal and Correctional Penal Code. (3.) Persons or vessels engaged in the pusuit at. sea of seals, or in the oonveyanoe of the skins of seals (Callorhynus ursinus, Callorhynus alascoinus, and Callorhynus kurilensis) are forbidden to use Russian ports, harbours, or any portion of Russian territory if these skins are not furnished with special seals, brands, or other certificates from the competent Russian or foreign authorities declaring that the skins have been obtained in a lawful manner.

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Similarly, it is forbidden to furnish vessels for the above-mentioned industry or for purposes of conveyance. (4.) It is forbidden to import within the limits of the Russian Empire, in whole or in parts, whether undressed or dressed, skins of seals (Article 3) and sea-otters if they are not furnished with special seals, brands, or other certificates from the competent Russian or foreign authorities declaring that the skins imported have, been obtained in a lawful manner. (5.) It is forbidden to export beyond the limits of the Russian Empire, in whole or in parts, whether undressed or dressed, skins of seals (Article 3) and sea-otters if they are not furnished with special seals, brands, or other certificates from the competent Russian or foreign authorities declaring that the skins exported have been obtained in a lawful manner. These certificates, if so desired by the owner, may be issued for a whole consignment of skins exported together or for each skin separately. (6.) It is forbidden to trade in the skins of seals (Article 3) and sea-otters, whether undressed or dressed, in whole or in parts, if the skins in question are not furnished with special seals, brands, or other certificates from the competent Russian or foreign authorities declaring that the skins have been obtained in a lawful manner. (7.) Upon the discovery of the conveyance across the frontier of skins of seals (Article 3) and sea-otters without due observance of the regulations laid down in Articles 4 and 5. such skins will be confiscated. (8.) Departments and officials intrusted with the duty of affixing special seals and brands on the skins of seals (Article 3) and sea-otters, and with the issue of the certificates specified in Articles 3-6, shall be guided by regulations issued by the Chief of the Department for Land Organization and Agriculture in agreement where necessary with the Chiefs of other Ministries. These regulations will also determine the patterns of the special seals, brands, and certificates, as also the method of affixing such seals and brands on the skins. The regulations specified in this article will be published for general information by the Ruling Senate. 11. Establishments and persons who at the time of promulgation of the present law shall be in the possession of skins of seals and sea-otters (Section I, Article 3 of this law), in whole or in parts, undressed or dressed, must present these skins, with the exception of those which have already been furnished with Customs brand upon their import into Russia, within one year to the Customs or other competent authorities (Section I, Article 8 of this law) for the affixing of the special seals or brands necessary. 111. Article 921 3 (Supp. 1912) of the Criminal and Correctional Penal Code (Code of Laws, Volume xv) to read as follows : — "921 2 . Persons convicted of illicit trading in the sea-otter and sealing industries shall be liable to imprisonment for a period of two - sixteen months. Weapons for hunting, vessels engaged in the industry, with their catch, equipment, and general cargo, will be confiscated." IV. To supplement the Criminal and Correctional Penal Code (Code of Laws, Volume xv, edition 1885) by the following article, No. 921" : — "921 6 . Persons convicted of illicit trading in the sea-otter and sealing industries, or in the prohibited conveyance of seal-skins, who shall make use of Russian ports, harbours, or any portion of Russian territory; persons illegally supplying vessels for the above-mentioned industry or conveyance; and persons convicted of the prohibited import into Russia, or export beyond the limits of the Russian Empire, of seal and sea-otter skins, or of trading in such skins, will be liable to imprisonment for a period of two-sixteen months. Weapons for hunting, vessels employed in the industry, with their catch, equipment, and general cargo, as also all skins not furnished with the requisite marks or certificates, will be confiscated."

No. 31. New Zealand, No. 196. My Lord,— Downing Street, Bth May, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 171, of the 21st November last, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a despatch from the GovernorGeneral of the Dominion of Canada on the subject of the Pacific cable terminal charges. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Sir,— Canada, Montreal, 23rd April, 1914. . With reference to your despatch, No. 232. of the Ist April, on the subject of terminal rates on cable messages charged by the Government of Australia, I am informed by my Responsible Advisers that Canada approves of the prinoiple that the gross revenue from the Pacific Cable ter-

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tninal charges, less the amount, chargeable at urgent inland rates, be included in the Pacific Cable accounts, and is of opinion that Australia should be urged as a matter of equity to accept this proposal. I have, &c, Arthur . The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, M.P., Secretar)"- of State for the Colonies.

No. 32. New Zealand, No. 198. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bth May, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 47, of the 30th January, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copy of a letter from the General Post Office on the subject of the recommendations in regard to telegraph matters contained in the Second Interim Report of the Dominions Royal Commission. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 30th April, 1914. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to say, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that he has had under consideration the recommendations in regard to telegraph matters contained in the recent Interim Report of the Dominions Royal Commission, and he thinks it may be convenient to the Secretary of State to have the following observations on the proposals from the point of view of the Post Office. The recommendations of the Commission are : — Reduction of Ordinary Rate to Australia and New Zealand. The ordinary rate from the United Kingdom to Australia is 3s. a word, and of this sum sd. a word accrues to the Australian Post Office. For the sake of uniformity the rate to New Zealand has been maintained at 3s. a word, although the New Zealand Post Office charges only Id. a word for dealing in New Zealand with telegrams passing over the cable. The Commission suggest that the Australian Post Office should reduce its charge from sd. to Id. a word, and thus enable the rate to Australia and New Zealand to be reduced to 2s. Bd. This Department has long been of opinion that the Australian charge of sd. was unduly high, but it cannot say whether a rate of Id. would be adequate. Establishment of a Service of Cable Letter-telegrams (other than Week-end Letter-telegrams). The Commission recommend that a service of cable letter-telegrams should be started between the United Kingdom and Australasia, on the lines of the existing service between the United Kingdom and North America, under which telegrams in plain language are accepted at about quarter-rates for delivery next day. The Atlantic companies are prepared to co-operate in a service of the kind with Australasia, but the Pacific Cable Board has hitherto objected on financial grounds. The effect which a service of the kind would have on the revenue of the Board is not a matter on which the Post Office can form an opinion. Improvement of the Existing Week-end Letter-telegram Service. Week-end letter-telegrams to Australasia cost at present 18s. for twenty-four words, plus 9d. for each word beyond twenty-four. This charge covers transmission by post to the cable office in this country, by telegraph thence to the cable office in Australia or New Zealand, and then by post to destination. The public have an option of telegraphic transmission to and from the cable office at either end on payment, in addition, of the inland telegraph rate of each country. This arrangement has proved troublesome to work and difficult for the public to understand, and the Post Office has been trying for some time to arrange with the Pacific Cable Board and the cable companies for the present rate of 9d. a word to cover transmission by telegraph at both ends when necessary to prevent delay. The principle has now been accepted, and the arrangement will come into operation on the Ist May. It has also been arranged that the minimum charge shall be reduced from. 18s. covering twenty-four words to 15s. covering twenty words. These arrangements meet to some extent two oi" the recommendations of the Commission, namely : (a) That letter-telegrams be transmitted by telegraph throughout; and (b) that the minimum number of words be reduced from twenty-four to twelve. The other recommendations of the Commission on this subject are: (c) That the charge per word be reduced from 9d. to 6d.; "(3) th at the telegrams be delivered on Monday instead, of Tuesday as at present; and (c) that "the vexatious and annoying . formalities with which deferred telegrams and letter-telegrams are surrounded should be abolished, and that no extra charge be made for the service communications indicating the nature of these messages."

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As regards (c), the question whether the proposed (or any) reduction is feasible is one for the Pacific Cable Board and the cable companies concerned and for Australia. As regards (d), the Eastern Company favour the proposal, but the Pacific Cable Board have hitherto objected on the ground that it would involve the transfer of traffic from the deferred service to the week-end service, and so cause loss of revenue. The matter is again one for decision by the Board. As regards (c), the first part, of this recommendation, so far as can be gathered, has reference to the rule that the sender of a deferred telegram must sign a declaration printed at the foot of the telegram form and testifying that the telegram is entirely in plain language, and must insert the name of the language used. So far as the Post Office is aware, there has been no complaint by the public regarding this rule, which is a safeguard against the abuse of the service. It is a general rule that the official symbol indicating the nature of a special class of telegrams shall be reckoned as a chargeable word. The main justification of this rule in the case of deferred telegrams and letter-telegrams is that it lessens the risk of the symbol being omitted through error in transmission. There are, however, objections to requiring the public to pay for the transmission of an indication needed for service purposes, and the question of proposing an amendment of the international rule on trie subject is being considered. The Commission also suggest that the fullest publicity be given to the system of deferred and week-end telegrams. So far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the Post Office has used, and will continue to use all opportunities to make the services widely known. It will be seen from the foregoing remarks that the recommendations of the Commission in regard to telegraphs do not in the main come within the province of the Post Office. In regard to the few points which directly concern the Post Office, the Postmaster-General thinks that'the steps already taken are adequate. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. E. Crabb.

No. 33. New Zealand, No. 204. My Lord,— Downing Street, 14th May, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's telegram of the 22nd April, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying list of the members of the new Advisory Committee for the Imperial Institute. 2. I have to add that the Government of the Union of South Africa have deferred nominating their representative until the appointment of a successor as High Commissioner to the late Sir Richard Solomon. T have, &c, L. HARCOURT Governor His Excellency the Right Flon. the Earl of Liverpool K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Imperial Institute Advisory Committee. Right Hon. Lord Emmott, C.C.M.G. Right Hon. Lord Allerton ... Sir H. Llewellyn Smith, K.C.B. ... . . Sir A. E. Bateman, K.C.M.G. f A PP ol «ted by the Board of Trade. Sir Owen Philipps, K.C.M.G. Mr. George Miller Right Hon. Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, G.C.M.G. ) Appointed by the Secretary- of Stite for th, Mr. C. Alexander Harris, C.8., CM.G., M.V.O. ) Colonies ' Sir John Hewett, G.C.5.1., CLE. ... ) . Mr. F. C. Drake ... ... ... ... j A PPomted by the Secretary of State for India. Sir Sydney Olivier, K.C.M.G. ... Appointed by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. rlu H - H^ nd ' K.C.LE., F.R.S. Appointed by the Government of India Sir Thomas Skinner, Bart.... ... Appointed by the Government of the Dominion of Canada. Captain R. H. Muirhead Collins. C.M.G. Appointed by the Government of the Oommon- . • wealth of Australia. Hon. Thomas Mackenzie ... ... Appointed by the Government of the Dominion of New Zealand. ••• Appointed by the Government of the Union of South Africa.

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No. 34. New Zealand, No. 207. My Lord, — Downing Street, 15th May, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 162, of the 17th ultimo, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the Government of India have agreed to accept certificates of proficiency in radiotelegraphy issued by His Majesty's Government or by any Colonial Government as entitling the holders to work wireless-telegraph apparatus on Indian ships. I shall be glad to learn whether your Government will be prepared similarly to recognize certificates granted by the Indian Government. T have, &c. L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-1, 1915. No. 34,

No. 35. New Zealand, No. 231. My Lord, — Downing Street, 29th May, 1914. • I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has represented to me that it would be convenient if a list of any Trade Representatives who may have been appointed by your Government in foreign countries could be supplied annually for the information of the Foreign Department. 2. I shall be glad, therefore, if your Ministers will be so good as to arrange for the transmission to me at the beginning of each year of a list giving the names, addresses, and official designations of all Trade Representatives of your Government in foreign countries, and stating whether or not the officers concerned are British subjects. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915, No. 86.

No. 36. New Zealand, No. 239. My Lord, — Downing Street, 29th May, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receiot of Your Excellency's telegram of the 26th May. and to state that I am desired by the Queen to request that you will accept and convey to your Government the thanks of Her Majesty for their congratulations on the occasion of her birthday. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Risrbt Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 37. New Zealand, No. 240. My Lord,— Downing Street, 3rd June, 1914. T have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, to be laid b°fore your Ministers, copy of a letter from the Admiralty on the subiect of a fund subscribed by the people of Christchurch, the interest on which, amounting to about £22 per annum, is to lie devoted to shooting' prizes for the men of the "New Zealand." • T have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Rip/lit Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

1.-1, 1915, No. 34.

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Enclosure. Sir,— Admiralty, 26th May, 1914. I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the Commanding Officer of H.M.S. " New Zealand " has received a letter from the Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand, stating that a sum of about £500 has been subscribed by the people of Christchurch and invested locally, with a view to the interest, amounting to about £22 per annum, being devoted to shooting prizes for the men of the " New Zealand." The fund has been vested in the Mayor, Town Clerk, and Chairman of the Navy League, in trust. 2. An acknowledgment of the letter has been sent by Captain Halsey direct, but My Lords would be glad if the Mayor might be informed of their high appreciation of the gift, which they feel sure will stimulate the gunnery efficiency of the ship and strengthen the close ties which already exist between her and the Dominion. 3. With regard to certain questions raised by the Mayor as to the payment of the money, it is suggested that the distribution on board the " New Zealand " might be left to the discretion of the Commanding Officer, and that when temporarily for any reason a vessel of the name is not in commission in the Royal Nay, the dividends might be left to accumulate until a " New Zealand " is again commissioned, when the total sum accrued would be placed at the disposal of the Commanding Officer as before. It would be convenient if the trustees could remit the dividends half-yearly to the Bank of England by orders made payable to the Chief Cashier, quoting Receivable Order No. 610. Arrangements would then be made in this country for payment of the amounts to the Commanding Officer of the " New Zealand " for the time being. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. W. Graham Greene.

No. 38. New Zealand, No. 244. My Lord, — Downing Street, sth June, 1914. I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that your telegram of the 2nd June was duly laid before His Majesty the King, who was pleased to command that an expression of his thanks should be conveyed to you, your Government, and the people of New Zealand for the message of loyalty and congratulations on the occasion of his birthday communicated in your telegram. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, KJj.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 39. New Zealand, No. 245. My Lord, — Downing Street, sth June, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, to be laid before your Ministers, copy of a letter from the Board of Agriculture relative to proposed new titles for the English editions of the monthly bulletins of the International Institute of Agriculture. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosures. Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, Sir,— 4 Whitehall Place, London S.W., 3rd June, 1914 I am directed by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State, the enclosed copy of a letter received from the British Representative on the Permanent Committee of the International Agricultural Institute, relating to the suggested alteration of the titles of the three monthly bulletins published by the Institute. Sir James Wilson has been authorized to submit the proposal to the Permanent Committee with a view to its future consideration, and the Board would be glad if Mr. Secretary Harcourt would be good enough to refer the subject to the Governments of Canada, Australia, New Zea!f #Ts 5—A. 2. j

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land, South Africa, and Mauritius, so that they may have an opportunity of making any objection, if they so desire, before the resumption of the sittings of the Permanent Committee after the summer vacation. I am, &c, T. H. Middleton, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Assistant Secretary. Sir, — Institut International d'Agriculture, Rome, 6th May, 1914. I venture to think that the present titles of the three monthly bulletins of the International Institute of Agriculture. English edition, are not very happily chosen, and that it would add to their popularity if they were given titles which would seem more familiar to ordinary English speakers. I have discussed the question with Mr. Lubin, the delegate for the United State of America, who agrees with me that it would be an advantage if the titles of these books were changed. They are at present as follows : — (1.) Bulletin of Agricultural and Commercial Statistics, 1914. (2.) Monthly Bulletin of Agricultural Intelligence and Plant Diseases. (3.) Monthly Bulletin of Economic and Social Intelligence. Mr. Lubin and I suggest the following titles : — (1.) The International Crop-report and Summary of Agricultural Statistics for June, 1914. (2.) The International Report of the Science and Practice of Agriculture for June, 1914. (3.) The International Report of Agricultural Economics for June, 1914. I have the honour to ask whether you approve of our proposing to the Permanent Committee of the Institute the adoption of these titles for the English edition, or whether you would prefer any other form. I am, &c, To the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, London. J. Wilson, Delegate.

No. 40. New Zealand, No. 254. My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th June, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's desoatch, No. 44, of the 19th March last, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a letter from the War Office on the subject of the request of your Government that the New Zealand Army Nursing Service Reserve might be affiliated to the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Sir,— War Office, London S.W., 6th June, 1914. In reply to your letter of the 30th April, 1914, No. 15330/1914, I am commanded by the Army Council to inform you that it is regretted that the affiliation of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service Reserve to the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service cannot be authorized, in view of the fact that the Army Council does not exercise control over it. I am, however, to add that the same objection does not arise with regard to its affiliation, as already provided for in clause 125 of the New Zealand Gazette Volunteer amendments of the 7th May, 1908, to the Army Nursing Service Reserve of which Her Royal Highness Princess Christian is President. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, London S.W. B. B. Cubitt.

No. 41. New Zealand, No. 261. My Lord— Downing Street, 17th June, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 497, of the 19th December last, I have the honour to inquire whether Your Excellency's Ministers are yet in a

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position to express their views upon the terms of the draft International Conventions for the Unification of Maritime Law with regard to the Limitation of Shipowners' Liability and Maritime Mortgages and Liens. I have, &c, ■ L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 42. New Zealand, No. 267. My Lord, — Downing Street, 24th June, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch, No. 80, of the Bth May, and to request you to inform your Ministers that the letters enclosed therein from the honorary secretary of the New Zealand Association for the Severance of the Connection of the British Empire with the Opium Traffic have been forwarded to the persons to whom they were addressed. I have, &c, I, HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 43. New Zealand, No. 270. My Lord, — Downing Street, 26th June, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's telegram of the 23rd June, congratulating His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his birthday. 2. I have laid the telegram before His Royal Highness, who requests me to convey his thanks to you, to your Government, and to the people of New Zealand. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 44. New Zealand, No. 274. My Lord, — Downing Street, 26th June, 1914. With further reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 73, of the 29th April, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the consideration of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a letter from the National Health Insurance Commission on the subject of the health insurance of seamen. 2. I shall be glad if the request of the Commission can be complied with. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-1, 1915, No. 35.

Enclosures. National Health Insurance Commission (England), g IR; Buckingham Gate, T S.W., 19th June, 1914. With reference to the second paragraph of your letter of the 12th instant, No. 20550/14, and to the despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, a copy of which accompanied your letter,

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I am directed by the National Health Insurance Commission (England) to state that the information at their disposal leads them to believe that facilities for obtaining health-insurance stamps and contribution-cards at ports in New Zealand would be welcomed by the shipping community, who would thus to some extent be relieved of the necessity for carrying supplies on board. It is still desired to supply stamps and cards at the principal ports of discharge, and the Commissioners would therefore be glad if the Governor could be informed that this is the case and asked to furnish a list of ports. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office S.W. L. G. Brook. List of Ports in New Zealand to which Health Insurance Stamps and Cards should be supplied. Auckland, New Plymouth, Timaru, Greymouth, Gisborne, Kaipara, Oamaru, Westport, Naipier, Hokianga, Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington, Lyttelton, Invercargill, Picton. Wanganui,

No. 45. New Zealand, No. 289. My Lord, — Downing Street, 7th July, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 58, of the 14th April, I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the followingMounted Rifle Regiments of New Zealand being shown in the Army List as allied to King Edward's Horse (the King's Oversea Dominions Regiment) : — 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles. 6th (Manawatu) Mounted Rifles. 7th (Southland) Mounted Rifles. Bth (South Canterbury) Mounted Rifles. 9th (Wellington East Coast) Mounted Rifles. 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles. 11th (North Auckland) Mounted Rifles. 12th (Otago) Mounted Rifles. 2. This will be published in Army Orders in due course. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 46. New Zealand, No. 319. My Lord, — Downing Street, 24th July, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 145, of the 7th April, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of an Act of the Congress of the United States to amend section 5 of the "Act to provide for the Opening, Maintenance, Protection, and Operation of the Panama Canal, and the Sanitation and Government of the Canal Zone," as approved by the President on the 15th June. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.CM.G, M.V.0., &c.

