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Passports. While other lands maintain the requirement of a passport to enter their territory, it is still essential to provide passports for our people going overseas, except for British subjects travelling between New Zealand and Australia. There were 2,455 new passports issued and 605 passports renewed for varying periods. Aliens leaving New Zealand were granted visas in 53 cases. Land-agents. Six hundred and seventy-one licenses were issued and 4 transfers granted, as compared with 730 licenses and 11 transfers for the previous year. One case of a defaulting land-agent was considered, but the bond was not enforced. Auctioneers. Four hundred and twelve licenses were issued, no transfers granted, and 285 changes of endorsement of seller made, as compared with 434 licenses, 10 transfers, and 329 changes of endorsement for the previous year. Two cases of defaulting auctioneers were considered, and in one case the bond was enforced, and a dividend paid to creditors. Chartered Clubs. The number of clubs remains unaltered at 46. Reports of the inspectors indicate that the clubs are properly conducted, and carrying out the conditions upon which their charters were granted, although in one instance a conviction was recorded for a breach of the licensing laws. Maori Antiquities Act, 1908. Ten warrants were issued authorizing the export of articles made according to ancient Maori methods, and twenty-four authorities were given to send away specimens obviously modern and not subject to the provisions of the Act. The postal regulations have since been modified so as to allow postmasters certain discretionary powers when tourist souvenirs or similar modern Maori carvings, &c., are desired to be exported, [f the Post Office officials are satisfied that such articles are of recent make, the requirement of submitting them to the Department for examination and approval is dispensed with. Advertising Office . This section of the Department deals with matters affecting Government newspaper advertising for all Departments. It records, checks, and certifies all departmental advertising accounts. Approximately 8,330 vouchers were handled during the year. A close oversight is maintained over all advertising expenditure, and, consistent with adequate publicity value being obtained, advertisements are condensed and amalgamated before insertion, and economies effected by reducing accounts for advertisements which are overspaced or incorrectly measured. Estimates of expenditure for any proposed advertising by Departments are supplied as required. All Government advertising has necessarily been considerably curtailed during the depression period, the total expenditure for the year amounting to £21,108 10s. 10d., as compared with £24,804 2s. 3d. for the financial year ending 31st March, Ī933. A press-clipping service is maintained in the office and handles approximately from 1,500 to 2,000 clippings weekly. Distinguished Visitors. The Hon. F. H. Stewart, Minister for Commerce of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Hon. R. W. D. Weaver, Minister for Public Works and Health in the State of New South Wales, represented their respective Governments at the Waitangi Celebrations in the Bay of Islands during February last. Among other visitors at various times were — Sir Philip Game, Governor of New South Wales ; Sir Murchison Fletcher, Governor of Fiji; Sir John Sandeman Allen, a member of the British House of Commons; and Sir Daniel Levy, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales. His Majesty's Australian warships "Canberra" and "Australia" were in New Zealand waters for some weeks, and made calls at Bay of Islands; Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers. Foreign countries were represented by visits from the French sloop " Savorgnan de Bragga " and the Japanese Government training-ship "Shintoku Maru." Rear-Ad.miral Byrd and the members of his expedition made a call at Wellington en route to the Antarctic. War Graves. New Zealand.—The number of notifications of deaths of returned soldiers received by the Department was 464, of which 90 were accepted as war graves —i.e., that the cause of death in these cases was attributable to disabilities sustained on or aggravated by war service. The total number of war graves in New Zealand at the close of the year was 2,849. Temporary crosses to mark the graves until such time as the soldiers' headstones are erected were placed on 206 graves, and headstones to the number of 63 were ordered. Additional constructional work was carried out in the Soldiers' Blocks in Omaka Cemetery, Blenheim, Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne, and Masterton and Taihape Cemeteries. All soldiers' cemeteries continue to be suitably maintained under arrangements made through the local controlling authorities. Overseas. —All New Zealand graves and memorials overseas have been maintained by the Imperial War Graves Commission out of the income derived from the Endowment Fund of £5,000,000 established

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