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a comprehensive and authoritative survey of the educational systems of the chief colonies of the Empire. And they desire me to assure you that they will at all times be glad to reciprocate in any way in their power the service which they ask you to render to them. I am, &c, G. W. Kbkewioh, Secretary of the Education Department. The Minister of Education, Wellington, New Zealand.

No. 40. (No. 63.) My Lobd,- — Downing Street, 9th October, 1897. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 51, of the 2nd ultimo, reporting that you had assumed the Government of New Zealand on the 10th of the preceding month. I have, &c, EDWAED WINGFIELD, For the Secretary of State. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

A.-l, 1898, No. 7.

No. 41. (General.) My Lobd, — Downing Street, 15th October, 1897. I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the chairman of the Associated Board of the Eoyal Academy of Music and Eoyal College of Music for Local Examinations in Music, bringing to my notice the proposal of the Board to extend its musical examinations to the British colonies, and intimating that the honorary secretary, Mr. Samuel Aitken, is on his way to certain colonial centres for the purpose of completing and superintending the organization and furthering the extension of the examinations about to be held. You will doubtless concur with me in thinking that the proposed establishment of local examinations in the colonies on the principles advocated by the Associated Board will tend to raise the standard of musical education throughout the Empire, and I shall be glad if you will do all in your power to assist Mr. Aitken in his mission. I have, &c, J. CHAMBEELAIN. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosures. The Associated Board of the E.A.M. and E.C.M. for Local Examinations in Music, Deae Sib,— 32, Maddox Street, London W., 25th September, 1897. I venture to address you on behalf of this Board on a matter of interest to the colonies. The Board, of which H.E.H. the Prince of Wales is president, has for some years conducted local examinations in music throughout Great Britain and Ireland, and is doing for musical education a work corresponding to that effected by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge for education generally through their local examinations. There are certain self-constituted bodies which conduct local examinations in music on more or less commercial lines, but the examinations of the Associated Board of the two great chartered schools of music are the only ones in which a standard is set and maintained high enough to bring about an improvement in the quality of the music-teaching of the kingdom. In pursuance of its educational aims, and to enlarge its field of usefulness in the direction indicated, the Board is now gradually extending its operations.to the colonies and dependencies of Great Britain; and its honorary secretary, Mr. Samuel Aitken, is on a journey to South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Canada to complete and superintend the organization and further the extension of the local examinations which the Board is about to hold in those countries. As the work is likely to become of far-reaching importance, and will incidentally add to the intercourse between the colonies and Mother-country, the Board desires to bring it under the notice of Mr. Chamberlain, in the hope that he may be willing to exercise his influence in its behalf.