A.^-2.

Enclosure.

New Zealand. — Dormant Commission passed under the Royal Sign Manual and Signet, appointing the Chief Justice or the Senior Judge for the time being of the Supreme Court of New Zealand to administer the Government of that Dominion, in the event of the Death, Incapacity, or Absence of the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor (if any), dated 18th December, 1907. Edward R. &, I. Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India : To Our Trusty and Well-beloved the Chief Justice or the Senior Judge for the time being of the Supreme Court of New Zealand : Greeting. Whereas by Our Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of November 1907, We did constitute, order, and declare that there should be a Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Dominion of New Zealand, and did authorise, empower, and command Our said Governor and Commander-in-Chief to do and execute all things belonging to his said office as therein is more particularly set forth : And whereas by Our said Letters Patent We did declare that, in the event of the death, incapacity, or removal of Our said Governor and Commander-in-Chief, or of his departure from the Dominion, Our Lieutenant Governor, or if there should be no such Officer in the Dominion, then such person or persons as We might appoint under Our Sign Manual and Signet, should during Our pleasure administer the Government of the same : Now know you that by this Our Commission, under Our Sign Manual and Signet, We do appoint you, the Chief Justice for the time being of Our said Dominion of New Zealand, until Our further pleasure shall be signified, to administer the Government thereof in case of the death, incapacity, or removal, or of the departure from the Dominion of Our said Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief, as well as of Our Lieutenant Governor (if any), with all and singular the powers and authorities granted by Our said Letters Patent, or by any other Letters Patent adding to, amending, or substituted for the same.; and, in the said event, and in case of the death, incapacity or departure from Our said Dominion of the said Chief Justice for the time being, then We do appoint you, the Senior Judge for the time being of the Supreme Court of Our said Dominion, then residing therein, and not being under incapacity, to administer the Government thereof, with all the powers and authorities aforesaid. And we do hereby authorise and require you the said Chief Justice or the said Senior Judge for the time being, as the case may be, to exercise and perform the said powers and authorities according to such Instructions as Our said Governor and Commander-in-Chief or Our said Lieutenant Governor hath already received or may hereafter receive from Us, under Our Sign Manual and Signet, or through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, and according to such laws as are now or shall hereafter be in force in Our said Dominion. Provided always that you, the Senior Judge, shall act in the administration of the Government only when and so often as you, the said Chief Justice, shall not be present within the Dominion and capable of administering the Government. And We do hereby appoint that from and after the date of the coming into operation of Our above recited Letters Patent of the Eighteenth day of November 1907, this Our present Commission shall supersede the Commission under the Sign Manual and Signet of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria dated the Twenty-second day of February 1879, appointing the Chief Justice or the Senior Judge for the time being of the Colony of New Zealand, to be Administrator thereof, in the events therein specified. And We do hereby command all and singular Our Officers, Ministers, and loving subjects in Our said Dominion, and all others whom it may concern, to take due notice hereof, and to give their ready obedience accordingly. Given at Our Court at Saint James's this eighteenth day of December, 1907, in the Seventh year of Our Reign. By His Majesty's Command. Elgin.

No. 24.

(No. 13.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 30th January, 1908. I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, copy of a letter from the Board of Trade forwarding copies of a new form of certificate of survey which has been prescribed in connection with the registration of vessels as British. I shall be glad if your Ministers will consider whether it would not be desirable for the sake of uniformity to adopt a similar form of certificate as regards vessels to be registered in New Zealand. I have, &c, ELGIN. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O.

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