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Enclosure. [Public —No. 113 —63d Congress.] [H. R. 14385.J An Aot to amend section five of " An Act to provide for the Opening, Maintenance, Protection, and Operation of the Panama Canal, and the Sanitation and Government of the Canal Zone," approved August twenty-fourth, Nineteen hundred and twelve. Be it enacted by the Senate of the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the second sentence in section five of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the Opening, Maintenance, Protection, and Operation of the Panama Canal, and the Sanitation and Government of the Canal Zone," approved August twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred and twelve, which reads as follows —" No tolls shall be levied upon vessels engaged in the coastwise trade of the United States " —be and the same is hereby repealed. Sec. 2. That the third sentence of the third paragraph of said section of said Act be so amended as to read as follows : '' When based upon net registered tonnage for ships of commerce the tolls shall not exceed $125 per net registered ton, nor be less than 75 cents per net registered ton, subject, however, to the provisions of article nineteen of the Convention between the United States and the Republic of Panama, entered into November eighteenth, nineteen hundred and three": Provided that the passage of this Act shall not be construed or held as a waiver or relinquishment of any right the United States may have under the treaty with Great Britain, ratified the twenty-first of February, nineteen hundred and two, or the treaty with the Republic of Panama, ratified February twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred and four, or otherwise, to discriminate in favour of its vessels by exempting the vessels of the United States or its citizens from the payment of tolls for passage through said canal, or as in any way waving, impairing, or affecting any right of the United States under said treaties, or otherwise, with respect to the sovereignty over or the ownership, control, and management of said canal and the regulation of the conditions or charges of traffic through the same. Approved, 15th June, 1914.

No. 47. New Zealand, No. 320. My Lord,— Downing Street, 28th July, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 170, of the 24th April last, transmitting correspondence relating to the representation of the self-governing-dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence and a proposed Naval Conference, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to invite the attention of your Ministers to the suggestion of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, communicated' in the Governor-General's telegram of the 23rd March last, that the question of naval defence should be discussed in 1915 at a conference at which all the self-governing dominions should be represented. 2. His Majesty's Government will be glad to learn the views of your Ministers with regard to this suggestion. 1 have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1913, No. 43.

No. 48. Downing Street, 31st July, 1914. The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies presents his compliments to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand, and is directed by the Secretary of State to transmit to him, for the information of his Ministers, the parliamentary papers noted in the annexed Schedule.

Subject of Paper. Number of Copies. t. s 7506 : Political Crisis in Tasmania 6

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Enclosure. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE RECENT POLITICAL CRISIS IN TASMANIA. No. 1. The Governor to Mr. Earle. The Hon. John Earle. Government House, Hobart, Tasmania. The Governor is prepared to entrust Mr. Earle with the duty of forming an Administration on the following conditions : — (1.) That an immediate dissolution of Parliament shall take place: (2.) That the newly elected Parliament shall be summoned before the end of May : (3.) That, in the event of the office of Attorney-General not being filled by a fully qualified lawyer in practice, the Governor must reserve the right to obtain legal advice, when he considers it necessary, from other sources. 3rd April, 1914. William Ellison-Macartney, Governor. No. 2. Mr. Earle to the Governor. Memorandum for His Excellency. Mr. Earle presents his respectful compliments to His Excellency. Since Mr. Earle's interview with the Governor on the 3rd instant, relative to the formation of an Administration, Mr. Earle has given very earnest consideration to the question of the pledges demanded by the Governor as the condition of Mr. Earle's acceptance of office, and, being of opinion that the demand of those conditions raises questions of grave constitutional importance not only to this State, but to all His Majesty's self-governing dominions, Mr. Earle deems it his duty to respectfully submit to the Governor the following observations, and to respectfully request the Governor's consideration thereof : — The Governor's late Ministers were the subject of a motion proposed and carried in the House of Assembly, declaring that they no longer possessed the confidence of the House. Thereupon, I understand, the Governor's late Ministers advised the Governor to dissolve the House of Assembly. The Governor did not accept such advice, but entrusted Mr. Earle with the duty of forming an Administration on the following conditions, namely : — (1.) That an immediate dissolution of Parliament shall take place; (2.) That the newly elected Parliament shall be summoned before the end of May; and (3.) That in the event of the office of Attorney-General not being filled by a fully qualified lawyer in practice, the Governor must reserve the right to obtain legal advice, when he considers it necessary, from other sources. Conditions (1) and (2) Mr. Earle demurred to. Mr. Earle commands the confidence of a majority of the members of trie House of Assembly, and he has given the Governor his assurance that he can carry on the Government. On these facts Mr. Earle respectfully submits to the Governor :— (1.) That the exaction of the pledge to advise a dissolution of the House of Assembly is contrary to the principles and well-established practice regulating the conduct of parliamentary government; (2.) That the circumstances of the case are not such as to justify the Governor in forcing a dissolution on his Ministers. As to (1): The cardinal principle of parliamentary government is that the powers of the Crown are exercised through Ministers, who are responsible to Parliament for the manner in which those powers are used. The principle is very clearly enunciated in the despatch of the 26th March, 1862, from the Colonial Secretary to the Governor of Queensland —"The general principle," writes the Colonial Secretary, " by which the Governor of a colony possessing responsible Government is to be guided is this :'.... in matters of purely local politics he is bound, except in extreme cases, to follow the advice of a Ministry which appears to possess the confidence of the Legislature.' ' (Cited in Todd on " Parliamentary Government in the Colonies," at page 630.) One of the powers of the Crown in this State—a power conferred on the Governor by the Constitution. Act—is to dissolve the House of Assembly. But, in conformity with the principle above referred to, such a power should only be exercised on the advice of Ministers who are prepared to accept the responsibility for the use of it. It is true that by virtue of the terms of his Commission the Governor has the power to act in opposition to the advice of his responsible Ministers, but such a course would be practically impossible in the case of a dissolution, and in any case could only be justified where there existed some very extraordinary cause calling for the Governor's personal action. Mr. Earle respectfully submits to the Governor that the enforcement of the conditions as to a dissolution imposed by the Governor would work a subversion of the fundamental principles of the Constitution. As the Governor's Minister, it is Mr. Earle's bounden duty to tender to the Governor such advice as Mr. Earle thinks right and proper, and the interest of the State calls for; but this he cannot do if he binds himself by the conditions imposed by the Governor. If Mr. Earle accepts the pledge demanded the power of dissolution will, in fact, be not only exercised without Mr. Earle's advice, but in direct opposition to the opinion he entertains as to what his advice should be. Instead of being advised by his Minister, the Governor will make

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a rule for his own conduct, which his Minister will not be permitted to disturb with his advice. No Minister ought to be asked to be responsible for an act he does not approve of and cannot control. Mr. Earle, in concluding his remarks on proposition No. I, respectfully reminds the Governor of the opinion of Sir Erskine May on the question of the pledge demanded by the reigning Sovereign in 1807 from Earl Grenville : "No constitutional writer," Sir Erskine May declares, " would now be found to defend the pledge itself or to maintain that the Ministers who accepted office in consequence of the refusal of that pledge had not taken upon themselves the same responsibility as if they had advised it." (May, " Constitutional History of England," 1912 edition, page 79.) So that not only is the demand of a pledge unconstitutional, but any Minister who accepts office in consequence of a former Minister having declined to give a pledge is in the same position as if he had advised the imposition of it. As to (2) : The power of dissolution is, as the Governor is fully conscious, a very delicate instrument of Government, only to be exercised in cases of necessity. The reported precedents relating to it are numerous, and, as might be expected, the great majority of them are authorities for circumstances in which the power should not be put into operation. Two of the cases in which the power should not be exercised are — (a.) Where there is another alternative —that is to say, where it is possible for the Governor to secure a Ministry who can carry on the Government with the confidence of a majority of the Legislative Assembly; and (6.) Where there is no important political, question upon which contending parties are directly at issue. Authorities for case (a) are the memorandum addressed by the Governor-General of Canada to Mr. Brown-Dorion (cited in Todd on " Parliamentary Government in the Colonies," at pages 768-769). The Governor-General, in declining to grant Mr. Brown-Dorion a dissolution, stated as a reason for the course he adopted that " he is by no means satisfied that every alternative has been exhausted, or that it would be impossible for him to secure a Ministry who would close the business of the session and carry on the administration of the Government during the recess with the confidence of a majority of the Legislative Assembly"; and also in the memorandum dated the 15th November, 1877, of His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand to the Hon. Sir George Grey, where His. Excellency, in declining Sir George a dissolution, stated the principle which guided him, as follows : " The only desire of the Governor is to secure a Government, no matter how constituted, which can command the confidence of a majority of the representatives of the people of New Zealand." Case (b) is supported by both the same authorities, as well as many others (e.g., Hearn, " Government of England," page 164). Todd states the rule thus : " It is not a legitimate use of the prerogative of dissolution to resort to it when there is no important political question upon which contending parties are directly at issue." In the case now before the Governor, both of the above-mentioned circumstances are present. Mr. Earle commands a majority of the House of Assembly, and he has given the Governor his assurance that he can carry on the Government. Further, there is no important political question upon which the two parties in the House of Assembly are at this juncture directly at issue. The general policies of the two parties' differ widely, but there is no particular question now at issue between them; but, on the contrary, both parties entirely agree that before any satisfactory appeal to the country can be made it is necessary that Parliament should give consideration to the electoral system. The foregoing remarks are reasons why a dissolution was not warranted at any period since the censure motion, but the case against a dissolution, however, is now very much stronger. The Governor has declined to accept his late Minister's advice, and must therefore have been of opinion that a dissolution would be unwarranted, for the conventions of Responsible Government require that, if a dissolution is warranted by the circumstances, the request 'for it by the Minister of the day should be granted. Mr. Earle respectfully submits to the Governor that he should not be called into office only to have a proceeding forced on him which he thinks improper, and therefore cannot advise. To place Mr. Earle in such a position is, he respectfully submits, tantamount to asking him to accept the responsibility of advice tendered by a former Minister who no longer enjoys the confidence of Parliament, and which Mr. Earle cannot endorse. Mr. Earle has felt it his duty to submit the above remarks to the Governor, and he most respectfully requests the Governor's consideration of them. Premier's Office, 7th April, 1914. John Earle, Premier. No. 3. The Governor to Mr. Earle. The Hon. the Premier. Government House, Hobart, Tasmania. The Governor begs to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Earle's memorandum which he received yesterday. His Excellency thoroughly accepts the doctrine of Ministerial responsibility, though he differs from the application of it as set out by Mr. Earle. The Governor desires to point out that he gave Mr. Earle and his colleagues in the Ministry the fullest opportunity of considering the conditions he laid down. These conditions were accepted by Mr. Earle, and subsequently by his

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colleagues upon their assuming office, by which act they have now become part of their responsibility, notwithstanding that Mr. Earle differed from His Excellency before accepting office in his view of their necessity. The Governor would remind Mr. Earle that it is his (the Governor's) duty to consider the question of a dissolution of Parliament solely with reference to the general interests of the people, and not from a party standpoint; and he is further entitled to stipulate upon whatever conditions he may deem essential for the promotion of the public interests before he proceeds to exercise the powers entrusted to him. For*reasons which he need not now enter upon, the Governor did not consider the late Ministry entitled to a dissolution, but, having come to the conclusion that a dissolution was necessary, he believed that the best chance of securing a stable Administration was to entrust Mr. Earle with the duty of forming one, subject to the conditions which Mr. Earle accepted The Governor had previously considered the instances to which Mr. Earle refers, and has again considered them. One is not relevant to the issue, and the others in no way conflict with the opinion arrived at by His Excellency. The Governor is also unable to accept the views held by Mr. Earle on —(1) the present relations of political parties to each other in this State, or on (2) the existing situation. . The Governor must point out that he placed no pressure upon Mr. Earle to accept office under the conditions referred to. They were deliberately accepted by Mr. Earle after the Governor had informed him that they could not be altered, and as deliberately accepted by the other members of the Administration whose names were submitted to His Excellency on the following day. The Governor therefore cannot admit that he is forcing any policy on Mr. Earle, or that the question of dissolution is one upon which Mr. Earle is now in position to offer His Excellency advice which he is bound to accept. It is important to bear in mind that the discretion of a Governor with regard to the question of dissolution is, as in other instances' of the exercise of the prerogative, much wider in the colonies than that upon which by constitutional practice the Sovereign acts in the United Kingdom. It is impossible, as one of the most recent authorities on Government in the dominions has pointed out, to maintain the position that the Governor is a parallel to tlie Sovereign in Constitutional Monarchy, and that therefore he is obliged to act on the advice of his Ministers in the same sense as that in which the King of the United Kingdom acts on the advice of his Ministers. Bth April, 1914. William Ellison-Macartney, Governor.

No. 4. Address op the House of Assembly. To His Excellency Sir William Grey Ellison-Macartney, Privy Councillor, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor in and over the State of Tasmania and its Dependencies, in the Commonwealth of Australia. May it please Your Excellency,— We, His Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the members of the House of Assembly of Tasmania in Parliament assembled, desire to very respectfully express our opinion that the action of Your Excellency in imposing on Ministers as a condition of their appointment an undertaking to agree to a dissolution of Parliament, whether this House approves the policy of Ministers or not, is contrary to the well-established usage of Responsible Government, and, this House respectfully suggests, is undesirable; and we pray that Your Excellency wall be pleased to forward the above-mentioned resolution of this House, together with copies of all communications between Your Excellency and the Honourable the Premier relating to such condition, to His Majesty the King, through the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies. W. A. Woods, Speaker. Passed by the House of Assembly, this Bth day of April, 1914. J. K. Reid, Clerk of the House. No. 5. Trie Secretary op State to the Governor. Sir, — Downing Street, sth June, 1914. I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that I have duly received the text of the address passed by the House of Assembly on the Bth April [No. If], in which the House expressed their opinion that "your action in imposing on Ministers as a condition of their appointment an undertaking to agree to the dissolution of Parliament, whether this House approves the policy of Ministers or not is contrary to the well-established usage of Responsible Government, and, this House respectfully suggests, is undesirable." I have, as requested, laid it before the King, and His Majesty was pleased to receive it very graciously. 2. I have given my most careful consideration to the course of events which led up to the presentation of this address. I recognize that a difficult position has existed for some time in Tasmania, owing to the practical equality of parties in the House of Assembly, but I am of

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opinion that your action in the matter was not in accordance with constitutional practice. The grounds on which I have come to this conclusion are as follows : — 3. The observance of the principles of Responsible Government requires that a Governor must be clothed with Ministerial responsibility for all acts in relation to public affairs to which he is a party as head of the Executive. He cannot, therefore, perform any such act except on the advice of his Ministers, and for performing it on such advice no political responsibility attaches to him personally. The question whether or not a dissolution should be granted is a purely internal affair, and is thus regulated by the general rule. A Governor, therefore, cannot dissolve the Legislature except on the advice of his Ministers. There have, of course, been not a few cases in which Governors have rejected advice tendered to them by their Ministers that the Legislature should be dissolved. These do not, however, stand on a different constitutional footing from any other case in which a Governor may have found himself unable to accept the advice of his Ministers. In all such cases the Ministers either acquiesce in the Governor's action, in which event they accept responsibility for it or leave the Governor to find new Ministers who will accept the responsibility. 4. A Governor may feel it incumbent on him to consider with special care requests for dissolutions, but constitutionally he has no special powers in such matters. It follows, therefore, that he is no more entitled to impose on an incoming Ministry, as a condition of admitting them to office, that they should advise a dissolution of the Legislature than that they should tender any other specified advice. A Governor is, of course, entitled to discuss the aspects and the needs of the political situation freely and fully with his proposed new Ministers, but he cannot go to the length of requiring them to give any particular advice as a condition of accepting their services without claiming a personal responsibility which does not attach to him. 5. I have carefully examined in this connection the action of the Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia in 1860, to which my attention has been drawn as affording a possible parallel to your own action. In that case Lord Mulgrave had rejected the advice of his Ministers that a dissolution should take place, on the ground that it was improper thus to interfere with the procedure provided by law for testing the validity of the elections of certain members of the Assembly. Before commissioning Mr. Young as Premier in succession to Mr. Johnston, Lord Mulgrave required from Mr. Young an assurance that each case of alleged disqualification should be inquired into with as little delay as possible. This assurance was duly given by Mr. Young before he was entrusted with the duty of forming the Government. Viewed in the light of what happened previously Lord Mulgrave's action was, in effect, merely a reminder to Mr. Young that, in taking office, he would assume responsibility for the decision that the law must take its course. The case thus presents no analogy to that now under discussion. 6. At the same time, while I consider that you should not have imposed terms on Mr. Earle, I recognize that he was entirely at liberty to decline the duty of forming a Government unless he was left with complete discretion as to the advice to be tendered to you. Instead of doing so he decided to take office, and thus must be held to have accepted for the time being full responsibility for your action. He remained fully responsible until the Ministry determined to advise in the contrary sense, when the policy of dissolution ceased to be authorized by Ministerial advice, but became a matter of your personal opinion—that is to say, no constitutional means existed of giving effect to it without another change of views on the part of Ministers or another change of Ministry. 7. I have to request that you will communicate a copy of this despatch to the House of Assembly. I have, &c, L. Harcourt.

No. 49. New Zealand, No. 333. My Lord, —: Downing Street, 31st July, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 14th July, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of an Order of His Majesty in Council, extending to New Zealand the provisions of the Order made by His Majesty in Council on the 12th August, 1913, under section 1 (i), (b), of the Naval Discipline (Dominion Naval Forces) Act, 1911. 2. I also enclose a copy of the additions to the King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions which the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are about to issue to His Majesty's Fleet in connection with the application of the Naval Discipline Act, 1911, to the Naval Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia. 3. I may add that the Order in Council of the 12th August, 1913, came into force in Australia on the 25th March, 1914. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Rigtit Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M,Y.O„ &c,

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Enclosure. At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 16th day of July, 1914. Present: The King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. Whereas there was this day read at the Board a Memorial from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated the 14th day of July, 1914, in the words following, viz. :— " Whereas Your Majesty was graciously pleased, by your Order in Council of the 12th day of August, 1913, to approve that when and wheresoever one or more ships of the Royal Navy is or are in company with one or more of Your Majesty's ships provided and maintained by the Commonwealth of Australia, or by any other self-governing Dominion which shall have made provision for bringing its naval forces within the operation of the Naval Discipline (Dominion Naval Forces) Act, 1911, and to which the provisions of Your Majesty's Order have been made applicable by Order in Council, then the officers and men borne on the books of such first-mentioned ship or ships shall have the same relation to the officers and men borne on the books of such secondly mentioned ship or ships and shall in all respects act and perform the same duties as if the officers and men borne on the books of the ship or ships provided by the self-governing Dominion were borne on the books of a ship or ships of the Royal Navy, and that the officers of all such ships of the same branch shall respectively rank with each other and command according to the dates of their first commissions, warrants, or orders in their existing rank, and if only acting in the rank according to the seniority of their respective acting appointments, and the Naval Discipline Act, 1866, as amended by subsequent enactment, shall apply accordingly. " And that whensoever any person thereto duly authorized by the law of the Commonwealth of Australia, or of any other such self-governing Dominion as aforesaid for the time being in force, shall name any officer of the Royal Navy not below the rank of Captain to act as President of a court-martial for the trial of any officer or man borne on the books of one of Your Majesty's ships provided by such self-governing Dominion, such officer shall proceed therein in all respects as if he had been named as President of a court-martial ordered by the Admiralty or by any officer holding a commission from the Admiralty to order courts-martial for the trial of any officer or man borne on the books of a ship of the Royal Navy. And every Judge-Advocate, or Deputy Judge-Advocate, or person belonging to the Royal Navy officiating at such courtmartial as Deputy Judge-Advocate, shall transmit with as much expedition as may be the original proceedings and the original sentences of any court-martial on an officer or man borne on the books of one of Your Majesty's ships provided by any self-governing Dominion attended by him to the Commander-in-Chief or senior officer, who shall transmit them to the proper authority of the self-governing Dominion to whose ship the offender belongs, and shall transmit a complete and authenticated copy thereof to the Secretary of the Admiralty for information. "And that the provisions of Your Majesty's Order shall not apply to any self-governing Dominion (other than the Commonwealth of Australia) or to the forces or ship's thereof unless and until provision has been made in such Dominion for bringing the naval forces of the Dominion within the operation of the Naval Discipline (Dominion Naval Forces) Act, 1911, and unless and until the provisions of Your Majesty's Order have been made applicable to such Dominion by Order in Council. "And whereas the Naval Defence Act, 1913, New Zealand, makes provision for bringing the naval forces of New Zealand within the operation of the Naval Discipline (Dominion Naval Forces) Act, 1911. "We beg leave humbly to recommend that Your Majesty may be graciously pleased by your Order in Council to apply the provisions of the aforesaid Order in Council of the 12th day of August, 1913, to New Zealand, and to the naval forces thereof as from the 15th day of July, 1914. His_ Majesty, having taken the said Memorial into consideration, was pleased, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, to approve of what is therein proposed. And' the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly. Almeric Fitzroy.

