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Enclosure. Sir, — Foreign Office, 7th March, 1913. With reference to your letter of the 18th September last, No. 28505, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to state, for the information of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, that he has received a note from the Japanese Charge d'Affaires to the effect that on the sth ultimo both Houses of the Imperial Japanese Diet adopted unanimously a resolution expressing their sincere appreciation of the kind sympathy manifested in the addresses voted by both Houses of Parliament of New Zealand on the occasion of the death of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. . Eyre A. Crowe.

No. 11. New Zealand, No. 107. My Lord,— Downing Street, 13th March, 1913. With reference to my despatch, No. 314, of the 30th October last, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, copies of an Order which has been made by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries further postponing until the Ist July next the operation of Chapter I of the Horses (Importation and Transit) Order of 1912. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Order of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. (Dated 4th March, 1913.) The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, by virtue and in exercise of the powers vested in them under the Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894 to 1911, and of every other power enabling them in this behalf, do order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows : — 1. The date on which Chapter I (Importation) of the Horses (Importation and Transit) Order of 1912 (hereinafter referred to as " the principal Order ") shall come into operation is hereby further altered to the first day of July, nineteen hundred and thirteen. 2. The provisions of paragraph (ix) (Food and Water) of Article 13 of the principal Order shall not, until the first day of July, nineteen hundred and thirteen, apply to a vessel on which horses, asses, or mules are carried to any port in Great Britain or from any such port to any port in the British Islands. 3. The first day of July, nineteen hundred and thirteen, shall be substituted for the first day of January, nineteen hundred and thirteen, in the schedule to the principal Order (Orders revoked). In witness whereof the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have hereunto set their official seal this fourth day of March, nineteen hundred and thirteen. Sydney Olivier, Secretary.

No. 12. New Zealand, No. 110. My Lord,— Downing Street, 14th March, 1913. With reference to my despatch, No. 360, of the 29th November, 1912, I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that the arbitral tribunal under the pecuniary-claims agreement with the United States of America is now constituted as follows: British arbitrator, Sir C. Pitzpatrick, Chief Justice of Canada ; United States arbitrator, Mr. Chandler Anderson, Councillor of State in the State Department; neutral arbitrator, Monsieur Henri Fromageot, a French barrister practising before the Court of Appeal at Paris, who has had considerable experience of international arbitrations. 2. The first session of the tribunal will open at Washington on the 13th May, and will last approximately one month. 3. I regret that it has not been possible to arrange with the United States Government for the hearing of the Webster claims at.the first session. I understand, however, that during his visit to this country, Mr. J. W. Salmond, Solicitor-General of New Zealand, has been able to render the British Agent valuable assistance in the preparation of the British case. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.