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As a result of this resolution, the French and German Post Offices at once introduced, in their respective Legislatures, laws for the punishment of persons found engaged in the manufacture or issue of counterfeit postage-stamps; and a circular, dated the 6th Juno, 1885, was addressed to this department, asking whether Great Britain and its colonial dependencies of the Postal Union would not be disposed to take similar steps to those taken by France and Germany for carrying out the resolution passed at Lisbon. A clause, inflicting heavy penalties on persons found to be issuing fictitious British or foreign stamps in this country, had already been added to the Act 47 and 48 Viet., cap. 76 (Post Office Protection Act), in the year 1884, and the International Bureau was informed accordingly. At the same time a circular on the subject was addressed to the following British colonies : Antigua, Bahamas, Barbadoes, Bermuda, Ceylon, Cyprus, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Gambia, Gold Coast, Grenada, Guiana (British), Honduras (British), Hong Kong, Jamaica, Labuan, Lagos, Mauritius, Montserrat, Malta, Nevis, Newfoundland, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, Straits Settlements, Sierra Leone, Tobago, Trinidad, Turk's Islands, and Virgin Islands. But, from the replies received from the colonial Post Offices, it appears that no colonial laws are in existence for dealing with the frauds referred to, excepting in the Straits Settlements, Malta, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Barbadoes, Dominica, and British Guiana, and that even in these colonies provision is only made for the punishment of persons counterfeiting the postage-stamps of the colony itself. In these circumstances, the Director of the International Bureau of the Postal Union has addressed to the Postmaster-General a request that the matter may be laid before the Governments of the various British colonies concerned, with the view of inducing such of the colonies as have not yet initiated legislative measures in the direction indicated, to take the necessary steps for doing so; and, in the case of those colonies in which laws have already been passed rendering it penal to counterfeit their own issues of stamps, that these laws may be extended so as to apply equally to the fabricators of the postage-stamps of other countries. Having regard to the terms of the resolution on the subject unanimously adopted at the Lisbon Congress (and at which the British colonies of the Postal Union were of course represented by the Imperial Post Office), the Postmaster-General is of opinion that, in order to give full effect to the resolution, all the colonies concerned should adopt similar precautionary measures to those which have been adopted in this country and elsewhere for suppressing the manufacture or issue of counterfeit postage-stamps of all descriptions; and I am therefore directed to request that you will be so good as to move the Secretary of State for the Colonies to take such steps as he may see fit for bringing the matter under the notice of the various colonial Governments. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. S. A. Blackwood.

No. 83. (New Zealand, No. 66.) Sir, — Downing Street, 21st Aiigust, 1886. I received and laid before the Queen the address from the Mayor and Councillors of the Borough of Gore, conveying their respectful congratulations on the occasion of Her Majesty's entering the fiftieth year of her reign, which accompanied your Despatch No. 59, of the 30th of June. I am commanded to request that you will convey the Queen's thanks to the Mayor and Councillors for their address. I have, &c, EDWAED STANHOPE. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c.

A.-l, 1887, No, 24.

No. 84. (New Zealand, No. 71.) Sir, — Downing Street, 23rd August, 1886. With reference to your telegram of the 10th ultimo, a copy of which my predecessor caused to be forwarded for the favourable consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a copy of a letter which has been received from their Lordships' department in reply, expressing their regret that they are unable to comply with the application that H.M.B. " Miranda " might be placed at the disposal of the Government of New Zealand as a training-ship. I have, &c, EDWARD STANHOPE. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c.