20

A.—2

4. (1.) The master of any British ship having on board any sick, wounded, or shipwrecked men, being combatants who have been rescued during or after a naval engagement in which they have taken part, shall, on demand being made in person or on behalf of a commissioned officer actually in command of a warship of any of the belligerent States, deliver to him all such men. (2.) This section shall not, except as respects British hospital ships, extend to cases where the officer making the demand is an officer of a warship of a State at war with His Majesty. (3.) In this section expressions have the same meaning as in the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, as amended by any subsequent enactment. 5. This Act shall extend to the whole of His Majesty's dominions. 6. This Act may be cited as the Second Peace Conference (Conventions) Act, 1914.

No. 25. New Zealand, No. 166. My Lord, — Downing Street, 20th April, 1914. With reference to my despatch, No. 142, of the 3rd April, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying signed certificate which I have given, in accordance with section 25 (2) of the Imperial Copyright Act, 191.1, regarding the legislation of the Dominion on the subject of copyright. 2. The certificate is being published in. the London Gazette. 3. I take this opportunity to mention that the Imperial Copyright Act, 1911, has been extended by Order of His Majesty in Council, in pursuance of section 28, to the Island of Cyprus and to Weihaiwei, and to the following British Protectorates : Bechuanaland Protectorate; East Africa Protectorate; Gambia Protectorate; Gold Coast (Northern Territories); Nigeria Protectorate; Nyasaland Protectorate; Sierra Leone Protectorate; Somaliland Protectorate; Northern Ehodesia; Southern Ehodesia; Swaziland; Uganda Protectorate; Gilbert and Ellice Islands Protectorate; Solomon Islands Protectorate. 4. Section 28 of the New Zealand Copyright Act, 1913, provides only for reciprocal protection of copyright as between New Zealand and other parts of the British dominions. The territories mentioned above are not parts of the British dominions, nor do they appear to be covered by the provisions of Part II relating to international copyright. I should be glad if your Ministers would consider the possibility of amending the Copyright Act, 1913, with a view to the territories to which the Imperial Act has been extended by Order of His Majesty in Council, under section 28 of the Imperial Act, being placed in the same position as the parts of His Majesty's dominions to which the Imperial Act extends. 5. I have to add that His Majesty will not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance with respect to the New Zealand Copyright Act, 1913. I also enclose, for the information of your Ministers, copy of the Note in which the Swiss Government was informed of the accession of the Dominion to the Berne Copyright Convention, 1908. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1915. No. 25.

Enclosure. I, Lewis Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies, do hereby certify, pursuant to section 25, subsection (2), of the Imperial Copyright Act, 1911, that the Dominion of New Zealand has passed legislation—that is to say, the New Zealand Copyright Act, 1913, and Orders in Council made thereunder and dated the 27th March, 1914—under which works the authors whereof were at the date of the making of the works British subjects resident elsewhere than in the Dominion of New Zealand, or (not being British subjects) were resident in the parts of His Majesty's dominions to which the said Imperial Acts extends, enjoy within the Dominion of New Zealand rights substantially identical with those conferred by the said Imperial Act. Downing Street, 20th April, 1914. L. Harcoubt.