A.—l.

No. 3. (No. 23.) Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 7th July, 1896. I have the honour to draw your attention to your despatch of the 6th July, 1895, with regard to the granting of decorative distinctions for saving life in the colony, and, by advice of my Ministers, to respectfully request you to reconsider your decision thereon. What my Government desires is to be placed in the same position as the Eoyal Humane Society, and to deal just as that society does with the applications which may come before it. The colony is at present contributing ,£lOO a year towards the Eoyal Humane Society of Australasia ; it has no control whatever over the expenditure, and the granting of the rewards is not working satisfactorily. For these reasons my Government hope that you will be pleased to reconsider your former decision. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, GLASGOW. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1896, No. 17.

No. 4. (No. 27.) Sic, — Government House, Wellington, Bth July, 1896. I have the honour to inform you that on the 16th ultimo the Premier waited on me and tendered me the resignation of the Hon. J. G. Ward, Colonial Treasurer, on account of the strictures which had been passed on him in the judgment given by Mr. Justice Williams with regard to his indebtedness to the late Colonial Bank and other matters in connection therewith. Under the circumstances, I felt that I had no alternative but to accept Mr. Ward's resignation. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, GLASGOW. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 5. (No. 38.) Sm, — Government House, Wellington, 26th September, 1896. In reply to your circular despatch dated the 23rd June, 1896, covering copy of a communication from the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom relative to colonial laws affecting British shipping, and inviting Ministers to consider the expediency of preserving uniformity as far as possible in legislation affecting merchant shipping throughout the Empire, I have the honour to inform you that my Ministers are not unmindful of the desirability of so doing, but are of opinion that this consideration must in some cases give place to measures which are deemed to be necessary for the safety of ships and passengers. With reference to the manning scale, to which exception is taken by the Chamber of Shipping, my Government are satisfied that it has not the effect of overmanning vessels; and the fact should be noted that it is not applicable to vessels trading between the United Kingdom and New Zealand, but only to those trading on the coast and between New Zealand and the Australian Colonies and between New Zealand and the South Sea Islands. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, GLASGOW. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1897, No. 9.

No. 6. (No. 37.) Sic, — Government House, Wellington, 28th September, 1896. In reply to your despatch (New Zealand, General) dated the 17th June, 1896, covering a letter from the Board of Trade regarding the notifying of

A.-2, 1897, No. 7.

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