Page image

13

A.—2

(a.) Copyright (British Museum) Act, 1915 : 5 and 6 George V ; Chapter 38. (b.) Statutory Companies (Redeemable Stock) Act, 1915 : 5 and 6 George V; Chapter 44. I have, &c, A. BONAR LAW Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 25. New Zealand, No. 297. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bth June, 1915. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of the Imperial Acts noted below :— Fugitive Offenders (Protected States) Act, 1915. Immature Spirits (Restriction) Act, 1915. I have, &c, A. BONAR LAW. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 26. New Zealand, No. 300. My Lord, — Downing Street, 10th June, 1915. I have the honour to in form Your Excellenoy that 1 have laid your telegram of the 3rd June before His Majesty the King, who was pleased to command me to express his thanks to you and to your Government and the people of New Zealand for the loyal message of congratulations on the occasion of His Majesty's birthday. I have, &c, A. BONAR LAW. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 27. New Zealand, No. 311. My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th June, 1915. With reference to your predecessor's telegram of the 14th February, 1912, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of the Marriage of British Subjects (Facilities) Act, 1915 (5 and 6 George V, cap. 40), which has now received the Royal assent. 2. It may be convenient if I summarize briefly the history of this Act. Under the previously existing law no notice could be given in the United Kingdom in respect of a marriage to be celebrated in any Dominion or colony, and conversely a notice given or the publication of any banns in any of the oversea Dominions could not be accepted in the United Kingdom as authority for the celebration of a marriage in this country. 3. A proposal for increasing the facilities for marriage when one of the parties to the intended marriage resides in the United Kingdom and the other in one of the oversea Dominions was put forward in April, 1907, by the Registrar-General, and in June, 1907, Lord Elgin forwarded to the selfgoverning Dominions and the Australian States Governments a memorandum and draft Bill on the subject. The result of the replies received, as summarized in the memorandum on page 211 of Cd.5273 (two copies of which are enclosed), showed that some difficulty was felt in certain cases in accepting the Bill, the

A.-I, I9IT), No. 35,