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No. 18

(No. 80.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 2nd October, 1907. I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that it is shortly intended to erect a memorial at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, in honour of the great navigator Captain Cook, who spent some time at that spot upon several occasions during his voyages. 2. Local subscriptions and a Government grant will provide sufficient funds to build a substantial monument, but the committee, who have the work in hand, are anxious to secure some Naval Trophy of Captain Cook's time, such as an old Ship's gun and mountings or an old anchor of the period. 3. The Mayor of Picton —which town is in the neighbourhood of Ship Cove —wrote to Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, asking his assistance in obtaining such a trophy, to which His Lordship replied that he would readily do anything that he could to assist so laudable an object, but stated that the request should properly come to the Home Government through the Governor. 4. My Ministers have now formally requested me to bring this request, with which they are in full sympathy, before the Imperial authorities, and I desire to add my personal hope that the Lords of the Admiralty may see their way to grant it. I have, &o, The Earl of Elgin, PLUNKET. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Enclosure. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 30th September, 1907. The Prime Minister presents his compliments, and begs to inform His Excellency that the people of Picton propose to erect a memorial at Ship Cove in honour of the great navigator Captain Cook. The Government are going to subsidise the undertaking to the extent of £1 for £1 up to £100, and a considerable sum of money is already in the hands of the local authorities. It is desired to have a naval trophy of the time, and Lord Charles Beresford has promised to use his good offices in the direction of obtaining it, provided the application is made through the Governor. The Prime Minister, therefore, respectfully requests that His Excellency will kindly take the necessary action in the direction indicated. The correspondence is forwarded herewith for His Excellency's information, which Sir Joseph Ward will be glad to have returned when finished with. J. G. Ward.

No. 19. (No. 81.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 6th October, 1907. I have the honour to acknowledge Your Lordship's despatch (No. 70) of the 2nd August, enclosing a copy of the report of the Conference on the subject of Merchant Shipping Legislation, held between Representatives of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth of Australia, and New Zealand in March and April last. 2. I duly submitted the matter to my Ministers for their consideration, and have now received the following minute from my Prime Minister with reference to the action which the New Zealand Government propose to take as regards the several Resolutions passed by the Conference. 3. " A Bill is now being prepared to amend ' The Shipping and Seamen " Act 1903,' and it is proposed to make provision in this Bill to give effect to the " resolutions of the Navigation Conference, with the exception of resolution " No. 5 relating to manning. Section 54 of ' The New Zealand Shipping and " Seamen Act, 1903,' provides that all ships engaged in the Home or intercolonial "trade, and whether registered in the Colony or otherwise, shall be manned in " accordance with the scale laid down in the third schedule to the Act, and it is " not intended to propose any amendment in this section." I have, &o, The Earl of Elgin, PLUNKET. Secretary of State for the Colonies,

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