A.—l

No. 25.

(No. 7.) Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 13th February, 1904. With reference to your despatch (New Zealand, No. 91), dated the 28th i November, 1903, asking for information on certain points connected with the working of the " probation " system in this colony, I have the honour to inform you that in localities where prisons are established the Gaolers are invariably the Probation Officers, and at towns and districts where there are no prisons the senior police sergeant or constable carry out these duties, and no remuneration is given in either case. Probation Officers are directly responsible to the Minister of Justice, and report to him through the officer in charge of the Prisons Department, and these reports do not go through any police officers or Magistrates. The costs which probationers are ordinarily ordered to pay are costs of the prosecution, such as witnesses' expenses, police expenses, &c, and such costs when paid are allocated to the public revenue of the colony. No statistics are available of the area and population of the probation districts, so much depending on the access by sea, rivers, roads, and rail. As a rule the probation districts are the same as the police districts, and the sergeant or constable of police at the nearest stations to where Courts sit are made Probation Officers. I have the honour to enclose for your information the forms in use in the colony. The form marked Ais the instructions given to Probation Officers, and the regulations under which the Act is administered. The form marked B is the report furnished by the Probation Officer to the Court; while that marked Cis the license given to the person placed on probation. The form marked D is the report made by the Probation Officer to the Minister of Justice through the head of the Prisons Department as soon as a person is placed on probation; and F is the form of monthly report furnished by the Probation Officers as long as a person remains on probation. Form E is the receipt given by the probationer to the officer when the former first receives his license. These forms in themselves show fairly well how the provisions of the Act are worked. I have, &c, RANFURLY. The Right Hon. A. Lyttelton, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A. 2,1904, No. 24.

No. 26. (No. 8.) Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 15th February, 1904. With reference to your despatch (New Zealand, No. 93), dated the 10th December, 1903, on the subject of the position of British manufacturers of glass bottles under New Zealand preferential tariff, I have the honour to inform you that the representation made by the RyJands' Glass and Engineering Company, whose letter you enclosed in your despatch, will be brought up for consideration in the event of an amendment to " The Preferential and Reciprocal Trade Act, 1903." being introduced. I have, &c, RANFURLY. The Right Hon. A. LyttelTon, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A. 2,1904, No. 26.

No. 27. (No. 14.) Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 2nd March, 1904. With reference to your despatch (New Zealand, No. 90), dated the 28th November, 1903, enclosing a letter from Mr. Barton, proposing export duty on kauri-gum exported from New Zealand to places other than the United Kingdom, I have the honour to inform you that Mr. Barton's representations will receive the careful consideration of my Government. I have, &c, RANFURLY. The Right Hon. A. Lyttelton, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A. 2,1904, No. 23.

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