11

A.—2

No. 17. Telegeam from Seceetaey of State.

17th March, 1891. With reference to par. 7 of your despatch 56, of 12th November, what is name of a.-i, iB9i, Sesa. officer appointed to Militia ? L ' No - 20 -

No. 18. (New Zealand—General.) My Lord,— Downing Street, Bth April, 1891. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's a.-i, iB9i, Sess. despatch, No. 13, of the 9th of February, and to inform your Lordship that the IL ' No> 9l Queen has been pleased to approve of Messrs. Edwin Mitchelson, Thomas Fergus, George Frederick Bichardson, and Thomas William Hislop being allowed to retain the title of Honourable within the Colony of New Zealand. I have, &c, KNUTSFOBD. The Bight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 19. (New Zealand, No. 8.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th April, 1891. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches noted a.-i, 1891, Sess. in the margin, reporting upon matters connected with the change of Ministry miV 1 ' 2 ' 3 ' New Zealand in January. With regard to the appointments to the Legislative Council recommended by the late Government, I am of opinion that, in accepting the advice tendered to you by your Lordship's Besponsible Ministers under the circumstances described in your despatches, you acted strictly in accordance with the Constitution of the colony ; but I do not desire to be understood to offer any opinion upon the action of your Ministers in tendering that advice. I have, &c, KNUTSFOBD. The Bight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 20. (New Zealand, No. 10.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 15th April, 1891. I communicated to the Committee of Lloyd's, and to the Board of a.-i, 1891, Sess. Trade, copies of your Lordship's despatch, No. 8, of the 2nd of February last, IT '' No ' 4 ' relating to the alleged overloading of deck-cargoes on vessels leaving ports in New Zealand, and I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, for communication to your Government, copies of letters received from Lloyd's and the Board of Trade in reply. I have, &c, KNUTSFOBD. Governor the Bight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure 1. The Boakd of Teade to the Colonial Office. Sib, — Board of Trade (Marine Department), London, S.W., 11th April, 1891. Deck-cargoes. —l am directed by the Board of Trade to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo, transmitting copies of a letter, from Lloyd's, and from the Governor of New Zealand, respecting alleged overloading of vessels leaving ports in that colony as to deckcargoes, and requesting information as to the practice of the Board in such cases. In reply, I am to state, for Lord Knutsford's information, that, in regard to this matter, the Board of Trade can only call attention to the provisions contained in sections 23 and 24 of " The Merchant Shipping Act, 1876," having reference to deck-cargoes. The Board would also suggest for his Lordship's consideration that a copy of Lord Onslow's letter should be forwarded to the Committee of Lloyd's Begister. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Geokge J. Swanston.