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No. 33. New Zealand, No. 161. Sir,— Government House, Wellington, 31st October, 1913. I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copies of a statement regarding the naval policy of this Dominion delivered in the House of Representatives by my Prime Minister on the 28th October. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 34. New Zealand, No. 168.Sir, Government House, Wellington, 20th November, 1913. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the consideration of the Army Council, the accompanying copy of a memorandum which I have received from my Prime Minister, making certain suggestions relating to commissions in the Regular Army from the New Zealand Military Forces. I Gave, &c, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.G, &c. Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Enclosure. Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 15th November, 1913. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. The Prime Minister presents his compliments to His Excellency the Governor, and very respectfully begs that the following statement relating to commissions in the British Regular Army from the New Zealand Military Forces be placed before the Secretary of State for the Colonies with a view to their consideration by the Army Council : — The War Office despatch dated 22nd September, 1913, advrses that-the drfficultres rarsed by paragraph 3 (d) of the regulations under which commissions in the British Regular Army may be obtained by officers of the self-governing dominions worrld be met by giving a candidate a temporary or probationary commission, and that such procedure obtains in the United Kingdom in the case of a University candidate, who reverts to his rank in the contingent of the officers' training corps on completion of attachment. In New Zealand temporary or probationary commissions are not granted, and no officers' training corps are in existence. . . The New Zealand Territorial Force is now being entrrely officered from uon-comniissroned officers (from the rank of corporal and upwards) of the Territorial Force and Senior Cadets, the selection being by competitive examination in educational and military subjects. ' There are no other means of becoming an officer- in the New Zealand Territorial Forces, and. in view of the hardship inflicted by paragraph 3 (d), quoted above, and of the fact that the remedy proposed by the Army Council is unfortunately inapplicable to this country, it is suggested that attendance at the annual camp in the ranks may be accepted for eligibility under paragraph 3 (d), " Regulations for Commissions in .the British Regular Army for Officers of the Military Forces of the Self-governing Dominions and Crown Colonies"—that is, so far as it concerns the Dominion of New Zealand. J. Allen, _ For the Prime Minister.

No. 35. New Zealand, No. 171. S IR , Government House, Wellington, 21st November, 1913. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches, Nos. 291, of the Ist August, and 363, of the 20th September, on the subject of the terminal rates charged on Pacific-cable traffic in the Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand respectively. 2. The observations of the Postmaster-General, transmitted to me by my Prime Minister, to whom they are addressed, are as follows : — " By way of reply to the letter from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated the Ist August last, No. 291, it is only necessary to refer to the Secretary of State's later letter, No. 363, of the 20th September, 1913 (Government

1914, 54. 1914, 74.