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No. 21. New Zealand, No. 145. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 20th June, 1929. With reference to your despatch, No. 45, of the 4th February, relative to the age-limits imposed on candidates for the Civil Service, I have the honour to inform you, at the instance of my Ministers, that in connection with candidates for employment in certain grades of the Public Service in New Zealand in which an age-limit is imposed His Majesty's Government in this Dominion are prepared to give effect to the provision referred to in the despatch—namely, to allow candidates to make a reduction from their age in respect of whole-time service in the Army, Navy, or Air Force. I have, &c., CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General. The Right Hon. Sidney Webb, M.P., Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.

No. 22. New Zealand, No. 205. My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 21st August, 1929. I have the honour to refer to your predecessor's despatch, Dominions No. 189, of the 6th May, relative to the planting of trees' at the tomb of Dr. Sun Yat Sen. 2. My Ministers state that owing to transportation difficulties, necessitating frequent handling en route, it is very doubtful whether any tree seedlings from New Zealand would reach Nanking in a sufficiently good state to enable their successful planting at the tomb. 3. His Majesty's Government in New Zealand are, however, desirous of acceding to the request of the Chinese Government as far as possible, and instructions will be issued to the State Forest Service to forward to His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghai packets of seeds of the more important indigenous forest trees of New Zealand —viz., kauri, totara, white-pine, rimu, &c., —as it is considered that seedlings from these can probably be raised in nursery beds in China and subsequently transplanted as desired. I have, &c., CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General, The Right Hon. Lord Passfield, Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.

No. 23. New Zealand, No. 206. My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 21st August, 1929. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of, your predecessor's despatch, Dominions No. 171, of the 23rd April last, enclosing a specimen set of the " Bulletin of Empire Study," issued at the time of the' British Empire Exhibition of 1924 and 1925. 2. My Ministers have asked me to convey to His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom an expression of appreciation of their action in forwarding these bulletins, and to state that 150 sets are being ordered for supply to the largest public primary and technical schools of this Dominion. I have, &c., CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General. The Right Hon. Lord Passfield, Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.

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