11

A.—2

2. It ought to have been pointed out in my previous despatches on the subject that the flag should be described as " the blue ensign of the Royal Naval Reserve," which is the phrase used in section 2 of Act No. 74, of 1901. I have, &c, J. CHAMBERLAIN, Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure. At the Court at St. James's, the 24ch day of March, 1902. Present: The King's Most Excellent Majesty, Lord Chancellor, Lord President, Lord Suffield, Mr. Akers-Douglas, Sir Dighton Probyn, Sir John Charles Day. Whekeas by an Act passed in the session held in the fifteenth and sixteenth years of Her late Majesty's reign, entitled " An Act to grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand," it is, amongst other things, declared that no Bill which shall be reserved for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure thereon shall have any force or authority within the Colony of New Zealand until the Governor of the said colony shall signify either by speech or message to the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the said colony, or by Proclamation, that such Bill has been laid before His Majesty in Council, and that His Majesty has been pleased to assent to the same : And whereas a certain Bill passed by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the said colony, entitled "An Act to establish and define an Ensign for New Zealand," was presented to the Governor of the said colony for His Majesty's assent : And whereas the said Bill was reserved by the said Governor for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure thereon : And whereas the said Bill so reserved as aforesaid has been laid before His Majesty in Council, and it is expedient that the said Bill should be assented to by His Majesty. Now, therefore, His Majesty, in pursuance of the said Act, and in exercise of the power thereby reserved to His Majesty as aforesaid, doth by this present Order, by and with the advice of His Majesty's Privy Council, declare his assent to the said Bill. A. W. Fitzroy.

No. 8. (Circular.) Sin, — Downing Street, 7th April, 1902. I have the honour to inform you that the question of the presentation at his Majesty's levees of officers of the local Forces of the Colonies, &c, possessing responsible Government, has recently engaged the attention both of the War Office and of this Department, and that it has been decided that these officers shall in future be presented by the Commander-in-Chief instead of by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 2. It is essential, however, that any such officers who may becoming to this country with the desire of being presented at Court should bring with them some credential, as otherwise the Commander-in-Chief would not be able to present them. I have, &c, J. CHAMBERLAIN. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

No. 9. (No. 36.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th April, 1902. I have the honour to request that you will inform me whether it would be possible to obtain from New Zealand a certain number of fully trained and qualified surveyors for employment on the Gold Coast from the month of October next, in connection with a survey of the goldfields of that colony, which is being undertaken by the Government. 2. The circumstances in which this request is made are as follows : The despatch of the Governor of the Gold Coast of the 22nd of January, 1901, (No. 35), of which a copy is enclosed, explains generally the reasons for which the survey has been undertaken, the organization of parties by whom the work is being carried out, and the emoluments of the members of those parties. In accordance with the Governor's proposals, an expedition consisting of Major