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1893. NEW ZEALAND.

IMPERIAL INSTITUTE (CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE AGENT-GENERAL RELATIVE TO).

Return to an Order of the Mouse of Representatives, dated 13th July, 1893. Ordered, " That there be laid before this House copies of any correspondence between the Government and the Agent-General: (1) On the subject of the encouragement or assistance offered to small farmers and others possessed of some capital to emigrate to New Zealand; (2), on the subject of the guaranteed aebentures, and of the £450,000 of Treasury bills authorised to be issued under section 2, ' The Public Revenues Act, 1892 '; (3) As to the Imperial Institute." —(Hon. Mr. Rolleston.)*

LBTTBES, ETC., FEOM THE AGENT-GENEEAL. No. 1. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Peemiee. (No. 366.) 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., Slß,— sth March, 1888. His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, President of the Imperial Institute, has recently addressed a letter to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, requesting that he would move the Governments of the several colonies to authorise the steps necessary for speedily carrying into effect arrangements for the regular and expeditious supply to the Imperial Institute of official and other publications and documents relating to the commerce, agriculture, political economy, and the natural history and resources of the colonies ; enactments and official notifications by Colonial Governments, &c. ; and also for collecting and transmitting such works and documents as can be spared of the nature indicated, which have already been issued or published. The Secretary of State, in replying to this letter, has informed the Prince of Wales that he is transmitting a copy thereof to the Governments of all the colonies, requesting them to use their best efforts to insure the early transmission to the Institute of the publications and statistics indicated by His Eoyal Highness. At a recent conference between the Organizing Committee of the Institute and the AgentsGeneral for Australasia, Canada, and the Cape, a general desire was expressed to further the steps which are being taken towards the establishment of a Department of Commercial Intelligence, for the operations of which it is essential to secure the expeditious supply of the information which would be conveyed by such publications and documents as above indicated. I have taken upon myself, as a member of the Organizing Committee, to assure the Committee that the Government will be very glad to facilitate the systematic collection of information relating to the resources, commerce, and industries of the colony. On this subject I shall soon take an opportunity of addressing you again. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 2. Mbmoeandum from the Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaky. 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 23rd March, 1888. (No. 430.) Exhibits for Melbourne. Eefeeeing to my memorandum No. 372, I beg leave to transmit lists of the exhibits which have been shipped to Melbourne, addressed to the Commissioner at the New Zealand Court, by the s.s. " Oceana " and s.s. " Oroya," together with lists of those exhibits which have been retained at the Imperial Institute Stores. F. D. Bell.

* This return is in answer to pait (3) of the above. For return to No. 1, vide D-7 ; return to No. 2, nil.

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