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A.—2

No. 5. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 22nd March, 1884. With reference to my Circular Despatch of the 17th of January, I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the Colony under your Government, a copy of a further letter from the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, Chairman of the Executive Council of the International Health Exhibition, stating that it is proposed to organize, in connection with the Exhibition, a library and reading-room ; and expressing the hope that it may not be impossible to obtain from the Colonial Governments, for use in the proposed library, a collection of works affecting the administration of general sanitary laws throughout the Colonies. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government of DERBY. New Zealand.

Enclosure. The Executive Council of the International Health Exhibition to the Earl of Derby. My Lord,— South Kensington, 13th March, 1884. I am desired by the Executive Council of the International Health Exhibition to intimate to your Lordship that it is proposed to organize, in connection with the Exhibition, a library and reading-room, and that a wish has been expressed that the occasion should be made an opportunity for bringing together a collection of international works on sanitation and kindred topics. It will be the first time that an effort will have been made to bring together in one place such a collection of materials, the catalogue alone of which will prove of immense future value. Selected publishers and authors are being invited to send their works to this department; but, in order that it may be of a thoroughly international and intercolonial character, the Executive Council are anxious that some steps should be taken with a view to enlist the sympathy and support of Colonial Governments. lam therefore desired to invoke the assistance of the Colonial Office, and to ask if your Lordship would do the Council the honour to cause application to be made to Colonial Governments to furnish lists of all official publications on vital statistics, and reports and regulations on public health issued by the Central Governments of such Colonies. The Council do not ask that communications may be entered into with the Municipalities of the Colonies, as, manifestly, even if it were possible to obtain them, the dealing with reports and regulations from local centres would be far beyond their power. They do trust, however, that, in the manner indicated, it may not be impossible to obtain from the Central Governments of the Colonies, for use in the proposed library, a collection of works affecting the administration of general sanitary laws throughout the Colonies. I may add that, in response to a request which I recently addressed to Earl Granville, application has been made from the Foreign Office to Foreign Governments for contributions to the library and reading-room. I am to add that parcels and communications in reference to this department should be addressed to the Secretary. I have, &c. Buckingham and Chandos, The Eight Hon. the Earl of Derby, &c. Chairman, Executive Council.

No. 6. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 26th March, 1884. I have the honour to transmit to you, for presentation to such public library in the Colony under your Government as you may think most suitable, a copy of the medical works of the late Dr. Francis Sibson, Mrs. Sibson having been good enough to place at my disposal, for distribution in the Colonies, a certain number of copies of her late husband's works. I enclose for your information an extract of a letter from Sir J. Hooker, with reference to the presentation of these volumes. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government of DERBY. New Zealand.

Enclosure. Extract of a Letter from (Sir J. Hooker to the Colonial Office, dated Eoyal Gardens, Kew, February 25th, 1884. " I have the honour of informing you that Mrs. Sibson, of East Acton, having caused the works of her late eminent husband, Dr. Francis Sibson, M.D., London and Dublin (Honorary), F.E.S., Fellow of the College of Physicians, to be collected and reprinted in the interest of medical