A.—2

16

Sub-Enclosure. My Loed, — German Embassy, Ist March, 1886. I have the honour to inform jour Lordship, by orders from my Government, that the Imperial Consulate at Nelson (New Zealand) has been abolished, and that consular district included in that of the Imperial Consulate at Wellington. I have, &c, His Excellency the Earl of Eosebery, &c. Yon Hatzfeldt.

No. 24. (New Zealand, No. 20.) Sib,— Downing Street, 22nd March, 1886. I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, an order of the Queen in Council assenting to the Bill passed by the Legislature of New Zealand, and reserved by you for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure, entitled " An Act to regulate the Distribution of the Separate Property of Married Women dying Intestate as to such Property, and to amend the Law as to Administration of Estates," a copy of which accompanied your Despatch No. 117, of the 23rd of October last. I have, &g., GEANVILLE. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c.

Enclosure. At the Court at Windsor, the Bth day of March, 1886. Present: The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty ; Lord President, Mr. Secretary Childers, Mr. Heneage, Mr. Mellor. Whbeeas by an Act passed in the session held in the fifteenth and sixteenth years of Her Majesty's reign, entitled " An Act to grant a Eepresentative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand," it is amongst other things declared that no Bill which shall be reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon shall have any force or authority within the Colony of New Zealand until the Governor of the said colony shall signify, either by Speech or Message to the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the said colony, or by Proclamation, that such Bill has been laid before Her Majesty in Council, and that Her Majesty has been pleased to assent to the same : And whereas a certain Bill passed by the Legislative Council and House of Eepresentatives of the said colony, entitled "An Act to regulate the Distribution of the Separate Property of Married Women (lying Intestate as to such Property, and to amend the Law as to Administration of Estates," was presented to the Officer Administering the Government of the said colony for Her Majesty's assent : And whereas the said Bill was reserved by the said Officer for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon : And whereas the said Bill so reserved as aforesaid has been laid before Her Majesty in Council, and it is expedient that the said Bill should be assented to by Her Majesty : Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in pursuance of the said Act, and in exercise of the power thereby reserved to Her Majesty as aforesaid, doth by this present order, by and with the advice of Her Majesty's Privy Council, declare her assent to the said Bill. C. L. Peel.

No. 25. (Circular.) Sib, — Downing Street, 2nd April, 1886. I have the honour to draw your attention to Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's circular despatch of the 28th of February, 1880, respecting the exchange of official documents between the Colonial Governments and the Government of France, and to inform you that the principle therein laid down may be regarded as equally applicable to other foreign Governments. 1 have, &c, GKANVILLE. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

No. 26. (New Zealand, No. 23.) Sic, — Downing Street, 31st March, 1886. I have received from the Governor of South Australia a return in duplicate (in the form annexed) of the ships of war and torpedo boats of the colony for the year ending the 31st of December, 1885.

ot printed