Kino's Regulations.—Proposed Amendments to provide for Disciplinary Arrangements in connection with Dominion Naval Forces. 26. Courts-martial shall be held, charges framed, offences tried, sentences pronounced, and the execution of such sentences carried into effect according to the Naval Discipline Act or Acts in force for the time being, and according to the rules of procedure and the forms'established from time to time under the authority of the said Act or Acts. (See 663 to 701a—Courtsmartial.) 2. Dominion Naval Forces.— .When ships or vessels of the Dominion Navies are present at a place where a court-martial is ordered to be held, or when disciplinary matters involving subordinate officers or ratings borne on the books of a ship provided and maintained by a' Dominion are referred by the Commanding Officer to his senior officer or to the Commander-in-Chief the instructions contained in Appendix XXII are to be strictly observed. Chapter XVlL—Courts-martial.* Chapter XlX_—Section ll—Discipline generally.* Section V—Summary Punishments * Section Vl—Desertion and Rewards for Apprehension* Section Vll—Civil Power.* Chapter XXl.—Certificates.* [* See Article 26, olause 2, and Appendix XXII (Dominion Naval Forces).]

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Appendix XXII. —Instructions for regulating the Application of the Naval Discipline Act to the Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and of the Dominion Navies in relation to each other. (See Article 26, Clause 2.) Note. —These provisions at present apply only in the cases in which officers and men of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy are concerned, as the necessary arrangements for carrying out the agreement mentioned below have only been completed with the Australian Government. An agreement having been arrived at in 1911 between the Admiralty and the Naval Departments Australia and Canada that "When a court-martial has to be ordered by a Dominion and a sufficient number of officers are not available in the Dominion service at the time, the British Admiralty, if requested, will make the necessary arrangements to enable a Court to be formed. Provision will be made by Order of His Majesty in Council and by the Dominion Governments respectively to define the conditions under which officers of the different services are to sit on joint courts-martial " : and further that " The dominions having applied to their naval forces the King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions and the Naval Discipline Act, the British Admiralty and Dominion Governments will communicate to each other any changes which they propose to make in those regulations or that Act " —the following instructions have been drawn up for the guidance of Commanders-in-Chief and Officers Commanding H.M. Ships: — Where a court-martial is ordered to take place when Dominion vessels are present, by virtue of the Act 1 and 2 Geo. 5, cap. 47, entitled the Naval Discipline (Dominion Naval Forces) Act, 1911, their officers are eligible and bound to sit according to their seniority on the court-martial whether the accused belongs to the Royal Navy or to a Dominion Naval Force. I. Where Accused Persons belonging to the Royal Navy are concerned. The usual procedure is to be followed except that it may be that one or more officers on the court will, belong to the Dominion Force. Commanders-in-Chief are therefore to consider this possibility in selecting the President of any Court, but are not to take steps in ordinary cases which would have the effect of excluding officers of the Dominion Force who may be " present at the place where the court-martial is held." The Commander-in-Chief or Officer in Command of the Dominion Force will be provided by the Admiralty with a warrant authorizing him to order courts-martial when necessary on officers and men of the Royal Navy, and he will accordingly follow the usual procedure (as indicated above). 11. Where Offenders belonging to the Dominion Naval Forces are concerned. (A.) Courts-martial. 1. Where vessels of the Dominion Force are attached to a fleet or squadron of the Royal Navy or are temporarily under the orders of an officer of the Royal Navy or are in company with any of H.M. ships— (a.) No court-martial should be ordered unless the officer ordering it is either in possession of a warrant issued by the proper authority of the Dominion in whose service the accused is, or is expressly authorized by the legislation of the Dominion to order courts-martial. The warrant to the President should state that it is issued in exercise of the power so conferred. (&.) It is desirable but not essential that one officer at least belonging to the same force as the offender should sit as a member of the court-martial. When possible the President should be selected from that force. (c.) At the conclusion of the court-martial the minutes should be sent by the convening authority to the Minister of the Dominion and a copy forwarded to the Admiralty for information. (d.) Where detention or any greater punishment is awarded by the court-martial the offender is to be dealt with in all respects as if he belonged to the Royal Navy, except that if, as is generally desirable, it is intended that he should serve his sentence in the Dominion, arrangements should be made for the issue of a warrant for his detention or imprisonment by the proper authority on his arrival in the Dominion to which he belongs. If dismissed from the service he is entitled to a free passage to a port of the Dominion to which he belongs. (c.) In the case of offenders' sentenced to be dismissed from H.M. service with or without disgrace the offender is to be sent by the first Government opportunity to the Dominion to which he belongs. 2. Where officers and men of the Dominion Naval Force are borne on one of the ships of the Royal Navy— (a.) Offenders belonging to the Dominion Forces borne on the books of a ship of the Royal Navy are subject to the Naval Discipline and King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions in the ordinary way; but the instructions contained in 1 (b) and (c) should be followed in their cases. (b.) The convening authority should issue the warrant for imprisonment, in respect of which the routine 'usual in the case of offenders belonging to the Royal Navy should be followed. (c.) In the case of an offender sentenced to dismissal from H.M. service either at once or at the expiration of a term of imprisonment he is entitled to a free passage to a port of the Dominion to which he belongs.

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(B.) Summary Punishments. 1. In the case of men borne on the books of a ship of the Royal Navy the ordinary routine is to be followed. 2. In the case of men borne on the books of a ship provided and maintained by the Dominion attached to a fleet or squadron of the Royal Navy, or are temporarily under the orders of an officer of the Royal Navy, the provisions of Article 770 are to apply, it being left, however, to the Commanding Officer of the Dominion ship to carry out the sentence. When any cases are referred by the Commanding Officer to his senior officer for approval under Sections 11, V, VI, and VII of Chapter XIX and under Chapter XXI of the King's Regulations, the latter officer is to seek to be guided by the practice of the Dominion in coming to a decision. 3. Commanders-in-Chief of the Royal Navy are not in any case to exercise with regard to subordinate officers the powers conferred by section 57 of the Naval Discipline Act. In cases where—if the offender belonged to the Royal Nayy —the Commander-in-Chief would have acted under the powers conferred by that section he is to send a confidential report in writing of the circumstances to the Minister of the Dominion requesting him to take such steps in the case as he may be advised (C.) Relations in Time of War. In time of war when Dominion ships and men have been placed at the disposal of the Admiralty the Naval Discipline Act applies exactly in the same manner as to the officers and men of the Royal Navy, and the usual routine is to be followed without any modification.

No. 50. New Zealand, No. 339. My Lord, — Downing Street, 6th August, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 343, of the 11th October, 1911, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the Secretary of State for War has decided, with His Majesty's approval, that the two offices of Inspector-General of the Home Forces and Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces should again be merged and held by one officer, with the title of " Inspector-General of the Forces," and that the appointment of General Officer Commanding in Chief, Mediterranean Command, should be allowed to lapse. General Sir lan Hamilton's tenure of his appointment as Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces expired at the end of July, from which date the change took place. 2. As Sir lan Hamilton has during his term of office visited all the selfgoverning dominions and nearly all the stations abroad, outside India, at which British troops are stationed, it will not be necessary for a similar tour of inspection to be undertaken immediately by his successor. Should, however, your Government desire at any time that an inspection of the Forces of New Zealand should be made His Majesty's Government will be glad to arrange for such inspection to be carried out either by the Inspector-General of the Forces or by officers of high rank and distinction in the service specially selected for the particular case. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915, No. 44.

No. 51. New Zealand, No. 341. My Lord, — Downing Street, 6th August, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 3rd instant, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a Proclamation by the King, dated the 2nd August, for postponing the payment of certain bills of exchange, and of an Act to authorize His Majesty by Proclamation to suspend temporarily the payment of bills of exchange and payments in pursuance of other obligations. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the EarT of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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Enclosures. By the King.—A Proclamation for Postponing the Payment of certain Bills of Exchange. George, R.I. Whereas, in. view of the critical situation in Europe and the financial difficulties caused thereby, it is expedient that the payment of certain bills of exchange should be postponed as appears in this Proclamation : Now, therefore, We have thought fit, by and With the advice of Our Privy Council, to issue this Our' Royal Proclamation, and We do hereby proclaim, direct, and ordain as follows: — If on the presentation for payment of a bill of exchange, other than a cheque or bill on demand, which has been accepted before the beginning of the fourth day of August, nineteen hundred and fourteen, the acceptor reaccepts the bill by a declaration on the face of the bill in the form set out hereunder, that bill shall, for all purposes, including the liability of any drawer or endorser or any other party thereto, be deemed to be due and be payable on a date one calendar month after the date of its original maturity instead of on the date of its original maturity, and to be a bill for the original amount thereof increased by the amount of interest thereon calculated from the date of reacceptance to the new date of payment at the Bank of England rate current on the date of the reacceptance of the Bill. Form of Reacceptance. Reaccepted under Proclamation for £ [Insert increased sum]. Signature Date Given at Our Court at Buckingham Palace, this second day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fourteen, and in the fifth year of Our Reign. God save the King! Postponement of Payments Act, 1914. Chapter 11. An Act to authorize His Majesty by Proclamation to suspend temporarily the Payment of Bills of Exchange and Payments in Pursuance of other Obligations. [3rd August, 1914.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : — 1. (1.) His Majesty may by Proclamation authorize the postponement of the payment of any bill of exchange, or of any negotiable instrument, or any other payment in pursuance of any contract, to such extent, for such time, and subject to such conditions or other provisions as may be specified in the Proclamation. (2.) No additional stamp duty shall be payable in respect of any instrument as a consequence of any postponement of payment in pursuance of a Proclamation under this Act unless the Proclamation otherwise directs. (3.) Any such Proclamation may be varied, extended, or revoked by any subsequent Proclamation, and separate Proclamations may be made dealing with separate subjects. (4.) The Proclamation dated the third day of August, nineteen hundred and fourteen, relating to the postponement of payment of certain bills of exchange, is hereby confirmed, and shall be deemed to have been made under this Act. 2. (1.) This Act may be cited as the Postponement of Payments Act, 1914. (2.) This Act shall remain in force for a period of six months from the date of the passing thereof.

No. 52. New Zealand, No. 345. My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th August, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 11, of the 9th January last, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that certain questions have arisen with regard to the meaning of Article 10 of the Foreign Marriages Order in Council, 1913, copies of which accompanied that despatch. 2. I am advised that the provisions marked as (a) and (b) in that article are alternative, and that advantage may be taken of the provision marked (b), although there may be in existence a special law of the kind contemplated by that marked (a). 3. I am further advised that it is not necessary, in order to enable advantage to be taken of provision (b) in the same article, that there should be

A.-l, 1915, No. 48.

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express legislative provision enabling the notice to be given and the certificate issued for the purpose of the Foreign Marriage Act, but that the requirements of the concluding words of Article 10 would be sufficiently met in any case where— (i.) There was no provision of law expressly or impliedly preventing (1) the giving of the notice contemplated, or (2) the issue by the Marriage Registrar or other like officer of the necessary certificate for the purpose of the Foreign Marriage Act; and (ii.) The Marriage Registrar or other like officer was given administrative authority to issue the certificate. 4. The consideration set out in the preceding paragraph would also applj in the case of notice of publication of banns in any self-governing Dominion or State where the law allowed persons resident therein to be married by banns : that is to say, notice by publication of banns would be a good notice, and a certificate of such publication would be a good certificate for the purpose of Article 10, in the absence of any law expressly or impliedly preventing the publication of banns or the issue of a certificate of such publication for the purpose of the Foreign Marriages Act. 5. With regard, however, to the giving of notice by publication of banns, a further question arises as to whether the clergyman who publishes the banns is " a Marriage Registrar," &c, within the meaning of Articles 10 and 11 of the Order in Council and therefore capable of giving the certificate required by Article 10. lam advised that the clergyman would probably be held to be so in any case where the local law casts on him any duty to register any marriage celebrated by him after publication of banns, or to enter the same in any record to which the public have access or which has to be transmitted in duplicate to the public registry; but, as this question is open to doubt, it may be advisable in cases where there exists a Registrar of Marriages capable of giving the required certificate that the certificate of banns should in all cases be obtained from him. 6. I have to add that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has requested that he may be furnished, for the use of British consular officers, with a list of the official titles of all Registrars or other like officers who are empowered to issue the certificates required by Article 10 of the Order in Council, and I should be glad, therefore, if, in the light, of the preceding paragraphs of this despatch, you would send me a list of the persons empowered to issue such certificates in New Zealand. I should also be glad if in sending this list you would state whether or not notice can be given by publication of banns for the purpose of the Foreign Marriage Act, and whether certificates of the giving of such notice can be issued by the clergyman publishing such banns. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 53. New Zealand, No. 348. My Lord, — Downing Street, 14th August, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of the following Acts of the Imperial Parliament : — IV & V George V, eh. 14 : Currency and Bank Notes Act, 1894. IV & V George V, eh. 26 : Army (Supply of Food, Forage, and Stores) Act, 1914. IV & V George V, eh. 29 : Defence of the Realm Act, 1914. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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Enclosures. Currency and Bank Notes Act, 1914. Chapter H.. An Act to authorize the issue of Currency Notes, and to make Provision with respect to the Noteissue of Banks. [6th August, 1914.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, and in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: — 1. (1.) The Treasury may, subject to the provisions of this Act, issue currency notes for one pound and for ten shillings, and those notes shall be current in the United Kingdom in the same manner and to the same extent and as fully as sovereigns and half-sovereigns are current, and shall be legal tender in the United Kingdom for the payment of any amount. (2.) Currency notes under this Act shall be in such form and of such design, and printed from such plate and on such paper, and be authenticated in such manner, as may be directed by the Treasury. (3.) The holder of a currency note shall be entitled to obtain on demand, during office-hours at the Bank of England, payment for the note at its face value in gold coin which is for the time being legal tender in the United Kingdom. (4.) The Treasury may, subject to such conditions as to time, manner, and order of presentation as they think fit, call in any currency notes under this Act on paying for those notes at their face value in gold. (5.) Currency notes under this Act shall be deemed to be bank-notes within the meaning of the Forgery Act, 1913, and any other enactment relating to offences in respect of bank-notes which is for the time being in force in any part of the British Islands, and to be valuable securities within the meaning of the Larceny Act, 1861, and any other law relating to stealing which is for the time being in force in any part of the Brtish Islands, and to be current coin of the realm for the purpose of the Acts relating to truck and any other like enactment. (6.) For the purpose of meeting immediate exigencies' all postal orders issued either before or after the passing of this Act shall temporarily be current and legal tender in the United Kingdom in the same manner and to the same extent and as fully as current coins, and shall be legal tender in the United Kingdom for the payment of any amount. The holder of any such postal order shall be entitled to obtain on demand, during officehours at the Bank of England, payment for the.postal order at its face value in any coin which is for the time being legal tender in the United Kingdom for the amount of the note. Provisoes (b) and (c) to subsection one'of section twenty-four of the Post Office Act, 1908, shall not apply to any such postal orders. This subsection shall have effect only until His Majesty by Proclamation revokes the same, and any Proclamation revoking this subsection may provide for the calling-in or exchange of any postal orders affected thereby. 2. Currency notes may be issued to such persons and in such manner as the Treasury direct, but the amount of any notes issued to any person shall, by virtue of this Act and without registration or further assurance, be a floating charge in priority to all other charges, whether under statute or otherwise, on the assets of that person. 3. The governor and company of the Bank of England and any persons concerned in the management of any Scottish or Irish bank of issue may, so far as temporarily authorized by the Treasury and subject to any conditions attached to that authority, issue notes in excess of any limit fixed by law; and those persons are hereby indemnified, freed, and discharged from any liability, penal or civil, in respect of any issue of notes beyond the amount fixed by law which has been made by them since the first day of August, nineteen hundred and fourteen, in pursuance of any authority of the Treasury or of any letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and any proceedings taken to enforce any such liability shall be void. 4. Any bank-notes issued by a bank of issue in Scotland or Ireland shall be legal tender for a payment of any amount in Scotland or Ireland respectively, and any such bank of issue shall not be under any obligation to pay its notes on demand except at the head office of the bank, and may pay its notes, if thought fit, in currency notes issued under this Act: Provided that notes which are legal tender under this section shall not be legal tender for any payment by the head office of the bank by whom they are issued for the purpose of the payment of notes issued by that bank. This section shall have effect only until His Majesty by Proclamation revokes the same, and any Proclamation revoking this section may provide for the calling-in or exchange of notes affected thereby. 5. (1.) In this Act the expression "bank of issue" means any bank having power for the time beine to issue bank-notes. (2.) This Act may be cited as the Currency and Bank Notes Act, 1914. (3.) This Act shall apply to the Isle of Man as if it were part of the United Kingdom, but shall not apply to any other British possession. Army (Supply of Food, Forage, and Stores) Act, 1914. Chapter 26. An Act to enable Food, Forage, and Stores for His Majesty's Forces to be requisitioned in cases of Emergency. [7th August, 1914.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—

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1. The power of requisitioning carriages, horses, vessels, and aircraft in case of emergency conferred by the Army Act shall extend so as to include a power of requisitioning food, forage, and stores of all descriptions, and accordingly at the end of subsection (2) of section one hundred and fifteen of the Army Act there shall be inserted the words " and also food, forage, and stores of every description," and all the other provisions of that section, and also toe provisions of sections thirty-one, one hundred and sixteen, one hundred and seventeen, one hundred and nineteen, and one hundred and twenty-one of the Army Act shall, so far as applicable, apply in relation to food, forage, and stores as they apply in relation to vessels. 2,' This Act may be cited as the Army (Supply of Food, Forage, and Stores) Act, 191.4. Defence of the Realm Act, 1914. Chapter 29. An Act to confer on His Majesty in Council power to make Regulations during the present War for the Defence of the Realm. [Bth August, 1914.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : — 1. His Majesty in Council has power during the continuance of the present war to issue regulations as to the powers and duties of the Admiralty and Army Council, and of the members of His Majesty's Forces and other persons acting in His behalf, for securing the public safety and the defence of the realm; and may by such regulations authorize the trial by courts-martial and punishment of persons contravening any of the provisions of such regulations designed— (a.) To prevent persons communicating with the enemy or obtaining information for that purpose or any purpose calculated to jeopardize the success of the operations of any of His Majesty's Forces or to assist the enemy; or (b.) To secure the safety of imy means of communication, or of railways, docks, or harbours; in like manner as if such persons were subject to military law and had on active service committed an offence under section five of the Army Act. 2. This Act may be cited as the Defence of the Realm Act, 1914.

No. 54. New Zealand, No. 349. . , . My Lord, — Downing Street, 14th August, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of the following Act of the Imperial Parliament: IV & V George V, eh. 51 : Unreasonable Withholding of Food-supplies Act, 1914. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c. Enclosure. Unreasonable Withholding of Food-supplies Act, 1914. Chapter 51. An Act to enable the Board of Trade during the Present War to take Possession of Foodstulis unreasonably withheld. [10th August, 1914.] Be it enacted by .the. King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, .and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : — . .. 1. If the Board ..of Trade are of opinion that any foodstuff is being unreasonably withheld from the market they may, if so authorized by His Majesty's . Proclamation (made generally or as respects any particular kind of foodstuff) and in manner provided by the Proclamation, take possession of any supplies of foodstuff to which the Proclamation relates, paying to the owners of the supplies such price as may in default of agreement be decided to be reasonable, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, by the arbitration of a Judge of the High Court selected by the Lord Chief Justice of England. 2. (1.) This Act may be cited as the Unreasonable Withholding of Food-supplies Act, 1914. (2.) This Act shall have effect only while a state of war exists between His Majesty and any foreign Power.

