7

A.—l

No. 6

New Zealand, No. 33. My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 23rd April, 1909. I have the honour to inform }'our Lordship that the contents of your despatch, No. 55, of the 3rd April 1908, were duly conveyed to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of this Dominion. 2. In reply I am desired to inform your Lordship that the Assembly has now appointed the following clergymen to minister to the spiritual needs of the Presbyterian sailors on His Majesty's fleet while in New Zealand waters : The Rev. A. A. Murray, Auckland; Rev. James Gibb, D.D., Wellington; Rev. John Bates, Lyttelton- Rev. Thomas Nisbet, D.D., Dunedin; Rev. E. C. Tennent, Port Chalmers; Rev. A. Laishley, Bluff. I have, &c, PLUNKET, Governor. To the Earl of Crewe, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 7. New Zealand, No. 36. My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 3rd May, 1909. I have the honour to acknowledge your Lordship's despatch, No. 51 of the 4th March, transmitting copies of a memorandum drawn up by the Council of the Surveyors' Institution on the subject of the proposed establishment of reciprocity in matters connected with examination and authorisation of surveyors throughout the Empire. 2. An endeavour will be made to enable one or more representatives of the Lands and Survey Department of this Dominion to attend the proposed Conference of Surveyors-General in London, but before definite arrangements can be considered my Government desire to know the date that the Conference will be held. I have, &c, PLUNKET, Governor. To the Earl of Crewe, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 8. New Zealand, No. 39. My Lord,— Government House, Wellington, Bth May, 1909. I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship a copy of a memorandum from my Prime Minister, on the subject of the retention of the title of " Honourable " by Mr. William Hall-Jones, who has ceased to be a member of the Executive Council of this Dominion. I have, &c, PLUNKET, Governor. To the Earl of Crewe, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Enclosure. Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 6th May, 1909. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. Referring to the Governor's despatch, No. 23, of the 7th June, 1894, and to the reply thereto of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated 2nd August, 1894, on the subject of the retention of the title of " Honourable " by members of the Executive Council, the Prime Minister, in order that His Majesty's permission may be gazetted for Mr. William Hall-Jones to retain the title of Honourable, respectively requests His Excellency to be good enough to report to the Secretary of State that Mr. Hall-Jones has ceased to be a member of the Executive Council of this Dominion. J. G. Ward.