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Enclosure. Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 21st December, 1905. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. With reference to the despatch from the Secretary of State (No. 21), of the Bth March last, on the subject of " The New Zealand Shipping and Seamen Act, 1903," and colonial shipping legislation, the legal position is no doubt unsatisfactory owing to the Imperial Parliament attempting to legislate on the matter for the whole of the British dominions, and at the same time, in effect, recognising the attempt as unworkable by giving colonial Legislatures various vaguely defined powers to adapt and repeal, &c. In exercising these powers, nice and difficult questions are bound to arise as to whether the powers have been exceeded. It would appear that the simplest and most satisfactory solution of the difficulty would be for the Imperial Parliament, by Act, to validate the colonial enactments now in existence, and to provide that the Imperial Shipping Acts shall apply throughout the British dominions in so far as in any British possession local legislation inconsistent therewith does not exist, or is not enacted. Uniformity of legislation is properly a matter for a Conference, such as is suggested by the Secretary of State, and the Government is in correspondence with the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia on the subject of the advisability of being represented at such a Conference. R. J. Seddon. No. 18. (No. 2.) My Lord, — Government House, Auckland, sth February, 1906. In continuation of my despatch (No. 7) of the 2nd March, 1905, and in 1905] conformity with the Colonial Office despatch of the Bth December, 1898, I have No - 22 - -the honour to state that the quantities of gold and silver entered for, export for the year ended 31st December, 1905, were 520,486 oz., equal to 16,18930 kilograms, valued at £2,093,936; and 1,179,903 oz., equal to 36,699-93 kilograms, valued at £120,549 respectively. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. PLUNKET. No. 19. (No. 4.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 13th February, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge your predecessor's despatch (General) of the sth September, with reference to the Fifth International Congress on Insurance, which is to be held in Berlin in September this year. My Government desire me to state that they do not propose to participate in the Congress. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. PLUNKET. No. 20. (No. 5.) My Lord,—- Government House, Wellington, 13th February, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge your predecessor's despatch (General) a.-2, 1906, of the 3rd August last, with which was enclosed a copy of a letter from the No - 18 - British Medical Association communicating a resolution concerning the registration of medical qualifications, and asking for the views of my Government on the subject. 2. In reply, my Ministers beg to state that the New Zealand " Medical Practitioners Begistration Act, 1905 " (of which two copies are enclosed) shows how far the Legislature of this colony has considered it judicious to proceed on the lines of the resolution of the British Medical Association. 3. It will be observed from the schedule of qualifications for registration (see last paragraph of schedule to Act) that the Colony of New Zealand is not absolutely tied down to follow the rate of procedure which obtains in the United Kingdom as to admitting foreign diplomas in medicine and surgery to registration. It is considered that perfect compliance would not suit the circumstances of this colony. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. PLUNKET.