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by Courts-martial, or in the case of minor offences by Courts of summary jurisdiction, and punishment of persons committing offences against the regulations, and in particular any of the provisions of such regulations designed— (a.)' To prevent persons communicating with the enemy or obtaining information for that purpose, or any purpose calculated to jeopardize the success of the operations of any of His Majesty's Forces or the Forces of his allies, or to assist the enemy; or (b.) To secure the safety of His Majesty's Forces and ships and the safety of any means of communication and of railways, ports, and harbours; or (c.) To prevent the spread of false reports or reports likely to cause disaffection to His Majesty, or to interfere with the success of His Majesty's Forces by land or sea, or to prejudice His Majesty's relations with foreign Powers; or (d.) To secure the navigation of vessels in accordance with directions given by or under the authority of the Admiralty; or (c.) Otherwise to prevent assistance being given to the enemy or the successful prosecution of the war being endangered. (2.) Any such regulations may provide for the suspension of any restrictions on the acquisition or user of land, or the exercise of the power of making by-laws, or any other power under the Defence Acts, 1842 to 1875, or the Military Lands Acts, 1891 to 1903, and any such regulations or any orders made thereunder affecting the pilotage of vessels may supersede any enactment, order, charter, by-law, regulation, or provision as to pilotage. (3.) It shall be lawful for the Admiralty or Army Council — (a.) To require that there shall be placed at their disposal the whole or any part of the output of any factory or workshop in which arms, ammunition, or warlike stores or equipment, or any articles required for the production thereof, are manufactured; (b.) To take possession of and use for the purpose of His Majesty's naval or military service any such factory or workshop or any plant thereof; and regulations under this Act may be made accordingly. (4.) For the purpose of the trial of a person for an offence under the regulations by Courtmartial and the punishment thereof, the person may be proceeded against and dealt with as if he were a person subject to military law and had on active service committed an offence under section five of the Army Act-: Provided that where it is proved that the offence is committed with the intention of assisting the enemy a person convicted of such an offence by a Court-martial shall be liable to suffer death. (5.) For the purpose of the trial of a person for an offence under the regulations by a Court of summary jurisdiction and the punishment thereof, the offence shall be deemed to have been committed either at the place in which the same actually was committed or in any place in which the offender may be, and the maximum penalty which may be inflicted shall be imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term of six months or a fine of one hundred pounds, or both such imprisonment and fine. Section seventeen of the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, shall not apply to charges of offences against the regulations, but any person aggrieved by a conviction of a Court of summan- jurisdiction may appeal in England to a Court of Quarter Sessions, and in Scotland under and in terms of the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Acts, and in Ireland in manner provided by the Summaiy Jurisdiction (Ireland) Acts. (6.) The regulations may authorize a Court-martial or Court of summary jurisdiction, in addition to any other punishment, to order the forfeiture of any goods in respect of which an offence against the regulations has been committed. 2. (1.) This Act may be cited as the Defence of the Realm Consolidation Act, 1914. (2.) The Defence of the Realm Act, 1914, and the Defence of the Realm (No. 2) Act, 1914, are hereby repealed, but nothing in this repeal shall affect any Orders in Council made thereunder, and all such Orders in Council shall, until altered or revoked by an. Order in Council under this Act, continue in force and have effect as if made under this Act.

No. 77. New Zealand, No. 588. My Lord, — Downing Street, 24th December, 1914. With reference to my telegram of the 18th December, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of a Supplement to the Ijondon Gazette of the 15th December, containing the Foreign Office notices regarding the placing of Egypt under the protection of His Majesty, and the appointment of Lieut.-Colonel Sir A. H. McMahon, G.C.V.0., K.C.1.E., C.5.1., as His Majesty's High Commissioner for Egypt. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.