A.—l

4

Your Lordship's- telegram of the 11th June, conveying sympathy to the bereaved and appreciation of Mr. Seddon's work, covers all I could say upon this melancholy subject, and I have only to add that I and my Government have received messages of profound sorrow from nearly every part of the Empire. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. PLUNKET.

No. 8. (No. 40.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 9th July, 1906. I have the honour to inform you that I opened the first session of the sixteenth Parliament of this colony on the 28th June, and to enclose copies of the Speech that I made on that occasion. 2. I also enclose for Your Lordship's information copies of the Addresses in Reply from the Legislative Assembly and the House of Representatives. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. PLUNKET.

No. 9. (No. 42.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 9th July, 1906. I have the honour to bring to Your Lordship's notice the enclosed minute from my Premier, in which information is desired concerning limitation of coastwise trade referred to in the resolution respecting the navigation laws of the Empire, which was passed by the Colonial Conference of 1902. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. PLUNKET.

Enclosure. Memorandum for His Excellency th<; Governor. Wellington, 'Jtli July, 190 G. Tiik Premier presents his compliments to His Excellency, and respectfully advises that the attention of the Secretary of State for the Colonies be invited to the resolution respecting the navigation laws of the Empire, which was passed by tlie Colonial Conference of 1902. The terms of that resolution appear on page 139 of the report of the proceedings of the Conference, and are as follows: —" That it is desirable that the attention of the Governments of the colonies and the United Kingdom should be called to the present state of the navigation laws in the Empire, and in other countries, and to the advisability of refusing the privileges of coastwise trade, including trade between the Mother-country and its colonies and possessions, and between one colony or possession and another, to countries in which the corresponding trade is confined to shipsof their own nationality, and also the laws affecting shipping, with a view of seeing whether any other steps should be taken to promote Imperial trade in British vessels." This Government will be glad to learn whether consideration has been given by His Majesty's Ministers to that part of the resolution whicli refers to the limitation of the coastwise trade as therein defined to British vessels, and, if so, whether an\ action in that direction is contemplated. WM. HA1.1.-JONKf.

No. 10. (No. 52.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 11th August, 1906. With reference to Lord Ripon's Colonial Office despatch (General) of the 15th June, 1893, and the last paragraph of his general despatch of the 2nd August, 1894, I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that Mr. Thomas Young Duncan and Mr. Charles Houghton Mills have ceased to be members of the Executive Council, and to recommend that His Majesty's permission may be granted for these gentlemen to retain the title of " Honourable." I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. PLUNKET.