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No. 55. New Zealand, No. 359. My Lord, — Downing Street, 25th August, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 387, of the 3rd October, 1913, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the ratification of the King of the Belgians of the International Convention for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic of the 4th May, 1910, was deposited in the archives of the French Government on the 30th July last. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 56. New Zealand, No. 371. My Lord, — Downing Street, 28th August, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 19th instant, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that His Majesty's Government referred to the Law Officers of the Crown the question of the jurisdiction of Prize Courts over enemy ships which were liable merely to detention under the provisions of the Hague Convention, No. VI, of 1907. 2. The advice of the Law Officers of the Crown is that it is clear from such cases as Lindo v. Rodney (2 Douglas 613) that British Prize Courts have been accustomed to exercise jurisdiction in respect of ships of the enemy found in British ports at the outbreak of war, the reason for such jurisdiction being that such ships are dealt with under the exercise of the jus belli. No change has been made in the jurisdiction of the Prize Courts, and all that has been effected by the Hague Convention, No. VI, of 1907, is that the parties to that Convention have agreed upon a less rigorous method of treatment of such vessels than was formerly in vogue. The jurisdiction of the Prize Court is not affected, and the result of the Convention is merely to vary the order which the Prize Court will make. Tn the opinion, therefore, of the Law Officers the British Prize Courts have jurisdiction to deal with such vessels, and should exercise their jurisdiction by making orders for detention in the manner contemplated in Order XXVIII of the new British Prize Court Rules. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., Ac.

No. 57. New Zealand, No. 379. My Lord, — Downing Street, 4th September, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 336, of the 6th August, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of an explanatory memorandum (as revised the 25th August) issued by the War Risks Insurance Office regarding cargo insurances. I have, &c, l. harcourt. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c,

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Enclosure. War Risks Insurance Office, Cannon Street Hotel, London E.G. Cargo Insurances only.—Explanatory Memorandum, as revised 25th August, 1914. 1. The only risks which are covered by the Government War Risks Insurance Office are King's enemy war risks, in terms of clause 2 in the policy, of which the following is a copy : " This insurance is only to cover the risks of capture, seizure, and detainment by the King's enemies and the consequences thereof, or any attempt thereat, and all consequences of hostilities or warlike operations by or against the King's enemies, whether before or after declaration of war." 2. Cargo only is insured. The insurance is undertaken subject more particularly to the following conditions : — (a.) That any cargo may be insured which is not enemy property, or goods the transport of which is prohibited by Proclamation or otherwise restricted; (6.) That the cargo is carried on a British steamer which is entered in one of the undermentioned war risks associations approved by the Government, and that a warrisks policy has been taken out on the vessel covering the voyage in question under the Government scheme for the reinsurance of hulls; and (c.) That the voyage is not one which is prohibited by the Admiralty. 3. It rests with the applicant to satisfy himself that the conditions mentioned in paragraph 2 are complied with; the warranties in the policy which deal with these and other points should be carefully considered. 4. The approved war risks associations above referred to are : — (1.) The North of England Protecting and Indemnity Association, Collingwood Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne. (2.) The Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association (Limited), 10 Water Street, Liverpool. (3.) The London Group of War Risks Associations, 24 St. Mary Axe, E.G. This group comprises the following: — Britannia Steamship Insurance Association (Limited); Tindall, Riley, and Co. (managers), 17 Gracechurch Street, E.C. London Steamship-owners' Mutual Insurance Association (Limited); A. Bilbrough and Co. (managers), 23 Rood Lane, E.C. Newcastle War Risks Indemnity Association (Limited); E. S. Scorfield and James Ferguson (managers), 4 Queen's Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Standard Steamship-owners' Mutual War Risks' Association (Limited); Charles Taylor and Co. (managers), 9 Fenchurch Avenue, E.C. Sunderland Steamship Mutual War Risks Association (Limited); J. Rutherford and Son (managers), 45 West Sunniside, Sunderland. United Kingdom Mutual War Risks Association (Limited); T. R. Miller and Son (managers), 24 St. Mary Axe, E.C. West of England Mutual War Risks Association (Limited); John Holman and Sons (managers), 1 Lloyd's Avenue, E.C. The great majority of British steamers are entered in one or other of these associations. 5. As a general rule, cargo carried on a vessel which has already sailed cannot be insured under the Government scheme, but the War Risks Insurance Office is, notwithstanding, authorized to consider applications for the insurance of cargo on a vessel which has alread}' sailed or can be warranted safe at a port of call or at some point of her voyage. 6. The premium is charged at a flat rate irrespective of the voyage or of the character of the cargo insured. Any alteration in the rate will be announced in the Press. 7. If, for any reason which the Committee consider sufficient, the goods or any portion, of them are not shipped by the vessel by which they were issued, the insurance effected may be cancelled so far as short interest is concerned. 8. All applications for cancelment or return of premium must be made on the forms specially provided for that purpose. Such applications should be accompanied by a statement of reasons and supporting evidence, together with the stamped slip and policy. In the case of claim for partial cancelment the marine policy should be produced. Where the application for cancelment or return is consequent on war-risk insurance previously effected elsewhere- the slip and policy relating to the other insurance must be produced. 9. Cargo insured against King's enemy war risks under the Government scheme must also be covered by approved marine-insurance policies as defined in paragraph 10. These marine policies must be produced at the War Risks Insurance Office when required, in proof of values, but this will possibly not be necessary except in the event of a loss or claim. In the case of cargoes insured against marine risks by policies issued on or after the sth August, 1914, the insurance will, in the absence of any special agreement otherwise, be deemed sufficient for the purposes of. the Government scheme so long as not less than 70 per cent, of the value be covered under approved marine-insurance policies. This rule does not. apply to policies issued before the outbreak of war, so long as such policies shall afford sufficient proof of values. 10. Marine-insurance policies will be accepted by the War Risks Insurance Office as evidence of values under the foregoing paragraph if issued by members of Lloyd's, British insurance companies, or other approved underwriters or insurance companies, as follows: — (a.) All policies (whether enemy or other) issued previous to the outbreak of war— i.e., signed and dated prior to and including the 4th August—will be accepted; and (b.) All policies of recognized British or alien companies or underwriters (other than enemy) issued on or after the outbreak of war will be accepted. This does not authorize the acceptance of policies, whether British or alien, issued' by trading or other firms not coming within the general scope of recognized underwriting associations,

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Applicants for insurance of cargo under the Government scheme, if in doubt as to the admissibility of their marine-insurance policies under the foregoing rules, should, when submitting their proposals for insurance, produce the marine policies for consideration, and, in case of need, endorsement if approved. 11. Where the insurance is,described on the slip as " provisional," this refers to the amount insured only, and not to the insurance as a whole. The premium on the whole amount must in all cases be paid in the first instance, subject to any such refund as may be subsequently substantiated. 12. The Committee are prepared, in-certain circumstances, to consider applications for the issue of open policies. 13. No interior or land risks are taken by the War Risks Insurance Office. 14. The brokerage to be deducted should be calculated at the rate of one shilling per guinea of premium. No discount is allowed. 15. It rests on applicants to see that the information and calculations appearing on the application-slip shall be in all respects' correct. 16. The reference to "stamp" printed on the slip may be disregarded; the policy will be stamped by the Inland Revenue authorities without further charge. 17. Cheques must be made payable to the "War Risks Office," and crossed "Bank of England." 18. Applicants desiring to retain at their own risk a portion of the war risk, insuring the remainder under the Government scheme, may so retain up to, but not exceeding, 50 per cent, of the declared value, but with the reservation that whatever be the proportion so retained at the inception of the risk it shall be retained at the risk of the assured until its termination. In such cases the total value of the interest at risk must be declared on the application-slip for insertion in the policy. The foregoing does not preclude the assured from insuring with approved underwriters or insurance companies any portion of the war risk not placed with the War Risks Insurance Office, provided that such insurance be effected not later than the insurance with the War Risks Insurance Office. 19. The value for the purpose of insurance against war risks must not exceed the value for insurance against sea risks. 20. The premium in force at the time the insurance was effected cannot, unless in the case provided for in clause 1 of the j:>olicy, be afterwards reduced or increased. 21. Payment of admitted claims will be made promptly by cheque on the Bank of England. 22. Application-slips for insurance must be filled up in duplicate, one copy to be marked " Duplicate," for retention by the War Risks Insurance Office. The premium must be paid at the time the application is handed in. 23. Copies of this memorandum, application-slips for insurance, and specimen policies are obtainable at the War Risks Insurance Office, where all applications for the insurance of cargo under the Government war-risks insurance scheme must be made personally by the applicant or his representative. Postal or telegraphic applications cannot be accepted. Application-slips can also be obtained at Lloyd's, or at the Institute of London Underwriters, I St. Michael's House, Cornhill, E.C. 24. The War Risks Insurance Office is open for public business from 11 to 4 o'clock; on Saturdays from 11 to 1 o'clock. By order of the Committee. Douglas Owen, Chairman. Cannon Street Hotel. London E.C, 25th August, 1914.

No. 58. New Zealand, No. 383. My Lord, — Downing Street, 4th September, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of two Acts which have been passed by the Imperial Parliament, shortly entitled the Defence of the Realm {No. 2) Act, 1914, and the Customs (Exportation Prohibition) Act, 1914. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosures. Defence of the Realm (No. 2) Act, 1914. Chapter 63. An Act to amend the Defence of the Realm Act, 1914. [28th August, 1914.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : —

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1. The Defence of the Realm Act, 1914, shall have effect as if— (a.) At the end of paragraph (a) of section one thereof the following words were inserted : " or to prevent the spread of reports likely to cause disaffection or alarm " : (6.) At the end of paragraph (b) of section one thereof there were added the following words : "or of any area which may be proclaimed by. the Admiralty or Army Council to be an area which it is necessary to safeguard in the interests of the training or concentration of any of His Majesty's Forces " : ... (c.) At the end of section one there were inserted the following words: " and may bysuch regulations also provide for the suspension of any restrictions on the acquisition or user of land, or the exercise of the power of making by-laws, or any other poWer under the Defence Acts, 1842 to 1875, or the Military Lands Acts, 1891 to 1903." 2. This Act may be cited as the Defence of the Realm (No. 2) Act, 1914. Customs (Exportation Prohibition) Act, 1914. Gh-apter 6J/.. An Act to extend and amend Section Eight of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1879. [28th August, 1914.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : — 1. Section eight of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1879 (which enables the exportation of certain articles to be prohibited), shall have effect, whilst a state of war in which His Majesty is engaged exists, as if, in. addition to the articles therein mentioned, there were included all other articles of every description. 2. Any Proclamation or Order in Council made under the said section as so amended may, whilst a state of war exists, be varied or added to by an Order made by the Lords of the Council on the recommendation of the Board of Trade. 3. This Act may be cited as the Customs (Exportation Prohibition) Act. 1914.

No. 59. New Zealand, No. 390. My Lord, — Downing Street, 10th September, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 379, of the 4th September, and my telegram of the sth September, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the insurance rates both for cargo and for ships under the Government war risks insurance scheme were altered on the Ist instant as follows : The rate for cargo was reduced from three guineas per cent, to 'two guineas per cent. In the case of ships the rate for a voyage was reduced from per cent, to 1 per cent., the rate for a round voyage from 2J per cent, to 2 per cent., and the rate for a time policy for three months from 2| per cent, to 2 per cent. In addition it was decided that a ballast voyage not exceeding 800 miles in length may be treated as 'forming part of the following voyage without additional premium. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c. *

No. 60. New Zealand, No. 398. My Lord, — Downing Street, 14th September, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 73, of the 13th February last, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the income-tax concession announced in that despatch has now been extended to cover naval officers of the self-governing dominions who may be undergoino' training in the United Kingdom. I have, &c, L HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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No. 61. New Zealand, No. 400. My Lord, — Downing Street, 17th September, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copy of a letter from the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, notifying the removal as from the 9th September of the last remaining restrictions imposed on the movement of animals in Ireland, on account of foot-and-mouth disease. 2. The High Commissioner has been informed in the sense of the Department's letter. 1 have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland (Veterinary Branch), Sin, — 50 and 51 Upper Mount Street, Dublin, 9th September, 1914. With reference to previous correspondence respecting the regulations governing the entry to Canada and other British colonies of live-stock from the United Kingdom, I have to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State, that an order of this Department, effective from to-day, removes the last remaining restriction imposed on the movement of animals in Ireland on account of foot-and-mouth disease, the last outbreak of which in this country occurred on the 17th July, 1914. Ireland is thus officially pronounced free from that disease, and I have therefore to request that the Secretary of State will be so good as to have the fact brought under the notice of the Governments of the principal British oversea possessions with which Ireland has ordinarily an export trade in live-stock —viz., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. T have to add that concurrently with the coming into force of the above-mentioned order the normal conditions governing the entry of Irish animals to Great Britain have been reverted to. I am, &c, T. P. Gill, Secretary. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, Downing Street, London.

No. 62. New Zealand, No. 412. My Lord, — . Downing Street, 21st September, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 377, of the 3rd instant, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, — (a.) Copy of a Supplement to the London Gazette of the 11th September, giving particulars as to vessels detained in British ports or captured at sea by His Majesty's Armed Forces, as to ships whose cargoes, or part of them, have been detained in British ports, and as to ships detained or captured by the naval authorities of France, Japan, and Russia; (b.) Copy of the London Gazette of the 15th September, giving (pages 7291-92) particulars as to Prize Courts in His Majesty's dominions oversea, and as to proceedings before those Courts; and (c.) Copy of the London Gazette of the 4th September, which contains page 6999) a notice relative to the protection of the interests of British owners of cargoes in vessels detained at Antwerp. I have, &c, L. harcourt. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 63. New Zealand, No. 431. My Lord. — Downing Street, 30th September, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 415, of the 23rd September, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that His

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Majesty's Ambassador at Petrograd has reported to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that under an Imperial Ukase, dated the 14th September, the provisions of the Declaration of London will be observed by the Russian Government during the course of the present hostilities, subject to the modifications adopted by the British and French Governments as declared in His Majesty's Order in Council of the 20th August and in the French Decree of the 25th August, I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 64. New Zealand, No. 433. My Lord, — Downing Street, 30th September, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 327, of the 30th July, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the Secretary of State for India has pointed out that the memorandum relating to marriages under the Foreign Marriages Act, copies of which were enclosed in my despatch, is incomplete in its presentation of Mohammedan custom in regard to marriages. 2. A revision of Part 11, which has received the approval of the Foreign Office and the Registrar-General, has accordingly been prepared by the India Office, and I enclose, for the information of your Ministers, copies of the revised portion of the memorandum, now marked " C," which should be substituted for Part II of the memorandum enclosed in my despatch under reference. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. "C." * Marriage op English Women with Hindus, Moslems, African Negroes, etc. 1. The marriage of a woman of British nationality professing the Christian faith with a Hindu, even in a case when it is valid in all respects in this country, is not necessarily so when the husband returns to India. In India he is subject to what is known as his "personal" law, and this law would probably not recognize the marriage at all. The Indian Courts would in such cases be liable to offer very inadequate (if any) protection to the wife of such an English marriage, while her position under a foreign Court would be presumably worse. 2. In the case of a Mohammedan, although marriages between Christian women and Moslems are recognized as valid by Mohammedan law, tho fact that the forms prescribed by English law only were gone through might place the parties in a position of some difficulty in a Mohammedan country. 3. In neither case is the marriage one that necessarily implies (outside England) the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the .exclusion of all others, for under his "personal" law the Hindu, and under Mohammedan law the Mohammedan, husband may, if he so desires, take other wives in addition to the first without consulting his first wife (whether Christian or otherwise). Even if the Hindu or Mohammedan husband had entered into a covenant with his Christian wife not to take any other wife, such a covenant could not prevent him from taking another wife in India or a Mohammedan country if he so desired. lhe covenant, if any damages or penalties are laid down therein, can only serve as a deterrent and by no means as an absolute protection. The forms observed at a marriage under English law before a Registrar are not necessarily recognized by Mohammedan law as giving any legal effect or validity to the marriage relationship, and afford no protection to the wife in a country where Mohammedan law is observed. Where a marriage relationship is constituted which the Mohammedan law. will recognize a Mohammedan husband may, under Mohammedan law, divorce his wife at will without any legal formality beyond that of repudiating her and of discharging the mahr or marriage settlement agreed upon, while, should he return to his own country leaving his Christian - wife here, the fact of their being thus locally separated might be equivalent to divorce under Mohammedan law; in either case such divorce, while not dissolving the marriage in England under English law, would be operative in the Mohammedan country.

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4. In the case of a woman of British nationality professing the Christian faith who marries a Mohammedan who is not a British subject, but is a subject or citizen of a Mohammedan State, she loses her British nationality on her marriage, and when the husband and wife land in any Mohammedan country (not being in the Dominions or under the protectorate of His Britannic Majesty) they both become subject to the Mohammedan law. Further, the wife, having lost her British nationality, would appear to have become disentitled to the protection or assistance of any British authority, consular or otherwise. 5. African negroes are in many cases in their own countries subject, in certain particulars, to native law and custom which may permit of polygamy.

No. 65. New Zealand, No. 447. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bth October, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 134, of the 22nd July last, I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that the proposed arrangement in regard to the mutual recognition of certificates of proficiency in radio-telegraphy issued by the Imperial Government and by the Governments of the oversea dominions has been accepted by the Governments of all the self-governing dominions of India, and of all the colonies not possessing responsible Government which have issued licenses for the use of wireless telegraphy on ships, and that it should accordingly be regarded as being already in operation. I have, &c, L. harcourt. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 66. New Zealand, No. 475. Mv Lord, — Downing Street, 23rd October,-1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of a notice issued by the Board of Trade regarding insurance against capture of cargo in neutral vessels. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Board op Trade Announcement.—lnsurance against Capture op Cargo in Neutral Vessels. It has been brought to the notice of the Board of Trade that British insurance companies have insured or reinsured goods shipped on neutral vessels against the risk of capture or detention by His Majesty's Government or allied Governments. The Board of Trade are advised that such contracts of insurance or reinsurance against the risk of capture or detention by Great Britain or her allies are prohibited by the law of England, and they think it necessary to warn British insurance companies and underwriters against undertaking such business. Board of Trade, 17th October, 1914.

No. 67. New Zealand, No. 476. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th October, 191.4. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of a notice issued by the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Parliament with regard to nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize of 1915.

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2. I have to request that your Ministers will be so good as to cause the conditions of the prize to be made known to those bodies and persons who are qualified to nominate candidates. 3. It will be observed that the names of candidates should be received by the Nobel Committee before the Ist February, 1915. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Parliament.—Nobel Peace Prize. All proposals of candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is to lie distributed 10th December, 1915, must, in order to be taken into consideration, be laid before the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Parliament by a duly qualified person liefore the first February of the same year. Any one of the following persons is held to be duly qualified : (a) Members and late members of the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Parliament, as well as the advisers appointed at the Norwegian Nobel Institute; (b) members of Parliament and members of Government of the different States, as well as members of the Interpaliamentary Union; (c) members of the International Court of the Hague; (d) members of the Commission of the Permanent International Peace Bureau; (c) members and associates of the Institute of International Law; (/) university professors of political science and of law, of history and of philosophy; and (g) persons who have received the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize may also be accorded to institutions or associations. According to the Code of Statutes, § 8, the grounds upon which any proposal is made must be stated and handed in along with such papers and other documents as may therein be referred to. According to §3, every written work, to qualify for a prize, must have appeared in print. For particulars qualified persons are requested to apply to the office of the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Parliament, Drammensvei 19, Kristiana.

