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useful results, not only to the United Kingdom, but to the Colonies and India. These steps received the final sanction of His Eoyal Highness at a meeting at Marlborough House the other day. His Eoyal Highness has directed letters to be addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and to their Excellencies the Governors of the Australian Colonies and New Zealand, informing them generally of the objects desired to be attained by the formation of the proposed department, and stating that the Governing Body have decided to send out Sir Somers Vine, Assistant-Secretary of the Institute, to those colonies to give full explanations respecting those objects. The Governing Body has also addressed letters to yourself and the Premiers of Australia, acquainting you and them with what has been done, and inviting the good offices of the respective Governments in hearing what Sir Somers Vine is charged to explain, and in assisting him so far as may be deemed right in his mission. I beg to enclose copies of these letters, which will be delivered in original to His Excellency the Governor and yourself by Sir Somers Vine ; and also of a letter of introduction to you, which, at the request of the Governing Body, I have given to him. He leaves for the Straits Settlements and Queensland in the first days of January, will then come down the Australian coast to Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, and will probably arrive in New Zealand towards the latter part of March. I shall venture by an early mail to offer a few observations for your consideration upon the scheme which the Governing Body have in view. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. P. D. Bell.

Enclosure 1 in No. 5. Sir F. A. Abel to the Eight Hon. the Seceetaey of State foe the Colonies. My Loed, — Imperial Institute, Ist December, 1888. I have, by the direction of His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, the President, and the Governing Body of the Imperial Institute, to inform your Lordship that, with the view of supplying the members of certain Colonial Governments with full details and proposals in connection with the establishment of the Department of Commercial and Industrial Intelligence, and of securing the advice and co-operation of the local Governments and commercial bodies in reference thereto, it has been decided that my principal assistant (Sir Somers Vine) shall proceed to the following places : Singapore, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Wellington, Port Victoria, and New Westminster (British Columbia), Montreal, Halifax (Nova Scotia), and Kingston (Jamaica). It is proposed that Sir Somers Vine should personally communicate with the Heads of Government of those colonies, and with such officials and prominent representatives of commerce, as they may consider it advantageous that he should approach, with the view to establish a system of correspondence with the Institute. I am, therefore, to ask whether your Lordship will be so good as to furnish Sir Somers Vine with official letters of instruction and recommendation to the Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada and the Governors at Singapore, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Wellington, and Jamaica, with a view to promote the objects of his mission. Should your Lordship be disposed to comply with this request, I shall esteem it a favour if the letters asked for can be sent to me by the 20th of December next, as Sir Somers Vine is instructed to commence his journey by the end of the present year. I have, &c, F. A. Abel, The Eight Hon. Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G., &c, Organizing Secretary. Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Enclosure 2 in No. 5. Sir F. A. Abel to the Goveenoe of New Zealand. Sic, — Imperial Institute. I have the honour by direction of His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, the President, and the Governing Body of the Institute, to inform your Excellency that considerable progress has now been made towards the establishment of the Department of Commercial and Industrial Intelligence. The enclosed* printed papers.will, it is hoped, afford your Excellency useful information in respect of the objects of the department, and the directions in which its development is contemplated. With the view of supplying your Excellency and the members of your Government with full details of their proceedings and proposals, and of securing your valuable advice in reference thereto, the Governing Body have instructed my principal assistant, Sir Somers Vine, to visit Wellington, for the purpose of personally communicating with your Excellency, and with such officials and commercial representatives you may think expedient to refer him to. Sir Somers Vine is specially directed to describe to your Excellency the system of correspondence with various centres of the Empire which the Governing Body has in contemplation, and to seek your opinion and those of the various authorities and individuals to whom he may be referred, as to the value and expediency of establishing an agency at Wellington. Assuming it to be favourable, Sir Somers Vine is authorised to enter into preliminary negotiations with persons who are considered suitable to perform the duties of agent, and who may be willing to undertake those duties.

* Copies not obtainable.