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No. 20. New Zealand, No. 168. My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th May, 1911. I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that His Majesty the King has decided that the Royal Standard, which is the personal flag of the Sovereign, is not in future to be flown except when and where His Majesty is personally present. . I have, &c, L. HARCOUKT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

No. 21. New Zealand, No. 169. My Lord,— Downing Street, 11th May, 1911. With reference to my despatch, No. 168, of to-day's date, I have the honour to inform you that Colonial Regulation No. 148, which requires the Royal Standard to be flown at Government House on the King's Birthday, and on the days of His Majesty's Accession and Coronation, has been cancelled, and Colonial Regulation No. 149 will in future run as follows : " The Union Flag, without any badge, shall be flown at Government House daily from sunrise to sunset." I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

No. 22. New Zealand, No. 170. My Lord,— Downing Street, 11th May, 1911. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a memorandum containing particulars of recent decisions of the Army Council regarding the examination of candidates for admission to the Royal Military Academy or the Royal Military College, and of candidates for commissions in the Regular Army. 2. I should be glad if you will invite your Ministers' attention to paragraphs 3 and 6 (d) of the memorandum, and ask them to be good enough to cause any officer of the local Military Forces of New Zealand who is a candidate for a commission in the Regular Army to be informed of the changes which affect him. 3. Revised editions of the regulations, in which these changes will be embodied, are being prepared, and will be issued as soon as practicable. In the meantime I have to request you to inform your Ministers that papers for the use of candidates who wish to qualify at the Army entrance examination to be held in June and November each year (commencing in June, 1912) will be sent out, provided the necessary application be received at the War Office by the Ist April for a June examination or the Ist September for a November examination. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

Enclosure. A. Decisions arrived at by the Army Council regarding the Regulations governing Admission to the Royal Military Academy and Royal Military College, and Appointments to Commissions in the Regular Army. 1. Limits of Age for Entrance to the Royal Military Academy. The lower limit of age at which candidates are permitted to compete for admission to the Royal Military Academy will be reduced to 16| years, commencing with the competitive examination to be held in November-December, 1911. The extension of the course at the Royal Military Academy from three terms to four terms will first apply to a portion of the successful candidates at the competitive examination to be held in November-December, 1911.