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ting to Your Majesty the expression of our sincere condolence for the loss which Your Majestyhas sustained by the death of Her Royal Highness the Princess Alice. We humbly beg to assure Your Majesty that our feelings of devoted loyalty to Your Majesty's Throne, and of affectionate attachment to Your Majesty's person, lead us to feel deep interest in all that concerns Your Majesty's domestic relations, and to pray earnestly for the happiness of Your Majesty and your family.

No. 55. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach. (No. 53.) Government House, Wellington, Sir, — New Zealand, sth September, 1879. With reference to your circular despatch of 31st January last, transmitting a copy of a letter from tbe Board of Trade, with certain forms of import and export accounts, and requesting me to cause these new forms to be substituted for those now in use in drawing up the Colonial Blue Books, I have now the honor to forward a memorandum which I have received from the Colonial Secretary upon the subject, in which he states that it would be costly and inconvenient were the suggested changes to be made during 1879, but that after this year the modified forms will be adopted by this Government. I have, &c, HERCULES ROBINSON. The Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach.

Enclosure in No. 55. Memorandum for His Excellency. The Colonial Secretary presents his respectful compliments to the Governor, and, with reference to the Colonial Office circular, dated 31st January, enclosing modified forms for returns of imports and exports, and suggesting, on behalf of the Board of Trade, that those forms should be adopted in New Zealand, has the honor to state that it would be costly and very inconvenient were the suggested changes to be made during 1879, but that after this year the modified forms will be adopted by the Government. Wellington, 4th September, 1879. G. S. Whitmore.

No. 56. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, G.C.M.G., to the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach. (No. 54.) Government House, Wellington, Sir, — New Zealand, 12th September, 1879. With reference to your Despatch No. 2, of 10th January, 1879, to Lord Normanby, transmitting a form of the Royal Humane Society, in order that the particulars required by the Society may be given, to enable them to consider the case of William Jenkins and his crew, who saved life in New Zealand, at the wrecks of the ship " City of Auckland " and the ship " Eelixstowe," I have the honor to report that the Marine Department have been constantly reminded by me of this outstanding despatch, and the reply furnished was invariably that the information desired had been called for, but that some delay was inevitable in procuring it from a distant district with which communication is difficult and intermittent. I am now informed that when the forms Avere received by William Jenkins he would not fill them up ; and it is proposed that a sum of money shall be given to him and his crew by this Government. I enclose a copy of the letter addressed to the Marine Department by William Jenkins, returning the forms. I have, &c, HERCULES ROBINSON. To the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach. 5—A. 1.