NEW ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

37

A.—No. 1

Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure in No. 18. (No. 2,030.) Victoria, Chief Secretary's Office, Sir,— Melbourne, 21st July, 1869. I have the honor to forward the enclosed Report, received from the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, in reply to the inquiry contained in your letter of the 17th June, as to whether gold reaching Melbourne from New Zealand for transmission to England, can be entered as to be transhipped, so as to distinguish it from the produce of this Colony. You will perceive from the Report that this Government always takes precautions to prevent the gold of the two Colonies being confounded, although there are practical difficulties in the way of adopting your suggestions. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, I have, &c, New Zealand. James McCulloch. " Gold coming from New Zealand is not entered to be ' transhipped,' as frequently there are, at " the time of arrival, no vessels on the berth which are ready to sail, and gold is never placed on board " until the last moment. It is in consequence necessarily dealt with as an" import from New Zealand, " and subsequently as an export from hence, but is always distinctly borne on the outward manifest as " New Zealand gold, and can never be confounded with gold tho produce of this Colony. " J. Guthrie."

No. 19. Copy of a DESBATCH from Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Eight Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. (No. 118.) Government House, Wellington, My Lord, — New Zealand, 13th September, 1869. In continuation of my Despatch No. 111, of the Ith instant, and in the terms of the 261 st article of the Colonial E-egulations, I have now the honor to transmit herewith, under separate cover, nineteen copies of each of the Acts passed during the Session for 1869 of the New Zealand Legislature, together with the customary synopsis. 2. Copies of the Bapers laid before the Legislature have been transmitted by every monthly mail. The annual volume of Papers, or "Appendix to the " Journals," for 1869, will be forwarded when issued by the Government Printer. 3. I forward also, on this occasion, copies of the New Zealand Hansard, or Eeports of the Parliamentary Debates, to the end of the recent Session, in continuation of the numbers already forwarded. I have, fee, The Eight Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. G. E. BOWEN.

Enclosure 1 — Copies of Acts.

Enclosure 2 in No. 19. Synopsis of the Acts op 1869. No. 1. The Imprest Supply Act is an Act to allow tho advance by way of imprest for the service of the current financial year in anticipation of sum to be appropriated of any sum of money not exceeding £150,000. No. 2. The Treasury Bills Act allows the issue of Treasury Bills to the amount of £150,000. No. 3. The Inquiry into Wrecks Act repeals "The Inquiry into Wrecks Act, 1863," and re-enacts it with amendments, most of which are taken from " The Merchant Shipping Act, 1862." No. 4. The Restriction on Marine Re-assurance Removal Act repeals the Imperial Statute, 19 Geo. 11., c. 37, so far as it forbids re-assurance of sea risks. No. 5. The Merchant Shipping Acts Adoption Act. This Act is made in pursuance of section 288 of " The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854," and adopts parts of that Act and of the Merchant Shipping Acts of 1862 and 1867. No. 6. The Bridges and Ferries Act, 186S, Amendment Act. This enables the Governor to extend the operation of " The Bridges and Ferries Act, 1868," to districts within Provinces : the principal Act extended only to the County of Westland. No. 7. The Public Payments without Probate Act enables the General and Provincial Governments to pay sums not exceeding £50, after the death of a creditor, without requiring probate or letters of administration. No. 8. The Nelson Marriages Act removes doubts as to the validity of certain marriages in the Province of Nelson. No. 9. The Southland Provincial Debt Acts Amendment Act removes the limitation of time within which certain debts of the Province of Southland were to be paid by the Colony. No. 10. The Auckland Gold Fields Proclamations Validation Act removes doubts as to the validity of several Proclamations made by the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of the Province of Auckland under the Gold Fields Act. 10