SILVER AND BRONZE COINS (REVISED REGULATIONS FOR THE SUPPLY OF NEW).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1879 Session I, H-11

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1879. NEW ZEALAND.

SILVER AND BRONZE COINS (REVISED REGULATIONS FOR THE SUPPLY OF NEW).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Copy of a Despatch from the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. Sir,— Downing Street, 27th February, 1879. With reference to the Earl of Kimberley's circular despatch of the 27th June, 1871, transmitting regulations respecting the supply of British silver coins to Colonial Governments, I have the honor to enclose, for communication to your Legislature, and for publication in the colony under your government, extracts of a letter (12th February, 1879) from the Treasury, enclosing revised regulations for the supply of new silver and bronze coin. 2. I entirely concur in the opinion expressed by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, that, as the conditions of supply of new coin have now been made so favourable, it is incumbent ou the Governors of Her Majesty's colonies to secure that the silver coinage is kept in proper condition by the systematic withdrawal of worn coin, and I trust that they will specially charge themselves with that duty. 3. Copies of this despatch and of its enclosures have beeu sent to the Crown Agents for the Colonies, and to the Agents-General in London for the Australasian Colonies. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. M. E. Hicks Beach.

Enclosure in No. 1. Extracts from a Letter from the Treasury to the Colonial Office, dated 12th February, 1879. Sir Michael Hicks Beach will perceive that the Mint will from henceforth defray all expenses connected with the shipment of silver and bronze coin to the port in the colony agreed on between the Master of the Mint and the Agent of the colony in London, including packing, freight, insurance, and shipping charges. 7. This bronze coin is now for the first time included in the regulations, and the colonies using Imperial token coin will in all cases be supplied with such amounts as they require on the mere payment of its nominal value. 8. I am to request that the Secretary of State, if he approves of the proposed arrangement, will cause copies of the amended regulations to be sent to the Governors of all colonies using the Imperial system of coinage, and to the Agents of those Governments in London. 9. It will be observed that it is not necessary to require that application for supplies of coin should any longer be made to the Mint through the Colonial Office and the Treasury. ******** 12. My Lords trust that the Secretary of State will point out to the Governors of the colonies affected by the regulations that, as the conditions of supply have now been made so favourable, it is incumbent on them to secure that tho silver coinage is kept in proper condition, by the systematic withdrawal of worn coin.

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Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 1. Regulations for the Supply of British Silver and Bronze Coinage to the Colonies. New silver and bronze coin (half-crowns, florins, shillings, sixpences, and threepences, and pence, halfpence, and farthings) can be supplied to Colonial Governments from the Royal Mint on the following conditions :— 1. On receiving an application from the Agent of the Colonial Government in London, the Master of the Mint will cause to be packed, and held to his order, such an amount of silver or bronze coin as may be required on behalf of the colony. 2. The Master of the Mint will undertake the payment of all expenses, including packing, freight, insurance, and shipping charges, connected with the shipment of silver and bronze coin to the port in the colony agreed upon by the Master of the Mint and the Agent of the colony in London. 3. The Agent of the Colonial Government will be required to pay to the account of the Master of the Mint at the Bank of England, on or before the delivery of the coin, the sum representing the nominal value of the new silver or bronze coin ordered. 4. The Colonial Government will be required to make such arrangements as may be deemed necessary for the withdrawal of worn silver coin from circulation, and to cause the coin so withdrawn to be forwarded to the Mint or one of its branches (at Sydney or Melbourne) for recoinage. The Master of the Mint will defray all expenses, including freight, insurance, and shipping charges, incurred in the transmission of worn coin to London, Sydney, or Melbourne, from a port of shipment to be agreed upon by the Master of the Mint, or the Deputy Master at Sydney or Melbourne, and the Agent of the colony. 5. The Imperial Government will pay to the Colonial Government, or its Agent, the nominal value of the worn coin so withdrawn from circulation, as soon as it is received at the Royal Mint or one of its branches. Treasury Chambers, 12th February, 1879.

Authority : George Didsbubt, Government Printer, "Wellington.—lB79.

Price 3d.]