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No. 19. (No. 114.) Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 9th December, 1903. With reference to your despatch (New Zealand, General), dated the 21st October, 1902, on the subject of the mutual protection of patents in the Mother-country and the colonies, I have the honour to inform you that my Government consider that any scheme of the nature contemplated would require to be very carefully thought out, and that no satisfactory proposal could be formulated without full discussion and interchange of views between the various colonies concerned. My Government would be willing to co-operate in giving effect to the proposal, provided that a satisfactory scheme can be arranged. They consider that probably the most convenient plan would be for the Imperial authorities to lay down the heads of a scheme, and then submit it to the colonies. I have, &c, RANFURLY. The Right Hon. A. Lyttelton, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 20. (No. 117.) Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 12th December, 1903. I have the honour to forward you herewith a synopsis, prepared by the Attorney-General, of the Acts passed during the first session of the Fifteenth Parliament of New Zealand, together with the Acts duly authenticated with the Seal of the Colony. I have, &c, RANFURLY. The Right Hon. A. Lyttelton, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Enclosure. Special Report. For the information of His Excellency the Governor, I beg to report as follows: — 1. The synopsis attached hereto contain a list of all the Acts passed by the General Assembly of New Zealand during the session which ended on the 24th day of November, 1903. 2. In my opinion, none of those Acts are repugnant to the law of England; nor was it necessary, except as regards Acts Nos. 95 and 96, that they should have been reserved for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure thereon, in accordance with the Royal Instructions of the 26th day of March, 1892. 3. Acts Nos. 95 and 96 have been so reserved in accordance with the provisions of " The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894" (57 and 58 Vict., c. 60). 4. Act No. 78 (the Preferential and Reciprocal Trade Act) imposes preferential duties on certain foreign goods, and therefore comes under clause 6 of the Royal Instructions, but was assented to by His Excellency (as authorised by that clause) on the advice of Ministers that urgent necessity existed requiring it to be brought into immediate operation, so as to prevent the colony being flooded with extra-dutiable goods whilst the Act was reserved. Dated at Wellington, this 2nd day of December, 1903. Albert Pitt, Attorney-General.

Synopsis of Acts passed by the General Assembly- of New Zealand in the Session ended the 24th Day of November, 1903. Public Veneral Acts. 1. " The Imprest Supply Act, 1903."—Granting £465,000 and £10,000 towards the services of the current financial year. 2. " The Rotokare Domain Act Repeal Act, 1903." —Making provision for the protection of the Rotokare Domain. 3. "The Imprest Supply Act, 1903 (No. 2)."—Granting £465,000 and £10,000 towards the services of the current financial year. 4. " The Road and Town Districts Rating Act, 1903." —Extending the rating-powers of Road and Town Boards. 5. " The Weights and Measures Act, 1903."—Consolidating and amending the law relating to weights and measures, legalising the use of the metric system, and empowering the Governor to declare such system in force in New Zealand at a future date. 6. " The First Offenders' Probation Amendment Act, 1903." —Amending the law relating to the release of first offenders on probation.