15

A.—2

The said new law further contains, in paragraph 49, the following enactment : With reference to money and chattels which the Public Trustee has to pay or hand over to nationals of foreign States who are resident in such foreign States, the Governor (i.e., of New Zealand) can by publication in the Government journal (i.e., of New Zealand) announce that such money and chattels are to be paid or handed over to the highest consular authority for such foreign State in New Zealand, on behalf of such national (of the foreign State in question), and the written receipt of such highest consular official shall be a full and sufficient release for the Public Trustee. So far as is known, the necessary powers have, up to now, been given to the Italian Consul at Melbourne, the Danish Consul at Auckland, and the Belgian Consul-General at Melbourne. The Imperial Government desire to bring about a similar settlement of the question, and I am instructed to ask your Excellency to be good enough to take the necessary steps for the Governor of New Zealand to be empowered to pay or hand over the property of German nationals dying intestate in New Zealand to the Imperial Consul-General in Sydney for the time being, or his representative. As shown by the accompanying official list of the German Imperial Consuls for July last, the official district of the Consul-General at Sydney includes Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Fiji Islands. Under the Consul-General are placed the consulates at Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington, in New Zealand. The incumbent of the post of Consul-General at Sydney, or his representative, is therefore to be considered as the highest German consular authority in New Zealand. I venture to observe that the best means of delivering the property to the Consul-General, or his representative, would be by a bill of exchange, payable to the order of the Legation Chest (Legation-skaase) at Berlin—not to the order of the Imperial German Foreign Office. I venture to await a favourable reply, and I have, &c, The Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., &c. H. Hohenlohe.

No. 27. (General.) My Lobd, — Downing Street, 24th December, 1896. I have the honour to acknowledge your telegram of the 19th December, and to inform you that the Queen has been pleased to approve of the retention of the title of " Honourable " by Mr. Joseph G. Ward on his quitting office after more than three years' service as a member of the Executive Council of the Colony of New Zealand, and that a notification to this effect will be published in the London Gazette. I have, &c, J. CHAMBEELAIN. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 28. My Lobd, — Colonial Office, Downing Street, 16th January, 1897. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch, No. 43, of the 21st November, reporting the publication in the New Zealand Gazette of the Proclamation by the Queen applying parts of " The Coinage Act, 1870," to the Australasian Colonies, and of the Order in Council approving the draft of this Proclamation. Your Lordship will observe, on reference to the Order in Council, that it is necessary that the Proclamation should be promulgated by the Governors of each of the colonies named in the order, and that the publication of the Proclamation by your Government does not fulfil the requirements of the order. I request, therefore, that your Lordship will issue a Proclamation promulgating the Queen's Proclamation of the Ist of August, 1896, and furnish me with copies of your Proclamation. I have, &c, J. CHAMBEELAIN. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., &c.

A.-l, 1897, No. 9.

No. 29. [Downing Street, 28th January, 1897.] Invitation to Pbemiebs to be pbesent at the Celebbation op the Sixtieth Yeae of Hee Majesty's Eeign. [See A.-L, Session 1., 1897.]