No. 68. New Zealand, No. 494. My Lord, — Downing Street, 10th November, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of a new order made by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries entitled the Importation of Dogs Order of 1914, which came into operation on the Ist instant. 2. The principal changes effected by the new order are as follows : — (a.) An alteration from six to four calendar months in the prescribed period of detention and isolation of imported dogs (Article 2); and (b.) An additional provision to secure that transhipments of imported dogs in ports in Great Britain are regulated (Article 8). 3. With regard to (a), the Board have decided to discontinue the procedure hitherto adopted under which, the prescribed period of quarantine of an imported dog was, on production by the owner of a satisfactory declaration as to the care and control of the dog prior to importation, reduced in certain cases to a minimum period of three calendar months from the date of the landing of the dog. The new period of four calendar months' quarantine will therefore apply to all dogs landed in Great Britain from abroad, subject, however, to the undermentioned exception in the case of dogs brought from New Zealand. 4. In view of the fact that rabies does not exist in New Zealand, and that quarantine regulations are in force therein with a view to preventing its introduction, a dog brought from New Zealand in a vessel coming to Great Britain without calling at any port en route, or calling- only at ports on the direct homeward route, will be released from quarantine by a special order of the Board immediately after the arrival of the dog at the veterinary premises

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specified in the landing license, provided that the dog is then free from any suspicion of rabies, and that a certificate has been furnished to the Board from the master of the vessel to the effect that the dog was not landed at any place en route to Great Britain and was not brought into contact with any dog other than one carried in the vessel from New Zealand. 5. A copy of this despatch has been communicated to the High Commissioner. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Order op the Board op Agriculture and Fisheries, dated 23rd October, 1914.—Importation op Dogs Order op 1914. The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, by virtue and in exercise of the powers vested in them under the Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894 to 1914, and of every other power enabling them in this behalf, do order and it is hereby ordered as follows : — Restriction on Importation of Dogs. 1. (1.) An imported dog—that is to say, a dog brought to Great Britain from any other country except Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man —shall not be landed in Great Britain unless its landing is authorized by a license of the Board previously obtained, and when landed it shall be subject to the provisions of this order and to the conditions inserted in any license authorizing its landing. (2.) The provisions of this order shall also apply to a dog taken from Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man into any port in any country (except Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man), as if the animal were an imported animal, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Board that the animal has not been landed in that country and while on board has not been allowed to come in contact with any dog or other canine animal from that country, and unless the landing of the animal in Great Britain is authorized by a license of the Board previously obtained. Detention and Isolation of Imported Dogs. 2. (1.) An imported dog shall, for a period of four calendar months after its. landing, be detained and isolated at the expense of its owner upon premises in the occupation or under the control of a veterinary surgeon, which shall have been previously approved in writing by the Board for that purpose, and such premises are in this order referred to as the " place of detention." (2.) During the said period the dog shall not be moved from the place of detention except to another place of detention or to a vessel for exportation, and in either case only with a license of the Board authorizing such movement. (3.) This article shall apply to (a) an imported dog which is shown to the satisfaction of the Board to be a bona fide performing dog, or (b) an imported dog which is intended to be exported from Great Britain within forty-eight hours after its landing, only so far as its provisions are applied by way of conditions inserted in the license authorizing the landing of the dog. Conditions of License. 3. The Board may insert in any license granted by them under this order authorizing the landing of an imported dog such conditions as they think necessary or desirable for the following purposes : — (i.) For prescribing and regulating the detention and isolation of the dog so far as the same is not prescribed and regulated by this order; (ii.) For prescribing the person by whom and the premises on which the dog shall be detained and isolated; (iii.) For regulating the movement of the dog to the place of detention or vessel for exportation, and for prohibiting or regulating its movement during a period of four calendar months after its landing or until its exportation, as the case may be ; (iv.) For prescribing the confinement of the dog in a suitable hamper, crate, box, or other receptacle during the movement of the dog by railway or along a highway or thoroughfare; (v.) For prescribing the mode of isolation of the dog; (vi.) For prescribing the muzzling of the dog; (vii.) For prescribing the notice to be given of the death or loss of the dog, or of any matter arising in connection with, the movement, detention, or isolation of the dog and the persons by whom and to whom the notice is to be given; and (viii.) For prescribing the production of a license for inspection by an officer of tha Board, or police constable, or officer of Customs and Excise.

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Notice of Detention in case of Illegal Landing. 4. (1.) Where an Inspector or other officer of the Board or of a local authority has reason to believe that a dog has been landed in contravention of this order or of any order hereby revoked, he may give notice to the owner or person in charge of the dog requiring that, within a time specified" in such notice, the dog shall be moved (a) to a vessel for exportation, or (b) to a place of detention for the purpose of detention and isolation in accordance with the provisions of such notice. • (2.) Such provisions may be inserted in the notice as the Board may think, necessary or desirable for any of the purposes mentioned in the preceding article. (3.) The operation of a notice under this article may be terminated by notice to that effect given by an inspector or other officer of the Board or of the local authority to the owner or person in charge of the dog on proof to the satisfaction of the inspector or officer that the dogwas not landed in contravention of the said orders, or that four calendar months have expired since its landing. (4.) If the owner or person in charge of the dog, after receipt of such notice, fails to move the dog as required by the notice he shall be deemed guilty of an offence against the Act of 1894. Withdrawal of License in case of Default. 5. (1.) If an imported dog is not detained and isolated in conformity with the provisions of this order or of the conditions or provisions of a license or notice issued thereunder, the Board, or an inspector or other officer of the Board, may give notice to such owner or person in charge requiring him to move the dog to a vessel for exportation within a time specified in such notice. (2.) If the owner or person in charge of the dog, after receipt of such notice, fails to move the dog as required by the notice, he shall be deemed guilty of an offence against the Act of 1894. Seizure of Dogs in case of Default. 6. (1.) If an imported dog is not detained and isolated as required by this order or by the conditions or provisions of any license or notice thereunder, an inspector of the Board may seize the dog, and thereupon the Board shall detain and isolate it at the place of detention specified in the license or notice, or any other place of detention selected by them, in accordance with the requirements of this order or the said conditions or provisions, at the expense of the owner of the dog. (2.) If the owner of the dog does not, within ten days after the expiration of the period of detention specified in this order or in the license or notice, claim the said dog from the Board and pay to them their expenses of detaining and isolating the dog, the Board may destroy or otherwise dispose of the dog as they think expedient. Relanding prohibited of Imported, Dogs moved, to Vessels for Exportation. 7. An imported dog which has been moved to a vessel for exportation in accordance with a license or notice under this order shall not be relanded in Great Britain without a license of the Board authorizing such landing. Regulation of Transhipment of Imported Dogs. 8. An imported dog shall not be transhipped in a port in Great Britain except with the written permission of an officer of the' Board or of an officer of Customs and Excise. Proceedings under Customs Acts for Unlawful Landing. 9. (1.) If any person lands or attempts to land a dog in contravention of this order he shall be liable, under and according to the Customs Acts, to the penalties imposed on persons importing or attempting to import goods the importation whereof is prohibited by or under the Customs Acts, without prejudice to any proceedings against him under the Act of 1894 for an offence against this Act. (2.) The dog in respect whereof the offence is committed shall be forfeited under and according to the Customs Acts in like manner as goods the importation whereof is prohibited by or under the Customs Acts. Detention of Dogs on Vessels in Port. 10. (1.) Every dog to which this article applies shall at all times while on board a vessel in any port in Great Britain be— (a.) Secured to some part of the vessel by a collar and chain and muzzled with a wirecage muzzle, so constructed as to render it-impossible for such dog while wearing the same to bite any person or animal, but not so as to prevent such dog from breathing freely or lapping water; or (b.) Confined in an enclosed part of the vessel from which the dog cannot escape. (2.)-If any dog to which this article applies shall die or be lost from a vessel in any port in Great Britain, the person in charge of the dog shall forthwith give notice of such death or loss to the Board.

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(3.) The provisions of this article shall apply to every imported dog which is not accompanied by a license issued by the Board authorising the landing of such dog in Great Britain. Extension of certain Sections of Diseases of Animals Act, 189J/.. 11. Dogs shall be animals and rabies shall be a disease for the purposes of the following sections of the Act of 1894, namely: Section 43 (Police); section. 44 (General administrative provisions); section 56 (Proceedings under Customs Acts for unlawful landing or shipping); and also for the purposes of all other sections of the said Act containing provisions relative to or consequent on the provisions of those sections and this order, including such sections as relate to offences and legal proceedings. Local Authority to enforce Order. 12. The provisions of this order, except where it is otherwise provided, shall be executed and enforced by the local authority. Offences. 13. (1.) If a dog is landed or transhipped in contravention of this order the owner and the charterer and the master of the vessel from, which it is landed or transhipped, and the owner of the dog, and the person for the time being in charge thereof, and the person causing, directing, or permitting the landing or transhipment, and the person landing or transhipping the same, and the consignee or other person receiving or keeping it knowing it to have been landed or transhipped in contravention as aforesaid shall, each according to and in respect of his own acts and defaults, be deemed guilty of an offence against the Act of 1894. (2.) If a dog is moved in contravention of this order or of the conditions or provisions of a license or notice thereunder, the owner of the dog, and the person for the time being in charge thereof, and the person causing, directing, or permitting the movement, and the person moving the dog, and the consignee or other person receiving or keeping it knowing it to have been moved in contravention as aforesaid, and the occupier of the place from which the dog is moved shall, each according to and in respect of. his own acts and defaults, be deemed guilty of an offence against the Act of 1894. (3.) If a dog is not kept isolated as required by this order or by the conditions or provisions of a license or notice thereunder, the owner of the dog, and the person for the time being in charge thereof, and the occupier of the place where such dog is detained, and the person failing, or neglecting to isolate the dog shall, each according to and in respect of his own acts, defaults, or omissions be deemed guiltjr of an offence against the Act of 1894. (4.) If a dog is not secured, muzzled, or confined as required by this order or by the conditions or provisions of a license or notice thereunder, the owner of the dog, and the person for the time being in charge thereof, and the master of any vessel on board which the.dog is or has been carried to Great Britain shall, each according to and in respect of his own acts and defaults, be deemed guilty of an offence against the Act of 1894. (5.) If a person with a view unlawfully to evade or defeat the operation of this order or of the conditions or provisions of a license or notice thereunder, allows a dog to stray he shall be deemed guilty of an offence against the Act of 1894. (6.) If the owner or person in charge of a. dog fails to give, produce, or do any notice, license, or thing by which this order or by the conditions or provisions of a license or notice thereunder he is required to give, produce, or do, he shall be deemed guilty of an offence against the Act of 1894. Revocation of Order; Existing License*. 14. (1.) The Importation of Dogs Order of 1901 is hereby revoked. (2.) A license granted or notice given under the order hereby revoked shall have effect as if it had'been granted or given under this order, and may be enforced accordingly; but any such license or notice shall, as from the commencement of this order, be read and have effect as if the period of detention referred to therein were four calendar months instead of six calendar months. Interpretation. 15. In this order, unless the context otherwise requires— " The Board " means the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries : " The Act of 1894 " means the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894 : " Master " includes a person having the charge or command of a vessel : Other terms have the same meaning as in the Act of 1894. Commencement. 16. This order shall come into operation on the first day of November, nineteen hundred and fourteen. Short Title. 17. This order may be cited as the Importation of Dogs Order of 1914. In witness whereof the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have hereunto set their official seal, this twenty-third day of October, nineteen hundred and fourteen. Sydney Olivier, Secretary.

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No. 69. New Zealand, No. 541. My Lord, — . Downing Street, 30th November, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 441, of the 7th October, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of a revised list of vessels detained or captured at sea by His Majesty's armed forces. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Vessels detained or captured at Sea by His Majesty's Armed Forces. With reference to the modification which appeared in the Supplementary London Gazette of the 2nd September, 1914, respecting vessels detained in British ports or captured at sea by His Majesty's armed forces, a revised list of such vessels is appended hereto. This list cannot be taken as necessarily complete, and is subject to correction. Supplementary lists will be issued from time to time as further particulars are received.

List of Vessels.

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List of Vessels —continued.

Name. Tonnage. Nationality. Where detained. Cannstatt Caracas Carl , Carl Carl Rudgert Vinnen C. Ferd Laeisz Chile Chow-Tai .. Comet Concadoro 5,930 503 1,993 1,1.97 2,903 4,931 2,182 1,777 1,471 1,793 164 German German German German German German German German German Austrian German Brisbane. Falmouth. .. Cardiff. Falmouth. Newcastle, New South Wales. Hong Kong. .. Cardiff. Singapore. Seaham Harbour. (Captured, and being taken to Alexandria). Invergordon. Conrad Daksa Denebola Derfflinger Diana Drei Geschwister Dryade Dr. Robitzsch 4,140 1,481 9,144 1 ,208 68 1,831 202 Austrian ; German German German German | German German Gibraltar. West Hartlepool. Alexandria. Nigeria. Amble. W r arrington. . . . Aberdeen. Eduard Elfrieda Elsbeth Else Else Kunkel Emanuel Emil Emir Emma Minlos Empress IX Erica Erna Boldt Erna Woermann Ernst Erymanthos Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand . . Excelsior 476 1,860 1,651 223 218 141 2,991 5,514 1,286 90 14.1. 1,731 5.528 2,285 2,934 6,105 1,407 German [ German : German German ; German German German German German German German : German i German German German Austrian German Liverpool. Bristol. Hong Kong. Falmouth. Aberdeen. Amble. Alexandria. Gibraltar. Middlesbro'. .. Comox Sp'.t (B.C.). Fowey. London. .. (Captured off the Cameroon River). Sydney. .. Malta. Aden. Castletown (Berehaven). Fiducia Frankenfels Franz Fischer Franz Horn Freienfels Frido Frieda Frisia Fritz Furth 123 5,854 970 1,314 5,633 92 63 4,997 2,191 4,229 German : German German German | German I German German : German German German Yarmouth. Calcutta. Sharpness, Gloucester. London. Calcutta. Leith. .. Hull. Hong Kong. Falmouth. Colombo. Gebruder Gemma Georg George Harper Gerhard Germania Germania Goldbek Goslar Graecia Greifswald Gria Gutenfels 91 1,385 945 1,612 167 191 1,096 2,630 4,331 3,129 5,486 5,528 | German German German German German German German German German German German German German Alloa. .. Blyth. .. i Gibraltar. .. j Grimsby. .. | Boston, Lincolnshire. .. ' Southampton. Sydney. . . Falmouth. .. ; Alexandria. Gibraltar. Fremantle. Sydney. Alexandria. Haidar Pascha 3,424 4,598 87 2,256 German German I Carman i German Alexandria. Cape Town. Aberdeen. Hong Kong. Hamm Hammelwarden Hanametal

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List of Vessels —continued.

Name. Tonnage. Nationality. Where detained. Hanna Larsen Hans Hemsoth Hans Jost Hans Leonhardt Hans Woermann Heinrich Heinz Helgoland Helgoland Helmuth Henriette Woermann Henry Furst Herbert Fischer Hercules 1,310 2,487 954 1,273 4,059 75 2,224 5.666 247 2,426 1,498 938 1,095 65 548 5,099 5.923 3,643 '946 German German J German | German German German German | German German German ! German German German German j German : German German German German German Southampton. Blyth. Grangemouth. London. (Captured off the (larneroon RivetLondon. Simons Town. Alexandria. Falmouth. Zanzibar." (Captured off the Cameroon River) Newcastle-on-Tyne. Poole. Liverpool. Dysart. (Sunk in Cameroon River). Melbourne. Melbourne. Manchester. Newport, Monmouthshire. Hermann Herzogin Elisabeth.. . Hessen Hobart Hornsund Horst Martini Istria Izrada 4.221 3,539 | German Austrian Alexandria. London. Jeannette Woermann Johanna 2,229 223 German German (Captured off the Cameroon River Falmouth. Karpat Katharina Katharina Kawak Koerber Komet Kronprinzessin Cecilie Kurmark . . 5,056 126 137 3,457 5,440 977 8,684 5.137 Austrian German German German Austrian German German German South. Shields Dysart. London. Malta. Alexandria Sydney. London. Calcutta. Lasca II .. Lauterfels . . Leda .. Levensau Lina Lindenfels 357 5,811 6.766 2,153 74 5,476 3,063 5,002 1,476 8,826 German German German German German German United States German German German Southampton Alexandria. Bermuda. Hull. Burntisland. Aden. St. Lucia. Melbourne. Hull. Alexandria. Lorenzo Lothringen Luoida Lutzow ■ (Sunk at sea). Glasgow. London. Accra. Alexandria. New Britain. (Captured off the Cameroon River), Sydney. Queenstown. Borrowstoness. Colombo. Leith. Markomannia Marie Glaeser Marie Leonhardt Marina Marquis Bacquehem Matupi Max Brock Melbourne Melpomene Mientje Moltkefels Mowe 4,505 1,317 1,468 600 4,396 4,579 5,926 1,784 120 4,921 88 ■ German German German German Austrian German German German German German German German Nauta Neptun Neumunster Nyland I., 137 116 4,224 1,533 German German German German Leith. London. Fremantle. Hull. Oberhausen llnnlii/inT 4,322 813 German I German Hobart. London. Occident ..

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List of Vessels —continued.

Name. Tonnage. Na tionality. Where detained. Odessa Olinda Olona Ophelia Oriental (yacht) Orlando Osnabruck Ossa Ostpreussen Otto Ottokar 3,046 1,915 1,943 1,153 2,185 4,240 1,941 1,755 139 957 German German German German Austrian German German German German German German Castletown (Berehaven). Newcastle, New South. Wales. Plymouth. London. Southampton. Falmouth. Sydney. Falmouth. Blyth. Leith. Plymouth. Pagenturm Paklat Paros Paula III .. Paul Woermann Perkeo Pfalz Pindos Polnay Ponape Pontoporos Prasident " 5,000 1,657 3.576 51 2,238 3,765 6,570 2,933 3,682 2,318 4,049 3.335 German German German German German German German German xiustrian German Greek . . German Calcutta. Hong Kong. Alexandria. Portsmouth. (Captured off the Cameroon River). London. Melbourne. Alexandria. London. Falmouth. Singapore. (Captured in Lindi River, German East Africa). London. Brisbane. Sierra Leone. London. Manchester. Prinz Adalbert Prinz Sigismund Professor Woermann Prosper Providentia 6,030 3,302 6,061 759 2.970 German. German German German German Quarta 1,824 German Singapore. Rabenfels Rajaburi Ranee Rappenfels R. C. Rickmers Recina Reichenfels Renata Amsinck Rheinfels Rheinla'nd Rhenania Rio Pasig Roland Rostock Rotenfels ... Rothersand, Rufidji 4,678 1,904 808 5.883 5,548 4,679 3,824 5,512 333 826 3,250 1,377 4,957 5.589 140 5,442 German German German German German Austrian German German German German German United States German. German German German German Alexandria. Hong Kong. Singapore. Colombo. Cardiff. (Vessel completing at Sunderland) Colombo. (Captured off the Cameroon River). Bombay. Sierra Leone. Amble. Hong Kong. Plymouth. Alexandria. Calcutta. Kirkcaldy. Simon's Bay. Sabbia Sandakan Santa Catharina Scharzfels Schlesien Schneefels Sohwarzenbek Seeadler Senator Dantziger . . Senegambia Serak Sexta Siar Signal Slawentzitz Spreewald Steinturm .. 2,752 1,793 4,247 5,513 5,536 5,826 1,970 159 164 3,780 4,680 325 1,449 3,391 3,899 5.266 Austrian German German German German German German German German G erman German German German German German German German Newcastle-on-Tyne. Singapore. (Captured at sea). Adelaide. Plymouth. Gibraltar. Cardiff. South Africa. Tralee. Hong Kong. Swansea. New Britain. New Britain. Brisbane. Gibraltar. St. Lucia, Colombo.

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List of Vessels —continued.

Foreign Office, 18th November, 1914.

No. 70. New Zealand, No. 542. My Lord, — Downing Street, 30th November, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of a comparative return prepared by the Board of Trade showing the state of British and German shipping respectively after sixteen weeks of war. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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Table giving the State of British and German Shipping respectively after Sixteen Weeks of War.

No. 71. New Zealand, No. 549. My Lord,— Downing Street, 3rd December, 1914. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 148, of the 19th August last, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of a letter from the National Health Insurance Commission (England) on the subject of the supply of insurance stamps and cards to port authorities in New Zealand. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915 No. 57.

Enclosure. National Health Insurance Commission (England), Sir, — Buckingham Gate, London S.W., 25th November, 1914. With reference to your letter of the Bth October, No. 37703, transmitting a copy of a despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, dated 19th August, 1914, No. 148, on. the subject of national health insurance stamps, I am directed by the National Health Insurance Commission (England) to state that they had not anticipated that it would be necessary for stamps and cards to be kept at ports in New Zealand other than Auckland, Lyttelton, Wellington, and Dunedin. The. Commissioners have consulted the High Commissioner for New Zealand, who is of opinion that it would be sufficient if supplies were sent to these four ports. If the Governor considers that it is desirable that they should be sent to all the ports mentioned in his despatch the Commissioners will, of course, make the necessary arrangements. Meanwhile they are arranging for stamps and cards to be sent to the four ports mentioned above. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W. R. W. Harris.

9—A. 2.

