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Enclosure 1. Illusteious Sib, — Rome, 12th December, 1889. I have the honour to announce to you that His Majesty the King, my august sovereign, has been pleased to confer on you the decoration of Cavalieri of the Order of the Crown of Italy, in consideration of the sympathy which the Italian Government entertains towards you for the services rendered to the Government by you. In advising you of the decoration which has been conferred upon you, I have the honour to remit the brevetto of the decoration above mentioned. I have the honour to offer you, Mr. Cavalieri, the expressions of my regard. Damiani, Under Secretary of State.

Enclosure 2. His Majesty Humbert the First, by the Grace of God and the will of the Nation King of Italy, Grand Master of the Order of the Crown of Italy, has signed the following Decree: — On the suggestion of the President of the Council of Ministers, our Minister the Secretary of State, and who is also acting as Minister for Foreign Affairs, we have nominated, and do hereby nominate, George Fisher, a British subject, and our Consular Agent at Wellington, New Zealand, a Cavalieri of the Order of the Crown of Italy, with full right to wear the insignia of the order. The Chancellor of the order is hereby charged to execute the present decree, which will be, registered at the office of the order. Dated at Rome, 24th November, 1889. (Signed) Humbekt. (Countersigned) Cbispi. (Seen) Beeti. The Chancellor of the Order of the Crown of Italy declares that, in accordance with the abovementioned Royal decree, the above-named George Fisher was inscribed in the roll of Cavaliers as No. 2693, and hereby forwards the present document to the gentleman decorated. Dated at Rome, sth December, 1889. Chancelloe of the Obdeb. Bebti, Chief of the Staff.

No. 23. (No. 33.) My Lord,— Wellington, 22nd May, 1891. In reply to your Lordship's despatch " General " of the 9th March, 1891, I have the honour to inform you that my Government desire that the stipulations contained in the Convention between Great Britain and Egypt of the 29th October, 1889, should be made applicable to this colony. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G. ONSLOW.

A.-2, 1891, Sess. 11. No. 16.

No. 24. (No. 35.) My Lord,— Wellington, 23rd May, 1891. I have the honour to transmit for your Lordship's information a copy of a memorandum prepared by Messrs. Mackrell, Norton, and Godbe, solicitors, for the Agent-General for New Zealand, setting forth certain difficulties which have arisen in connection with policies of life insurance issued in the colony by insurance companies carrying on business in the colonies, but having their head office in London. 2. Your Lordship will observe that Messrs. Mackrell, Norton, and Godbe are of opinion that a foreign administrator is not entitled by "The Revenue Act, 1889" (52 and 53 Vict., c. 42), to recover moneys payable by an insurance company in England upon a policy of life insurance issued in the colony. 3. My Government are advised that dispensing with the production of a grant of probate or letters of administration is not sufficient for other than revenue purposes. 4. I have therefore to request that your Lordship will move Her Majesty's Government to take such further steps, by legislative enactment, as will entitle the parties to recover from life insurance companies the value of their policies on the production of probate or letters of administration issued in the colony, or a duly-authenticatecl copy of the same. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G. ONSLOW.