A.—2

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No. 19 New Zealand, No. 23. My Lord, Downing Street, Bth February, 1917. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's telegram of the 4th February, reporting the death of the Honourable Dr. McNab, Minister of Justice, Minister of Marine, and Acting Postmaster-General. I have learnt with much regreat of the death of Dr. McNab. I have, &c, WALTER H. LONG. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 20. New Zealand, Dominions No. 129. My Lord, — Downing Street, 22nd February, 1917. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, a statement showing the position of the Prince of Wales' National Relief Fund on the 15th February, 1917. I have, &c, WALTER H. LONG. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Extract prom a Letter from the Prince of Wales' National Relief Fund to the UnderSecretary of State, Colonial Office, dated 15th February, 1917. £ £ A. Total receipts ... ... ... ... ... •■■ ... 6,030,105 B. Total outgoings : — (1.) Naval and military distress — Soldiers and Sailors' Families Association ... ... 2,291,334 Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation ... ... ... 410,000 Soldiers and Sailors' Help Society ... ... ... 145,000 .Lord Knutsford's Special Hospital for Officers .. ... 10,000 St. Dunstan's Hostel for Blinded Soldiers and Sailors ... 40,000 Officers' Families Fund ... ... ... ... 20,000 Queen Mary's Hospital for Limbless Soldiers and Sailors ... 10,000 Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Soldiers and Sailors 5,000 Women's emigration (Salvation Army) ... ... ... 5,000 Convalescent Auxiliary Hospital for Cases of Facial Disfigurement ... ... ... ■•■ •■• 5,000 National Library for the Blind (soldiers and sailors) ... 250 2,941,584 (2.) Civil distress ... ... ■•• ■■■ ••■ 523,796 3,465,380 Balance ... ... ... ■•• •• .•■ 2,564,725 Add refunds from various sources ... ... 23,708 C. Balance available ... •■■ ■•• ■■• •■• ■•■ £2,588,433