Number of — Steamships of Perc ,2 n * a p - ,„ over 100 Tons ° f Tt u tal Gross Tonnage. Gross. Number. Total number \* liiMi 10 > 123 10 ° 20,523,706 i German .. 2.090 100 5,134,720 Percentage of Total Gross Tonnage. 100 100 20,523,706 5,134,720 100 100 / Captured .. .. 49 Detained in German 75 'British j P° ] ' ts < Held up m Baltic and 71 Black Sea Unavailable for i TotaL ■ 195 ] ' 9 585 ' 551 various causes', -Captured .. .. 80 j Detained in British or 166 Allied ports 'German < Se f ki fS ie }^ e m neu - 64(i i tral ports In German ports .. 329 ' Total.. .. 1,221 58'4 i 4,584,926 — :— Plymg ..British .. .. .. 98-1 ; 20.122.173 , Known to be at sea .. 10 Sh'ps over 500 tons not 125 accounted for Plying or 110 t,., ! Steam trawlers not ae- 353 accounted.for; German < a ted for Small coasters not ae- 381 counted for Total.. .. 869 41-6 549,794 1-9 585,551 2-9 58'4 i 4,584,926 89'3 98-1 ; 20.122.173 971 869 41-6 549,794 10-7

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No. 72. New Zealand, No. 553. My Lord, — Downing Street, 4th December, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying statement showing the rates of separation allowance which have been approved and notified for the families of Army Reservists recalled to the colours from New Zealand. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Statement showing the Increased Rates of Separation Allowance issuable to Families resident in New Zealand of Army Reservists recalled to the Colours on Mobilization.

With an increase of 2s. OJd. per week for each additional child.

No. 73. New Zealand, No. 556. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bth December, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's telegram of the Ist instant, conveying for transmission to Her Majesty Queen Alexandra a message of loyal greeting on behalf of Your Lordship and the Government and people of New Zealand on the occasion of Her Majesty's birthday. 2. I understand that the message, which was duly conveyed, has been acknowledged by Her Majesty. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., Ac.

No. 74. New Zealand, No. 536. My Lord ,— Downing Street, 26th November, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of correspondence with the High Commissioner for New Zealand relative to the request of your Government for the reconsideration of the question of extending the Canadian magazine rate of postage to newspapers and periodicals sent from the United Kingdom to New Zealand. T have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

64 8 16 4 1 8 6 4 8 63 6 5 6 56 65 6 6

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Enclosures. High Commissioner for New Zealand, Sir, —■ Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.W., 25th July, 1914. Referring to Colonial Office letter of the 18th August, 1903, No. 28446/1903, and to proposals made in 1907 by the New Zealand Postmaster-General to His Majesty's PostmasterGeneral that the rate of postage on newspapers and periodicals from the United Kingdom to New Zealand by direct steamers might be reduced to Id. per pound, as in the case of Canada, I am-directed by the High Commissioner to state that he has been requested by His Government to again bring the matter to the notice of the British Post. Office, and to inquire whether the Government of New Zealand may still have any expectation that it will be found possible to reduce the rate to New Zealand as desired, and so enable the people of that dominion to receive the same advantage by the extended interchange of literature with this country as it enjoyed by the people of the sister Dominion of Canada. The High Commissioner is aware that the reduction would entail financial considerations, but he feels that such considerations would be quite outweighed bj' the appreciation that would be felt by the large numbers of people in this country who have New Zealand interests. He ventures to hope, therefore, that you will again approach the Imperial Post Office on the subject, and that your representations may result in the granting of this long-standing request. I am, &c, C. Wray Palliser, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Secretary to the Department. Sir, — Downing Street, 24th November, 1914. With reference to your letter, case 1608, of the 25th July last, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to request you to inform the High Commissioner that he has now received the views of the Postmaster-General upon the request of the New Zealand Government for the reconsideration of the question of extending the Canadian magazine-rate of postage to newspapers and periodicals sent from the United Kingdom to New Zealand. 2. The Postmaster-General states that the position is still substantially the same as when the letters on the subject addressed to the Postmaster-General of Sew Zealand on the. 28th October, 1907, and the 12th December, 1911, copies of which are enclosed for the High Commissioner's information were written. 3. He adds that at the time of the institution of the Canadian magazine-post the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury were reluctant to agree to the scheme on account of its financial unsoundness and of the probability that it would be used with effect as a precedent by advocates of cheaper newspaper rates throughout the Empire, and, indeed, of cheaper rates on printed matter in the inland service of the United Kingdom, and that it was only in view of the exceptional political and geographical position of Canada that the objections of the Treasury were waived. There appears to be no such exceptional considerations in the case of New Zealand, and, as the existing rates for newspapers are unremunerative, there does not appear to him. to be sufficient ground for reducing them still further to a point which would result not only in a heavy immediate sacrifice of revenue, but in a cumulative and increasing loss. 4. An. extension of the magazine-post to New Zealand could not, the Postmaster-General thinks, be considered as a postal concession to that Dominion only, as it would provoke demands, which could not consistently be resisted, not only for similar concessions in other parts of the Empire, but also for a reduction in the inland service of the United Kingdom, and ultimately for a reduction in the international rate for printed papers as well, any of which concessions would necessitate a large sacrifice of revenue. 5. The difficulties in the way of meeting the wishes of your Government are thus purely of a financial character, but they are so serious that the Postmaster-General, regrets that he is unable to recommend His Majesty's Government to extend the magazine-post to New Zealand. 6. Copies of your letter under reply and of this letter are being sent to the Governor of New Zealand. I am, &c, Henry Lambert, For the Under-Secretary of State. The Secretary, Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand.

No. 75. New Zealand, No. 567. My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th December, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, to be laid before your Ministers, copies of the correspondence noted in the margin relative to a question raised by the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia as to the correct name for the ocean adjacent to the southern shores of Australia, 2. Your Ministers will observe that it is proposed in the Admiralty letter of the 12th June last that the name " Southern Ocean " might be given to the

A.-l, 1915, No. 58.

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ocean bounded on the north by a line joining the southern portions of South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and on the south by the Antarctic Continent. 3. I should be glad to learn whether your Ministers concur in the adoption for use in official publications of the name and limits proposed. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosures. Commonwealth of Australia, Sir, — Governor-General's Office, Melbourne, 15th April, 1914. I have the honour to inform you that the attention of the Commonwealth Government has been drawn to some uncertainty which seems to exist regarding the correct name for the ocean adjacent to the southern shores of Australia. 2. The Prime Minister informs me that the name does not appear on any of the Admiralty charts or in any recognized atlas. Moreover, the Times Atlas and the "Australian Sailing Directory," Vol. i, 9th edition, page 17, show that the Indian Ocean extends as far south as the 44th or 45th parallel of latitude and as far east as the meridian of Tasmania. 3. The ocean in question has been named at various' times the " Indian Ocean," " the '.'Southern Indian Ocean," "The Grand Austral Ocean," "Southern Ocean," "Great Southern Ocean "; while in the new Commonwealth map of Australia it is named the " Southern Ocean." 4. In the opinion of my Ministers it is desirable that there should be some uniformity in this matter, and at the request of the Prime Minister I have the honour to ask that the question may be referred to the Admiralty authorities for consideration. I have, &c, Denman, Governor-General. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Sir,— Admiralty, 12th June, 1914. With reference to your letter, No. 18066, of the 21st ultimo, relative to the name of the ocean adjacent to the southern shores of Australia, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the authorities available in the Admiralty give the following names to that portion of the ocean defined in the letter of His Excellency the Governor-General, 15th April, 1914. I. Early Discoverers, Explorers, and Map-makers. Abel Tasman (1644) ... ... Does not name it in any of his maps. Joannes van Keylen and other Do not name it, and are all quite unanimous in their definiDutch map-makers of the seven- tion of the Indian Ocean, which they do not show as teenth and eighteenth centuries extending to the eastward of Cape Leeuwin. Captain Cook ... ... Obviously considers Cape Leeuwin as the eastern boundary of the Indian Ocean. On the other hand, his "Antarctic Ocean " is bounded on the north by the Antarctic Circle, thus leaving the ocean under -consideration unnamed. La Perouse (1785) ... ... \,„ , ... T ~ _ , , , Krusenstern (1813) I w Indian Ocean as bounded on the east by Cape Bellingshausen (1819) '.'.'. '.'.'. f Lee "-win and do not name the ocean immediately to the d'Urmont d'Urville (1826) ... j *°uth of Australia. Flinders (1880) ... ... Does not name it in his general map of Australia. d'Entrecastreaux (1791) ... ]~ ~„ „„ ,„ Freycinet (1800-1804) _ j Name it the Grand Ocean Austral." La Place (1832) ... ... the " Grand Ocean Meridional." 11. Geographers. Malte-Brun (1812) ... Probably following the charts of d'Entrecastreaux and Freycinet. Names it the " Grand Ocean Austral." Ehsee Rectus ... ... ... Names it the "Southern Ocean" (Keane's translation only available). Stanford (1907 edition) ... Names it the " Southern Ocean." Stieler's Atlas ... ... ... The name "Indian Ocean" appears to include this portion of the ocean. 2. From the foregoing it would appear that the confusion to which His Excellency the Governor-General draws attention arises from the fact that the portion of the ocean to which he refers is in reality unnamed, and some agreement should now be arrived at with regard to it

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3. The Indian Ocean is properly bounded on the east by the western shores of Australia, and the fact that the name is loosely used in connection with this part of the ocean is probably a survival of the name given to this ocean on early Dutch and Italian maps previous to the discovery of Australia. 4. The apparent intention of the early French expeditions to this part of the world was to name this the "Great Southern Ocean," and the roost eminent of modern geographers have partially followed them in this. 5. It is, however, considered that the name " Southern Ocean " could be very properly given to the ocean bounded on the north by the line joining the southern portions of South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and on the south by the Antarctic Continent. 6. The name of " Southern Ocean " could then be applied to the seas under discussion — i.e., the expanse of water to the south of Australia and New Zealand, which would form a part of it. 1 am, <fee, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W. W. Graham Greene. Commonwealth of Australia, Sir, — Governor-General's Office, Melbourne, Ist October, 1914. Referring to your despatch, No. 389, dated the 19th June, 1914, on the subject of the name to be given to the ocean adjacent to the southern shores of Australia, I have the honour to inform you that I am advised by my Prime Minister that the suggestion that the ocean in question should be called the " Southern Ocean " has been adopted by the Commonwealth tlovernment. 2. My Prime Minister informs me that some months ago proofs of the map of Australia were sent to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and to the Geographical Society asking for any suggestions they might desire to offer regarding the nomenclature, especially with regard to the coast-line. No replies have yet been received, and the Government would be glad to be informed when answers may be expected, as the final issue of the map is being held over until either suggestions are received or an intimation of concurrence with the nomenclature adopted. 3. The name " Southern Ocean " has been adopted in the new map for the sea area south of the Australian Continent. The Indian Ocean does not extend easterly beyond Cape Leeuwin, while the ocean on the eastern coast of Australia is named the " South Tacific." I have, &c, R. M. Ferguson, Governor-General. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 76. New Zealand, No. 572. My Lord, — Downing Street, 17th December, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 383, of the 4th September, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of the Defence of the Realm Consolidation Act, 1914, together with a copy of the 3rd Supplement to the London Gazette of the 27th November, which contains regulations issued under the Act, and a copy of the London Gazette of the Bth December, which contains (pp. 10440-41) an Admiralty order under the Act and the regulations. I have, &c, L. harcourt. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Defence of the Realm Consolidation Act, 1914. Chapter 8. An Act to consolidate and iimend the Defence of the Realm Acts. [27th November, 1914.1 Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : — 1. (1.) His Majesty in Council has power during the continuance of the present war to issue regulations for securing the public safety and the defence of the realm, and as to the powers and duties for that purpose of the Admiralty and Army Council and of the members of His Majesty's Forces and other persons acting in his behalf ; and may by such regulations authorize the trial

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by Courts-martial, or in the case of minor offences by Courts of summary jurisdiction, and punishment of persons committing offences against the regulations, and in particular any of the provisions of such regulations designed— (a.)' To prevent persons communicating with the enemy or obtaining information for that purpose, or any purpose calculated to jeopardize the success of the operations of any of His Majesty's Forces or the Forces of his allies, or to assist the enemy; or (b.) To secure the safety of His Majesty's Forces and ships and the safety of any means of communication and of railways, ports, and harbours; or (c.) To prevent the spread of false reports or reports likely to cause disaffection to His Majesty, or to interfere with the success of His Majesty's Forces by land or sea, or to prejudice His Majesty's relations with foreign Powers; or (d.) To secure the navigation of vessels in accordance with directions given by or under the authority of the Admiralty; or (c.) Otherwise to prevent assistance being given to the enemy or the successful prosecution of the war being endangered. (2.) Any such regulations may provide for the suspension of any restrictions on the acquisition or user of land, or the exercise of the power of making by-laws, or any other power under the Defence Acts, 1842 to 1875, or the Military Lands Acts, 1891 to 1903, and any such regulations or any orders made thereunder affecting the pilotage of vessels may supersede any enactment, order, charter, by-law, regulation, or provision as to pilotage. (3.) It shall be lawful for the Admiralty or Army Council — (a.) To require that there shall be placed at their disposal the whole or any part of the output of any factory or workshop in which arms, ammunition, or warlike stores or equipment, or any articles required for the production thereof, are manufactured; (b.) To take possession of and use for the purpose of His Majesty's naval or military service any such factory or workshop or any plant thereof; and regulations under this Act may be made accordingly. (4.) For the purpose of the trial of a person for an offence under the regulations by Courtmartial and the punishment thereof, the person may be proceeded against and dealt with as if he were a person subject to military law and had on active service committed an offence under section five of the Army Act-: Provided that where it is proved that the offence is committed with the intention of assisting the enemy a person convicted of such an offence by a Court-martial shall be liable to suffer death. (5.) For the purpose of the trial of a person for an offence under the regulations by a Court of summary jurisdiction and the punishment thereof, the offence shall be deemed to have been committed either at the place in which the same actually was committed or in any place in which the offender may be, and the maximum penalty which may be inflicted shall be imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term of six months or a fine of one hundred pounds, or both such imprisonment and fine. Section seventeen of the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, shall not apply to charges of offences against the regulations, but any person aggrieved by a conviction of a Court of summan- jurisdiction may appeal in England to a Court of Quarter Sessions, and in Scotland under and in terms of the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Acts, and in Ireland in manner provided by the Summaiy Jurisdiction (Ireland) Acts. (6.) The regulations may authorize a Court-martial or Court of summary jurisdiction, in addition to any other punishment, to order the forfeiture of any goods in respect of which an offence against the regulations has been committed. 2. (1.) This Act may be cited as the Defence of the Realm Consolidation Act, 1914. (2.) The Defence of the Realm Act, 1914, and the Defence of the Realm (No. 2) Act, 1914, are hereby repealed, but nothing in this repeal shall affect any Orders in Council made thereunder, and all such Orders in Council shall, until altered or revoked by an. Order in Council under this Act, continue in force and have effect as if made under this Act.

No. 77. New Zealand, No. 588. My Lord, — Downing Street, 24th December, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 18th December, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of a Supplement to the Ijondon Gazette of the 15th December, containing the Foreign Office notices regarding the placing of Egypt under the protection of His Majesty, and the appointment of Lieut.-Colonel Sir A. H. McMahon, G.C.V.0., K.C.1.E., C.5.1., as His Majesty's High Commissioner for Egypt. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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No. 78. New Zealand, No. 601. My Lord, — Downing Street, 31st December, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the consideration of your Ministers, a copy of a letter from the Home Office, enclosing a draft of the regulations which are being issued under section 19 of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914, and of the instructions which it is proposed to issue as to applications for certificates of naturalization by aliens resident in the United Kingdom. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-1,1915. No. 62.

Enclosures. Sir,— Home Office, Whitehall, 18th December, 1914. I am directed by Mr. Secretary McKenna to transmit to you herewith, to be laid before Mr. Secretary Harcourt, a draft of regulations under section 19 of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914. As the Act comes into operation on the Ist January next, and it is necessary that the regulations should be in force by that date, Mr. McKenna proposes, subject to any minor alterations or additions that may be found necessary, to make these regulations in the next few days. He had intended, before making the regulations, to suggest that a draft should be circulated to the Governments of the Dominions specified in the First Schedule to the Act, with a view to obtaining their observations; but the extremely heavy pressure of work in this Department resulting from the war has, he regrets to say, made this impracticable. Mr. McKenna would propose, however, to make these regulations as provisional regulations only, and if Mr. Harcourt agrees that the draft should be circulated to the Dominions he will be ready to consider any observations and suggestions which the respective Governments may desire to make and, if necessary, to revise the regulations and make them afresh. It may be convenient also to consult the Dominion Governments with regard to the procedure to be adopted in the case of applicants for certificates of naturalization whose qualifying period of residence comprises residence in the Dominions. A rough draft of the instructions proposed to be issued by the Secretary of State under the new Act is enclosed herewith, and it will be seen that the application is required to be by way of a memorial supported by statutory declarations made by competent and trustworthy persons who are able of their personal knowledge to testify to the facts alleged. As regards residence and character in the United Kingdom, it will be possible to continue the practice of making careful inquiry through the police with reference to these persons and the truth of their statements, and the Secretary of State will, have the police report, before him in deciding whether or not to comply with the application. As regards residence and character in the Dominions, some new procedure will be necessary, and the alternatives would appear to be either (a) to require the applicant himself to take the necessary steps to have his residence and character certified by some responsible authority in the Dominion before making his application to the Secretary of State, and to submit the certificates along with his application (see paragraph 6 of enclosed draft instructions), in which case it might not be necessary for the Secretary of State to inquire further into the matter, or (b) for the Secretary of State to accept declarations made by private persons and to refer them, together with the memorial, to the Dominion authorities for inquiry. Mr. McKenna would be glad to have the views of the Dominion Governments as to the best way in their opinion for the Home Government to satisfy itself in regard to matters in these applications relating to the Dominions. A similar point arises as regards possessions other than self-governing Dominions, and can no doubt be settled between the two Departments. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Edward Troup. BRITISH NATIONALITY AND\STATTJS ALIENS.—DRAFT REGULATIONS. In the exercise of the powers conferred on me by the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act"). T, the Right Honourable Reginald McKenna, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, make the following regulations :— 1. A certificate of naturalization granted in the United Kingdom, in which the names of children of the person naturalized are not included in accordance with subsection (1) of section 5 of the Act, shall be in the following form :— British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914. Certificate of Naturalization. Whereas A. B. has applied to me for a certificate of naturalization, alleging with respect to himself [herself] the particulars set out below, and has satisfied me that the conditions laid down in the above-mentioned Act for the grant of a certificate of naturalization are fulfilled in his [her] case:

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Now, therefore, in pursuance of the powers conferred on me by the said Act, I grant to the said A. B. this certificate of naturalization, and declare that upon taking the oath of allegiance within the time and in the manner required by the regulations made in that behalf he [she] shall, subject to the provisions of the said Act, be entitled to all political and other rights, powers, and privileges, and be subject to all obligations, duties, and liabilities to which a naturalborn British subject is entitled or subject, and have to all intents and purposes the status of a natural-born British subject. In witness whereof I have hereto subscribed my name this day of E. F. [One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.] paticulars relating to applicant. Full name : Address : Place and date of birth (where known) : Nationality : Married, single, or widower [widow] : Name of wife : Names and nationality of parents : Trade or occupation : 2. A certificate of naturalization granted in the United Kingdom in which the names of children are included in accordance with subsection (1) of section 5 of the Act shall be in the following form : — British Nationality and Status of Aliens Acts, 1914. Certificate of Naturalization. Whereas A. B. has applied to me for a certificate of naturalization, alleging with respect to himself [herself] the particulars set out below, and has satisfied me that the conditions laid down in the above-mentioned Act for the grant of a certificate of naturalization are fulfilled in his [her] case : And whereas the said A. B. has also applied to me to include in accordance with subsection (1) of section 5 of the said Act the names of certain of his [her] children born before the date of this certificate and being minors, and I am satisfied that the names of his [her] children as hereinafter set out may properly be included : Now, therefore, in pursuance of the powers conferred on me by the said Act, I grant to the said A. B. this certificate of naturalization, and declare that upon taking the oath of allegiance within the time and in the manner required by the regulations made in that behalf he [she| shall, subject to the provisions of the said Act, be entitled to all political and other rights, powers, and privileges, and be subject to all obligations, duties, and liabilities to which a natural-born British subject is entitled or subject, and have to all intents and purposes the status of a natural-born British subject. And I further declare that this certificate extends to the following children, born before the date of this certificate and being minors, of the said A. B. [Here insert names and ages of children.] In witness whereof I have hereto subscribed my name this day of E. F. [One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State. \ PARTICULARS RELATING TO APPLICANT. full name : Address : Place and date of birth (where known) : Nationality : Married, single, or widower [widow] : Name of wife : Names and nationality of parents : Trade or occupation : 3. A special certificate of naturalization granted in the United Kingdom under section 4 of the Act. to a person with respect to whose nationality as a British subject a doubt exists shall be in the following form : — British Nationality and Status of Aliens Acts, 1914. Special Certificate of Naturalization granted to a Person with respect to whose Nationality as a British Subject a Doubt exists. Whereas A. 8., with respect to whose nationality as a British subject a doubt exists, lias applied to me for such a special certificate of naturalization as is provided for by section 4 of the above-mentioned Act, alleging with respect to himself [herself] the particulars set out below : And whereas I am satisfied that such a certificate may properly be granted : Now, therefore, in pursuance of the powers conferred on me by the said Act, and for the purpose of quieting doubts as to the right of the said A. B. to be a British subject, I grant the said A. B. this special certificate of naturalization, and declare that, upon taking the oath of allegiance within the time and in the manner required by the regulations made in that behalf he [she] shall, subject to the provisions of the said Act, be entitled to all political and other

