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No. 55. (Circular.) Sic, — Downing Street, 23rd November, 1887. I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, for communication to your Government, the accompanying copy of a Board of Trade circular dated November, 1887, to which is annexed an Order of Her Majesty in Council, dated the 15th September, 1887, relating to colonial certificates of competency granted to officers of British vessels. This order consolidates the regulations now in force; gives to colonial certificates the same force as to similar certificates issued by the Board of Trade ; modifies the provisions of the Order in Council passed on the 29th June, 1882, and of all other orders hitherto issued on the subject, by withdrawing the restrictions to the issue of a certificate of a lower grade, either temporarily or permanently, in the case of the suspension or cancellation of officers' certificates ; and has been passed in consequence of representations received from the Government of Victoria relating to the hardship which might be inflicted upon men in the event of the suspension, &c, of their certificates (issued by the Board of Trade or some British possession) in the absence of power for the issue to them of temporary certificates of a lower grade without previous application being required to the authority which originally granted the certificates dealt with. I have, &c, H. T. HOLLAND. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. [For enclosure, see New Zealand Gazette, 9th February, 1888, p. 235.]

No. 56. (New Zealand, No. 68.) Sic, — Downing Street, 23rd November, 1887. I am directed by the Secretary of State to transmit to you, for communication to your Ministers for their information and guidance, the documents specified in the annexed schedule. I have, &c, EOBEET G. W. HERBEET. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure 1. SIE, — Downing Street, London, 11th November, 1887. On the Ist January next we shall have to furnish the Bank of England with the necessary funds to pay off £300,000 New Zealand Government 4-per-cent. guaranteed debentures (Act 20 and 21 Viet., c. 51), as well as the bank's commission of -J per cent., making a total of £301,500 to be so paid. I enclose a list of the securities constituting the sinking fund of this guaranteed loan, and would suggest that the New South Wales 3-|- and 4-per-cent. stocks standing in the names of Sir E. B. W. (now Lord) Lingen and others should be sold, together with £60,000 Victoria Government 4-per-cent. debentures, as well as sufficient New Zealand 4-pcr-cent. stock standing in the names of the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury and others, as would realise together the requisite amount. An early decision in this matter is desirable, in order that arrangements may be made to obtain the signatures of the various trustees to the transfer deeds. I have, &c, Hon. E. H. Meade, C.8., &c, Colonial Office. W. C. Sakgeaunt.

6—A. 2.

Date. Description of Document. Eepayment of Amount of Guaranteed Loan falling due in January, 1888— Crown Agents to Colonial Office. Colonial Office to Crown Agents. lth November... '3rd November...