A.—l

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No. 43. New Zealand, No. 265. Sir,— Government House, Wellington, 22nd December, 1915. With reference to your despatch, No. 553, of the 11th October, enclosing copies of a notice issued by the Board of Trade regarding the examination in signalling of candidates for certificates of competency as master or mate, I have the honour to inform you, by request of my Ministers, that the necessary instructions have been given to the Examiners of Masters and Mates to test candidates, in accordance with the Board of Trade's notice, as from the Ist April next. 2. With regard to the third paragraph of the notice, my Ministers state that as soon as the Board of Trade definitely decides the date upon which a specified speed is to be regarded as compulsory the New Zealand regulations will be formally amended accordingly. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. A. Bonar Law, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 44. • New Zealand, No. 268. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 24th December, 1915. With reference to your despatch, No. 581, of the 26th October, forwarding copies of a notice regarding nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize for 1916, I have the honour to inform you that in compliance with your request that the conditions of the prize be made known to those qualified to nominate candidates, my Ministers have arranged for the notice to be published in the New Zealand Gazette. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL. The Right Hon. A. Bonar Law, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

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