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rights, powers, and privileges, and be subject to all obligations, duties, and liabilities to which a natural-born British subject is entitled or subject, and have to all intents and purposes the status of a natural-born British subject. In witness whereof I have hereto subscribed my name this day of E. F. [One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.] . ' particulars relating to applicant. Full name : Address : Place and date of birth (where known) : Nationality : Married, single, or widower [widow] : Name of wife: Names and nationality of parents : Trade or occupation : 4. A certificate of naturalization granted in the United Kingdom to a minor under subsection (2) of section 5 of the Act shall be in the following form : — British Nationality and Status of Aliens Acts, 1914. Certificate of Naturalization granted to a Minor. Whereas an application has been made to me for the grant of a certificate of naturalization to A. 8., a minor, alleging with respect to the said A. B. the particulars set out below : And whereas I am satisfied that such certificate may properly be granted, although the conditions required by the above-mentioned Act have not been complied with in his [her] case : Now, therefore, in pursuance of the powers conferred on me by the said Act, I grant to the said A. B. this certificate of naturalization, and declare that upon taking the oath of allegiance within the time and in the manner required by the regulations made in that behalf he [she] shall, subject to the provisions of the said Act, be entitled to all political and other rights, powers, and privileges, and be subject to all obligations, duties, and liabilities to which a' natural-born British subject is entitled or subject, and have to all intents and purposes the status of a natural-born British subject. In witness whereof I have hereto subscribed my name this day of E. F. [One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.] particulars. Full name : Address : Place and date of birth (where known) : Nationality : Names and nationality of parents : 5. A certificate of naturalization granted in the United Kingdom under section 6 of the Act to a person who was naturalized before the passing of the Act shall be in the following form : —■ British Nationality and Status of Alien Act, 1914. Certificate of Naturalization to a Person who was naturalized before the Passing of the abovementioned Act. Whereas A. 8., being an alien who was naturalized before the passing of the above-mentioned Act, has applied to me for a certificate of naturalization under the said Act, alleging with respect to himself [herself] the particulars set out below : And whereas I am satisfied that such a certificate may properly be granted : Now, therefore, in pursuance of the powers conferred on me by the said Act, I grant to the said A. B. this certificate of naturalization, and declare that upon taking the oath of allegiance within the time and in the manner required by the regulations made in that behalf he [she] shall, subject to the provisions of the said Act, be entitled to all political and other rights, powers, and privileges, and be subject to all obligations, duties, and liabilities, to which a natural-born British subject is entitled or subject, and have to all intents and purposes the status of a natural-born British subject. In witness whereof I have hereto subscribed my name this day of E. F. [One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.] particulars relating to applicant. Full name : Address : Place and date of birth (where known) : Nationality : Married, single, or widower [widow] : Name of wife : Names and nationality of parents : Trade or occupation :

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6. (1.) A certificate of naturalization granted in a British possession, other than British India or a Dominion specified in the First Schedule to the Act, shall be in the same form as a certificate granted in the United Kingdom, except that instead of being signed by the Secretary of State it shall be signed by the Governor of the possession or a person acting under his authority. (2.) Where any certificate of naturalization proposed to be so granted in a British possession, having been submitted to the Secretary of State for his approval, is approved by him, his approval shall be signified by appending to the certificate a note to the following effect : — This certificate has been submitted to me for my approval and approved by me. E. F. [One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.] 7. A declaration of alienage shall be in the following form, the various alternatives being used according to the circumstances : — British Nationality and Status of Aliens Acts, 1914. Declaration of Alienage. I, A. 8., of , being the son [daughter] of an alien to whom a certificate of naturalization has been granted, in which certificate of naturalization, in accordance with section 5 of the above-mentioned Act, my name was included, and having attained my majority within one year before the present date [or, being a person who, by reason of my having been born within His Majesty's Dominions and allegiance, or on board a British ship, am a natural-born British subject, but who at my birth (during my minority) became under the law of a subject also of that State, and am still such a subject, and of full age and not under disability], [or, being a natural-born British subject who was born out of His Majesty's Dominions, and being of full age and not under disability], [or, having been originally a subject or citizen of , being a State with which His Majesty has by Order in Council declared that he has entered into such a convention as is mentioned in section 15 of the above-mentioned Act, and having been naturalized as a British subject] do hereby renounce my nationality as a British subject. A. B. Made and subscribed this day of , before me, X. Y. . [Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, or other official title.] 8. A declaration of retention of British nationality under section 10 of the Act by the wife of a man ceasing during the continuance of his marriage to be a British subject shall be in the following form : — British Nationality and Status of Alien Act, 1914. Declaration of Retention of British Nationality. I, A. 8., of , being the wife of , who during the continuance of my marriage to him —namely, on the day of , nineteen hundred and —has ceased to be a British subject, hereby declare that I desire to retain British nationality. A. B. Made and subscribed this day of , before me, X. Y. [Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, or other official title.] 9. A declaration of resumption of British nationality under section 12 of the Act, by a person who has ceased to be a British subject upon his parent ceasing during the minority of that person to be a British subject, shall be in the following form : — British Nationality and Status of Alien Act, 1914. Declaration of Resumption of British Nationality. I, A. 8., of , having ceased to be a British subject during my minority by reason of nay father [mother] having ceased to be a British subject, and having attained my majority within one year before the present date, hereby declare that I wish to resume British nationality. A. B. . Made and subscribed this day of , before me, X. Y. [Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, or other official title.] 10. (1.) Every candidate of naturalization granted in the United Kingdom and every oath of allegiance relating to any such certificate shall be registered in London at the Home Office. (2.) Every certificate of naturalization granted in a British possession, other than British India or a dominion specified in the First Schedule to the Act, and every oath of allegiance relating to any such certificate, shall be registered both in London at the Home Office and in the possession at such place as the Governor of the possession may direct. 11. (1.) Every declaration of alienage and declaration of retention or resumption of British nationality, wherever made, shall be registered in London at the Home Office. (2.) Every such declaration made in a British possession, other than British India or a dominion specified in the First Schedule to the Act, shall also be registered at such place as the Governor of the possession may direct. 12. (1.) The following persons may administer the oath of allegiance : — In England or Ireland : Any Justice of the Peace or any Commissioner for Oaths. In Scotland ; Any Sheriff, Sheriff-substitute, or Justice of the Peace,

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In a British possession : Any Judge of any Court of civil or criminal jurisdiction, any Justice of the Peace, or any officer for the time being authorized by law, in the place in which deponent is, to administer an oath for any judicial or other legal purpose. In any British protectorate or British protected State : Any officer for the time being authorized by law in that territory to administer an oath for any judicial or other legal purpose. Elsewhere : Any officer in the diplomatic or consular service of His Majesty. (2.) The oath of allegiance shall be subscribed as well as taken, and the form in which the oath of'allegiance is subscribed and attested shall be as follows : — I, A. 8., swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty, King George V, His heirs and successors, according to law. A. B. Sworn and subscribed this day of , before me, X. Y. [Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, or other official title.] (3.) The oath of allegiance sworn, subscribed, and attested as herein directed shall in every case be endorsed on the certificate of naturalization to which it relates. (4.) The oath of allegiance may be proved in any legal proceedings by the production of the original certificate or any copy thereof certified to be a true copy by the Secretary of State or by any person authorized by him in that behalf, or, where the oath has been administered in a British possession, by the Governor of the possession. 13. The oath of allegiance shall be taken within one calendar month after the date of the certificate of naturalization to which it relates, or, in any case where the Secretary of State grants an extension of time, within such extended time as the Secretary of State may direct, and if the oath is not so taken the certificate shall be void. 14. The persons before whom declarations of alienage and declarations of resumption or retention of British nationality may be made shall be the same as the persons by whom the oath of allegiance may be administered. 15. The following fees, to which the consent of the Treasury has been obtained, may be taken and shall be applied in the manner hereinafter shown, but this regulation shall not be in force in any British possession.

Table of Fees.

Of the fee of .£3 payable on the grant of a certificate of naturalization, £1 shall be payable on the application for a certificate, and .£2 on the receipt of the decision to grant a certificate. 16. All regulations made under any enactment repealed by the Act are hereby revoked, but without prejudice to anything done thereunder. 17. These regulations may be cited as the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Regulations, 1914.

The Matter in which the Pee may be taken. The Amount of the Pee. To whom Payment of the Pee to be made. The grant of a certificate of naturalization to a woman who was a British subject previously to her marriage to an alien and whose husband has died, or whose marriage has been dissolved, and the registration of the certificate and the oath of allegiance in respect thereof The grant of a certificate of naturalization in other cases, and, the registration of the certificate and the oath of alliegance in respect thereof £ s. d. 0 5 0 Into the Exchequer in accordance with Treasury directions. The same. 3 0 0 Taking a declaration of alienage or of retention or resumption of British nationality Administering the oath of allegiance 1 J 2 6 In England or Ireland, if the declaration is taken or the oath administered by a Justice of the Peace, to the Clerk to the Justices ; and if by a Commissioner for Oaths, to the Commissioner. In Scotland, if the declaration is taken or oath administered by a Sheriff or Sheriff-substitute, to the Sheriff Clerk, or to any of his deputies; if by a Justice of the Peace, to the Clerk of the Peace or to any of his deputies. Into the Exchequer in accordance with Treasury directions. The registration of a declaration of alienage or of retention or resumption of British nationality Certified copy of any declaration or certificate with or without oath 0 10 0 0 10 0 The same.

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(A.) The British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914.—Instructions as to Applications for Certificates of Naturalization by Aliens resident in the United Kingdom. The Act requires an applicant to satisfy the Secretary of State that he has resided in the United Kingdom for not less than one year immediately preceding the application, and previously either in the United Kingdom or in sonic other part of His Majesty's Dominions for a period of four years within the last eight years before the application. Tb,e applicant must also satisfy the Secretary of State — (a.) That he is of good character and has an adequate knowledge of the English language; and (6.) That he intends, if his application is granted, either to reside in His Majesty's Dominions or to serve under the Crown. 1. An application for a certificate of naturalization must be by waj- of a memorial addressed to the Secretary of State. 2. The applicant's memorial must show the following particulars: Full name;* address; placet and date of birth (where known); nationality ;\ married, single, or widower [widow]; name of wife; names and nationality of parents; trade or occupation. The memorial must also show — («.) That the applicant has fulfilled the conditions with respect to residence in the British Dominions which, as pointed out above, are required by the Act. Full details should be given both as to time and place of residence during a period of at least five years immediately preceding the application. If these five years have not been spent entirely within the British Dominions, details both as to residence in the British Dominions and residence elsewhere over such longer period, not exceeding eight years, as may comprise five years' residence in the British Dominions, should be shown. The details should be set out clearly by dates and addresses as follows :— Years. Months. From to at From to at From to at (fi.) That the applicant intends, if his application is granted, either to reside in His Majesty's Dominions or to serve under the Crown. 3.. For. the purpose of the requirements of the Act as to residence, whether in the United Kingdom or in a British possession, " residence " will be taken as meaning continuous personal presence, subject to such brief and occasional periods of absence as may seem to the Secretary of State not inconsistent with essential continuity of residence. Any period of absence, however brief, must be stated in the memorial in the way indicated above. 4. If the applicant desires that the certificate should extend not only to him personally, but also to any child or children of his, being minors, born before the date of the certificate, the memorial should contain a statement to that effect, and should give the full name and age of any child whose name is sought to be included in the certificate. 5. The statements in the memorial must be supported by a statutory declaration made by the applicant. 6. The statements in the memorial with respect to residence must be verified by a like declaration made by some person who is able to testify thereto. This declaration must repeat specifically as to both time and, place the statements which it purports to verify. The declarant must be— (a.) A natural-born British subject; (6.) Not the agent or the solicitor of the applicant; and (c.) Able to testify to the facts of residence from personal knowledge, and not from information only. These particulars and also the declarant's place of residence and occupation must be set out in the declaration. The manner in which knowledge of the facts of residence was acquired must be stated in detail. Statements that it was acquired through "business transactions" will not be sufficient unless it is made plain that the business transactions were of such a nature or carried on in such circumstances as to give the declarant the knowledge to which he testifies. Should there be no one such person who is able from personal knowledge to testify to the facts of residence during the full statutory term of five years, declarations by two or more persons may be submitted, made either jointly or by each declarant separately so as to cover the whole term. Each declarant must set out the particular facts ol residence as to which he has personal knowledge, and in the case of a joint declaration each declarant must state separately with regard to himself the particulars under headings (a), (b), and (c) above.

* If the applicant is known by a name other than his real name, both should be stated, thus : "A. 8., commonly known as C. D." f The place of birth should be stated, so far as practicable, in tin; form of a postal address, showing the province or other division of the country as well, as the town or district in which the applicant was born. J Nationality should be described accurately, by reference to the Sovereign State of which the applicant is a subject: e.g., a Russian Pole should be described as a Russian : a Prussian Pole, or a Hanovarian, as a German. If an applicant has lost the nationality he acquired at birth, or acquired any other nationality, his original nationality should nevertheless be specified, with a statement of the circumstances in which it was lost or the new one acquired.

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Where any part of the residence relied upon is residence in any British possession the Secretary of State will be prepared to accept a declaration made in that possession which is proved to him to be of a binding character. In such eases, however, if possible, either the declarant should be a responsible public official in the possession or the declaration should be accompanied by a written statement made by such an official as to the position and credibility of the declarant. If this is not done delay may be entailed whilst independent inquiry is made. 7. The statements in (he memorial must, in addition, be verified generally, and the good character and loyalty of the applicant must be vouched for by statutory declarations made in like manner by four persons, each of whom must be— (a.) A householder; (b.) A natural-born British subject; and (c.) Not the agent or solicitor of the applicant. These particulars, and also the declarant's place of residence, his occupation, and the period during which he has personally known the applicant must lie set out in the declaration. The declaration may be made by the declarants jointly or by each separately. In the case of a joint declaration each declarant must state separately with regard to himself the particulars under headings (fl), ('<), and ('') above. The person who makes a declaration lor the purposes of Article 6 of these instructions may also, if he is a householder, make a declaration for the purposes of this article. 8. A declaration made for the purposes of these instructions must not be made before a person who is the agent or solicitor of the applicant. 9. The memorial to whieli any declaration made for the purposes of these instructions relates must be made an exhibit to the declaration in such a way as to make it clear that the declaration does relate to that memorial. 10. The statements in the memorial and the declarations will be made the subject of independent inquiry directed by the Secretary of State. 11. The fees payable in respect of the grant of a certificate of naturalization is £3, of which £1 is payable on application for a certificate. No application will be considered until the payment of £1 is made. This fee cannot in any circumstances be refunded. The remaining £2 is not payable until an intimation that the certificate will be granted is received. Cheques cannot be accepted. Post Office orders or postal orders should be made payable to the Accounting Officer, Home Office, at the Charing Cross Post-office, and crossed " Bank of England: Account of Paymaster-General." Other fees necessarily involved arc the usual fee to the Clerk to the Justices or the Commissioner for Oaths, as the ease may be, for each statutory declaration, and a fee of 2s. 6d, when, the certificate having been granted, the oath of allegiance is taken. 12. When a certificate is granted further instructions as to taking the oath of allegiance and having it registered in the Home Office will be issued. 13. The above instructions are not applicable in the case of persons relying on service under the Crown, or where the certificate sought comes within one of the following exceptional classes—viz., certificates of naturalization which the Secretary of State is empowered to grant — (a.) To persons with respect to whose nationality as British subject a doubt exists (section 4 of the Act); (b.) To minors in special eases (section 5 of the Act); and (c.) To persons who have been naturalized under repealed Acts (section 6 of the Act). Special instructions should be applied for by persons desiring any of these certificates. Home Office, January, 1.914. N.B.—lf the foregoing instructions are not closely observed the papers may halve to be returned for amendment, involving delay and possibly additional expense. Suitable forms of memorial and declaration are sold by many law stationers.

No. 79. New Zealand, No. 4. My Lord, — Downing Street, sth January, 1915. With reference to my despatch, No. 231, of the 29th May last, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of a revised list of Trade Representatives in foreign countries of the Governments of the self-governing dominions. 2. I should be glad to he furnished with a list of the Trade Representatives, if any, appointed by your Government in other parts of the Empire. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.0.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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Enclosure. Trade Representatives of the Self-governing Dominions in Foreign Countries, June, 1914.

No. 80. New Zealand, No. 6. My Lord, — Downing Street, sth January, 1915. I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that His Majesty's Government have had under their consideration the question of the proper procedure to be pursued in regard to appeals to the Privy Council from oversea Prize Courts. 2. The ultimate decision with regard to such appeals must rest with themselves, and they are advised that the conduct of the appeal should be undertaken by the Procurator-General, as the officer having charge of all prize proceedings in this country.

Country. Name. Hank. j Appointment, j Nationality. Besidenee. Canada. Argentina '.. i H. R. Poussette .. Trade Commissioner .. British subject 278, Balcaroe, Buenos Ayres. China .. .. Acting Trade Com- .. .. 2 Kiukiang Road, Shanghai. missioner Cuba .. .. , Ditto .. .. .. .. Louja del Comercio Apartado 1290, Havana. Prance] .. Philippe Roy .. Trade Commissioner .. .. 17 and 19 Boulevard des General Capucines, Paris. Germany .. OF. Just .. .. Trade Commissioner .. .. Bleiehenbrucke 10, Hamburg Netherlands .. J. T. Lithgow ... „ .. .. Zuidblaak 26, Rotterdam. Japan .. G.J.Johnson .. .. .. .. P.O. Box 109, Yokohama. Mexico .. .. Acting Trade Com- .. .. Mexico. missioner Colombia .. A. E. Beekwith .. I Commercial Agent .. .. .. Care of Tracey Bros., Medellin. Norway . . OP. Sontum .. ,, .. .. . . Grubbegel 4, Christiania. Denmark .. C. Krag .. .. „ .. .. Danish subject Hovedvagtsgade 2, Copenhagen. Newfoundland. Italy and Greece ] H. A. Le Messurier .. Trade Commissioner [ Aug., 1911 ! British subject I Naples. Spain .. I G. Hawes .. .. | ,, ! Dec, 1910 „ | Malaga. New Zealand. Argentina .. : J.G.Moore .. Hon. Agent .. 1912 .. .. Buenos Ayres. United States .. ! Messrs. R. W. Cameron Agent .. .. .. .. ,35 King William Street, New and Co. York. Union of South Africa. [None.] Commonwealth of Australia. Austria-Hungary 0. S. Phillpotts (His Trade Representative I 1913 .. I British subject ! His Britannic Majesty's ConMajesty's Consul) sulate, Vienna. Germany .. Professor Dr. A. Manes Literary Adviser .. „ .. German .. Aschaffensburgerstrasse 10" Berlin W, 30. A. Henoch .. .. Trade Representative „ .. j ,, .. j Kurfiirstendamm 13, Charlotenburg, Berlin. Switzerland .. Dr. P. J. Ernst-Carroll Trade Commissioner j 1911 .. British subset j 23 Rue de Bel Air, Neuchatel. France .. The British Chamber .. .. .. 9, Rue des Pyramides, Paris. of Commerce (Australian Section) Yew South Wales. Japan United States .. Japan .. J. B. Suttor .. Commercial Commis- i 1903 .. British subject Kobe. sioner United States .. N. R. W. Nielsen .. : Trade and Immigra- \ 1913 .. „ Monadnock Buildings, 673 ' tion Commissioner [ Market Street, San Francisco. Western Australia. Italy] .. | A. G. Astengo .. Hon. Commercial Agent| 1909 .. | Italian .. | Chamber of Deputies, Rome. Italy] United States .. Tasmania.* Ai'gentina Uruguay Brazil United States .. A. J. Cox .. .. Commercial Repre- Dec. 23, 1913, .. Care of Mr. B. Hickman, 310 sentative for California Street, San 12 months Francisco. Ai'gentina .. \ Uruguay . . I G. F. W. Echlin .. Commercial Repre- Mar. 13, 1914, .. London and Brazilian Bank, Brazil . . ) sentative for 12 months Buenos Ayres. * The other Australian States have no representatives.

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3. With regard to the manner of the institution of appeals, it is considered that the best course would be for the authorities conducting the proceedings in an oversea Court on behalf of the Crown to be authorized to give notice of appeal under the Prize Court Rules in all cases where they may be of opinion that an appeal from a decision unfavourable to the Crown should be brought. It would still be possible to withdraw the appeal if on further consideration it was considered here not to be advisable to proceed with it, while in the few cases in which His Majesty's Government might desire to appeal although no notice of appeal had been given in the oversea Court, resort could still be had to the procedure by way of application to the Judicial Committee for special leave. 4. It is suggested also that in any case of appeal the local authorities should prepare the draft case for the Privy Council required under the Privy Council Rules. The case should be sent in draft, for the reason that it must be settled and signed by one of the counsel to appear on the argument of the appeal. 5. It would be convenient if in any case of appeal the local authorities would communicate direct with the Procurator-General's Department, forwarding all the papers required in connection with the case. The record should be settled and printed locally. 6. I should be glad to learn wbether your Ministers see any objection to this procedure. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 81. New Zealand, No. 12. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bth January, 1915. With reference to my despatch, No. 596, of the 24th ultimo, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that as the best market for ships is, generally speaking, to be found in this country, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are anxious that no sale or chartering of prize ships of over 1,000 tons should take place in New Zealand without prior reference to the Home Government. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 82. New Zealand, No. 32. My Lord, — Downing Street, 22nd January, 1915. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of new Foreign Office Regulations revising the system and form of passports granted to British subjects for travelling to foreign countries. I have, &c, L. harcourt. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Passports. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs gives notice that it has been found necessary, in view of the present European war, to revise the and form of passports granted to British subjects for travelling to foreign countries.

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On the Ist February next all British passports held by British subjects who are in the United Kingdom which were issued prior to the sth August last will become invalid. Holders of such passports must make application for new passports in the proper form, which can be obtained from the Foreign Office and the usual agencies. Full particulars as to the new requirements will be found on the form. Passports issued prior to the sth August last and held by British subjects in France (including Algiers and Morocco), Spain, Portugal. Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Denmark, Norway, and Swedeii will become invalid on the Ist March next. Applications for new passports in such cases must be made to the nearest British Consul. In other countries the date on which such passports will become invalid will be the Ist August. Passports issued between the sth August, 1914, and the Ist February, 1915, will be valid for two years only, but if the holders contemplate proceeding to France or Belgium they must previously obtain a supplementary document and visa from a French or Belgian diplomatic or consular officer. On and after the Ist February no British subject will be allowed to leave the United Kingdom for France or Belgium without a passport valid in accordance with these regulations. Foreign Office, 19th January, 1915.

No. 83. New Zealand, Honours. My Lord, — Downing Street, 22nd January, 1915. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 213, of the 3rd December, reporting the death of Professor John Shand, C.M.G. This intelligence, which 1 have received with much regret, has been noted in the records of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 84. New Zealand, No. 44. My Lord, — Downing Street, 2nd February, 1915. With reference to my despatch, No. 32, of the 22nd ultimo, I have the honour to acquaint Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, that the following notice regarding British passports, dated the 27th January, has been issued from the Foreign Office : — " The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs gives notice that on and after the Ist February next the fee for British passports will be ss. Such passports will be valid for two years, and will be renewable on application in the proper form for four further periods of two years each. The fee payable for each renewal will be 25." I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 85. New Zealand, No. 45. My Lord, — Downing Street, 4th February, 1915. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 163, of the 26th September, I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that the National Health Insurance Commission state that they note with pleasure the general acceptance of the proposed new scheme for the collection of employers' contributions due under the National Insurance Acts in respect of seamen who neither are domiciled nor have places of residence in the United Kingdom or who hold certificates of exemption.

A.-l, 1915. No. 67.

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2. The Commissioners observe that it appears that the exceptional conditions produced by the war render it desirable that any change in the method of collection of contributions affecting shipowners should be postponed for the present, and the existing arrangements should therefore continue until further notice. I have, &c, I, HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Flon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 86. New Zealand, No. 53. My Lord, — Downing Street, sth February, 1915. With reference to my despatch, No. 16, of the Bth January, I have the honour to acquaint Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, that the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury have issued the following explanatory statement with regard to the Royal Proclamation of the 7th January, relating to trading with the enemy (banking transactions with branches of enemy firms, &c.) : — "As some misunderstanding has arisen with regard to the Proclamation of the 7th January relating to trading with the enemy, it may be as well to explain that it was not intended, nor is it proposed, to interfere by this Proclamation with bona fide commercial transactions simply on the ground that they may involve some financial operation which technically comes within the meaning of the words ' banking business,' if that operation is merely incidental to the transaction, and does not affect the general character of the transaction, as a commercial (distinguished from a banking) transaction. Nor was it intended, nor is it proposed, to interfere by this Proclamation with transactions of British banks or their branches with firms which do not do banking business, or which, in carrying out the special transaction, are acting in the ordinary way of commerce, and not in any way as bankers, so long as those transactions are permissible independently of the Proclamation. " Licences will also be granted in proper cases to British banking firms having branches in neutral countries, not being neutral countries in Europe, enabling them to continue their banking business, notwithstanding that the business, by bringing them into contact at some point or another with branches of enemy banks, may technically be within the -prohibition of the Proclamation." I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 87. New Zealand, No. 65. My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th February, 1915. With reference to my despatch, No. 435, ol the 2nd October last, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of a Proclamation by the President of the United States of America, issued the 13th November, 1914, of rules and regulations governing the use of the Panama Canal by vessels of belligerents and the maintenance of neutrality by the United States in the Canal Zone. These rules and regulations, it will be observed, are in addition to the general rules, &c, for the operation and navigation of the canal and its approaches issued on the 9th July last, of which I take this opportunity to enclose a copy for the information of your Ministers. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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No. 88. New Zealand, No. 72. My Lord, — Downing Street, 18th February, 1915. With reference to my despatch, No. 46, of the 4th February, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of an Order of His Majesty in Council of the 3rd February, relative to the application of the Copyright Act, 1911, to the United States of America. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 3rd day of February, 1915. Present: The King's Most Excellent Majesty, Lord President, Viscount Knollys, Lord Chamberlain, Mr. Secretary Harcourt, Mr. Arthur Henderson, Sir William Macgregor, Lord Justice Bankes. Whereas by a Proclamation of the President of the United States of America, dated the 9th April, 1910, the benefits of the United States Act of 1909, entitled " An Act to ameriu and consolidate the Acts respecting Copyright," were extended to the subjects of Great Britain and her possessions, but no provision was made therein for the protection of the musical works of British subjects against reproduction by means of mechanical contrivances : And whereas His Majesty is advised that the Government of the United States of America has undertaken, upon the issue of this Order, to grant such protection'to the musical works of British subjects : And whereas by reason of these premises His Majesty is satisfied that the Government of the United States of America has made, or has undertaken to make, such provision as it is expedient to require for the protection of works entitled to copyright under the provisions of Part I of the Copyright Act, 1911 : And whereas by tlie Copyright Act, 1911, authority is conferred upon His Majesty to extend, by Order in Council, the protection of the said Act to certain classes of foreign works within any part of His Majesty's Dominions, other than self-governing Dominions, to which the said Act extends : And whereas it is desirable to provide protection within the said Dominions for the unpublished works of citizens of the United States of America : Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, and by virtue of the authority conferred upon him by the Copyright Act, 1911, is pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered as follows : — 1. The Copja'ight Act, 1911, including the provisions as to existing works, shall, subject to the provisions of the said Act and of this Order, apply— (a.) I'o literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works the authors whereof were at the time of the making of the works citizens of the United States of America in like manner as if the authors had been British subjects : (6.) In respect of residence in the United States of America, in like manner as if such residence had been residence in the parts of His Majesty's Dominions to which the said Act extends. Provided that — (i.) The term of copyright within the parts of His Majesty's Dominions to which this Order applies shall not exceed that conferred by the law of the United States of America : (ii.) The enjoyment of the rights conferred by this Order shall be subject to the accomplishment of the conditions and formalities prescribed by the law of the United States of America : (iii.) In the application to existing works of the provisions of section 24 of the Copyright Act, 1911, the commencement of this Order shall be substituted for the 26th July, 1910, in subsection (1) (b). 2. This Order shall apply to all His Majesty's Dominions, colonies, and possessions, with the exception of those named, that is to say,— The Dominion of Canada; The Commonwealth of Australia; The Dominion of New Zealand; The Union of South Africa; Newfoundland. 3. This Order shall come into operation on the Ist day of January, 1915, which day is in this Order referred to as the commencement of this Order. And the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury are to give the necessary orders accordingly. • Almeric Fitzuoy.

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No. 89. New Zealand, No. 80. My Lord, — Downing Street, 18th February, 1915. With reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 118, of the 3rd July, 1914, I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, a copy of a_ letter from the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint indicating the nature of the information as to currency in the oversea dominions with which he desires to be furnished annually for inclusion in his annual report. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosures. Sir, — Royal Mint, London E., 10th February, 1915. I beg leave to refer to Mr. Read's letter of the 6th instant (No. 4682/1915), and to state, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that it would be sufficient for the purposes of my annual report for the present and future years if any changes in the currency of the various colonies which may have taken place during the preceding twelve months were reported to the lioyal Mint early in each year. Copies of documents which have been supplied in reply to the questionnaire sent with my letter of the I.2th March last need not, of course, be sent a second time, but it would be useful if copies of any enactments passed during the year under review could be sent with the annual reports. I may say that that questionnaire was framed for a specific occasion, and that it is not appropriate for annual use. I enclose herewith a revised form, indicating the information which it is desired to obtain every year, and I should be much obliged if the Secretary of State would address a further communication to the officers administering the Governments of the oversea Dominions, colonies, and protectorates with a view to its use in the future. ■ I am, <fee, T. H. Elliott, The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. Deputy Master and Comptroller. 1. Were any changes made during the year in the laws or regulations affecting (a) metallic currency, (6) Government currency notes (if any), (c) bank-notes? Please attach copies of any legal instrument, &c. 2. What was the amount of reserve in (a) gold coin, (b) silver coin, held on account of paper issues, and what proportion did the reserve bear to the paper in circulation at the end of the year ? 3. Was there any change during the year with regard to coins in actual circulation and in the general condition of the currency? 4. What was the estimated amount of currency in circulation at the end of the year? Please distinguish between British gold coin, foreign gold coin, local metallic currency, notes, (fee. 5. Any information suggested by the special knowledge of the Officer administering the Government will be of interest.

No. 90. New Zealand, No. 94. My Lord, — Downing Street, 26th February, 1915. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of a parliamentary paper containing a letter, dated the 31st July, 1914, from the President of the French Republic to the King', respecting the European crisis, together with His Majesty's reply of the Ist August, 1914. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Riffht Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Letter of 31st July. 1914, from the President of the French Republic to the Kino respecting the European Crisis, and His Majesty's Reply of Ist August, 1914. No. 1. The President of the French Republic to the King. Cher et grand Ami, — Paris, le 31 juillet, 1914. Dans les circonstances graves que traverse l'Europe, je crois devoir communiquer a, votrc Majesty les renseignements que le Gouvernement de la a recus d'Allemagne. Les

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preparatifs militaires auxquels se livre le Gouvernement Imperial, notamment dans le voisinage immediate de la frontiere franchise, prennent chaque jour une intensite et une acceleration nouvelles. La France, resolve a faire jusqu'au bout tout cc gui dependra d'elle pour maintenir la paix, s'est bornee jusqu'ici aux mesures de precaution les plus indispensables. Mais il ne semble pas que sa prudence et sa moderation ralentissent les dispositions de l'Allemagne; loin de.la. Nous sommes done, peut-etre, malgre la sagesse dv Gouvernement de la Republique et le calme de l'opinion, a la yeille dcs evenements les plus redoutables. De toutes les informations gui nous arrivent, il resulte que si l'Allemagne avait la certitude que le'Gouvernement anglais n'interviendrait pas dans un conflit ou la France serait engagee, la guerre serait inevitable, et qu'en revanche, si l'Allemagne avait la certitude que l'entente cordiale s'affirmerait, le cas echeant, j usque sur les champs de bataille, il y aurait les plus grandes chances pour que la paix ne I'iit pas troublee. Sans doute nos accords militaires et navals laissent entiere la liberie dv Gouvernement do votre Majeste, et, dans les lettres echangees en 1912 entre Sir Edward Grey et M. Paul Cambon, l'Angleterre et la France se sont simplement engagees, l'une vis-a-vis l'autre, a causer entre elles en cas de tension europeenne et a examiner ensemble s'il y avait lieu a line action commune. Mais le caractere d'intimite que le sentiment public a donne, dans les deux pays, a l'entente de l'Angleterre et de la France, la eonfiance avec laquelle nos deux Governemcnts n'ont cesse de travailler au maintien de la paix, les sympathies que votre Majeste a toujours temoignees a la France, m'autorisent a lvi faire connaitre, en toute franchise, mes impressions, gui sont cedes dv Gouvernement de la Republique et de la France entiere. C'est, je crois, dv langage et de la conduite dv Gouvernement anglais que dependent desormais les dernieres possibility dune solution pacifique. Nous avons nous-memes, dcs le debut de la crisc, recommande a nos Allies une moderation, dont ils ne se sont pas departis. D'accord avec le Gouvernement Royal et conformement aux dernieres suggestions de Sir E. Grey, nous continuerons a agir dans le meme sens. Mais si tons les efforts de conciliation partent dv meme cote, et si l'Allemagne et l'Autriche peuvent speculer sur Pabstention de l'Angleterre, les exigences de l'Autriche demeureront inflexibles et un accord doviendra impossible entre la Russia et elle. J'ai la conviction profonde qua l'heure actuelle, plus l'Angleterre, la France et la Russie donneront une forte impression d'unite dans leur action diplomatique, plus il sera encore permis de compter sur la conservation de la paix. Votre Majeste voudra bien excuser une demarche gui nest inspiree que par le desir de voir I'equilibre europeen d&initivement raffermi. Je prie votre Majeste de croire a mes sentiments les plus cordiaux. R. Poind are. [Translation.] Dear and great Friend, — Paris, 31st July, 1914. In the grave events through which Europe is passing, I feel bound to convey to Your Majesty the information which the Government of the Republic have received from Germany. The military preparations which are being undertaken by the Imperial Government, especially in the immediate neighbourhood of the French frontier, are being pushed forward every day with fresh vigour and speed. France, resolved to continue to the very end to do all that lies within her power to maintain peace, has, up to the present, confined herself solely to the most indispensable precautionary measures. But it does not appear that her prudence and moderation serve to check Germany's action; indeed, quite the reverse. We are, perhaps, then, in spite of the moderation of the Government of the Republic and the calm of public opinion, on the eve of the most terrible events. From all the information which reaches us it would seem that war would be inevitable if Germany were convinced that the British Government would not intervene in a conflict in which France might be engaged ; if. on the other hand, Germany were convinced that the entente cordiale would be affirmed, in case of need, even to the extent of taking the field- side by side, there would be the greatest chance that peace would remain unbroken. It is true that our military and naval arrangements leave complete liberty to Your Majesty's Government, and that, in the letters exchanged in 1912 between Sir Edward Grey and M. Paul Cambon, Great Britain and France entered into nothing more than a mutual agreement to consult one another in the event of European tension, and to examine in concert whether common action were advisable. But the character of close friendship which public feeling has given in both countries to the entente between Great Britain and France, the confidence with which our two Governments have never ceased to work for the maintenance of peace, and the signs of sympathy which Your Majesty has ever shown to France, justify me in informing you quite frankly of my impressions, which are those of the Government of the Republic and of all France. It is, I consider, on the language and the action of the British Government that henceforward the last chances of a peaceful settlement depend. We, ourselves, from the initial stages of the crisis, have enjoined upon our Ally an attitude of moderation from which they have not swerved. In concert with Your Majesty's Government, and in conformity with Sir E Grey's latest suggestions, we will continue to act on the same lines. But if all efforts at conciliation emanate from one side, and if Germany and Austria can speculate on the abstention of Great Britain, Austria's demands will remain inflexible, and an agreement between her and Russia will become impossible. lam profoundly convinced that at the present moment the more Great Britain, France, and Russia ran give a deep impression that they are united in their diplomatic action, the more possible will it be to count norm the preservation of peace.

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I beg that Your Majesty will excuse a step which is only inspired by the hope of seeing the European balance of power definitely reaffirmed. Pray accept the expression of my most cordial sentiments. R. PoiNCARE.

No. 2. The King to the President of the French Republic. Dear and great Friend, — Buckingham Palace, Ist August, 1914. I 'most highly appreciate the sentiments which moved you to write to me in so cordial and friendly a spirit, and I am grateful to you for having stated your views so fully and frankly. You may be assured that the present situation in Europe has been the cause of much anxiety and preoccupation to me, and I am glad to think that our two Governments have worked so amicably together in endeavouring to find a peaceful solution of the questions at issue. It would be a source of real satisfaction to me if our united efforts were to meet with success, and I am still not without hope that the terrible events which seem so near may be averted. I admire the restraint which you and your Government are exercising in refraining from taking undue military measures on the frontier, and not adopting an attitude which could in any wise be interpreted as a provocative one. I am personally using my best endeavours with the Emperors of Russia and of Germany towards finding some solution by which actual military operations may at any rate be postponed, and time be thus given for calm discussion between the Powers. I intend to prosecute these efforts without intermission so long as any hope remains of an amicable settlement. As to the attitude of my country, events are changing so rapidly that it is difficult to forecast future developments; but you may be assured that my Government will continue to discuss freely and frankly any point which might arise of interest to our two nations with M. Cambon. Believe me, M. le President, George R.I.

No. 91. New Zealand, No. 99. My Lord, — Downing Street, 2nd March, 1915. I have the honour to state, for the information of Your Excellency's Ministers, that the following notice relative to the blockade of the coast of German East Africa was issued here on the 26th February : — " His Majesty's Government have decided to declare a blockade of the coast of German East Africa as from midnight, 28th February-lst March. The blockade will extend along the whole coast, including the islands — i.e., from latitude 4° 41' south to latitude 10° 40' south. Four days' grace from the time of the commencement of the blockade will be given for the departure of neutral vessels from the blockaded area." I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 92. New Zealand, No. 110. My Lord, — Downing Street, sth March, 1915. I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the attention of His Majesty's Government has been called to the question by Mr. Wilson and the reply of the Prime Minister in the Dominion Parliament respecting the position in New Zealand of the dependants of Army reservists who have been recalled to active service, and to request that you will inform your Ministers that His Majesty's Government much appreciate the generosity of the New Zealand Government in this matter. 2. You will have learned from my despatch, No. 28, of the 19th January, that the families of .these reservists are also entitled to separation allowance from Army funds at special rates, which have already been communicated by

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the War Office to the Paymaster-General, New Zealand, by whom payment is no doubt already being made under instructions issued by the Paymasters at Home of the units to which the reservists belong. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 93. New Zealand, No. 112. My Lord, — Downing Street, sth March, 1915. I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that by a French Presidential Decree dated the 16th February, 1915, a reduction of 60 per cent, has been granted on the Customs duties on paper and pulp destined for press purposes imported into France. I have, &c, l. harcourt. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

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