5

A.—2,

2. His Majesty's Government concur in the views expressed by the Chamber and trust your Ministers will bear them in mind in any Merchant Shipping legislation which may be deemed desirable. They will, however, be glad to give full consideration to any amendments in the Imperial Acts which may be suggested from time to time by your Government. I have etc., ELGIN. Governor, the Et. Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O.

Enclosure. Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, 5 Whittington Avenue, Leadenhall Street, E.C., 23rd March, 1908. Australian and other Colonial Legislation. My Lord, I am directed by the Executive Council of this Chamber to forward to your Lordship the subjoined copy of a resolution upon the above subject which was unanimously agreed to at the recent Annual Meeting of this Chamber and to request for it your Lordship's favourable consideration. I am etc., The Right Hon. the Earl of Elgin, K.C. W. H. Cooke, Secretary. His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies. Resolution. " That, in the opinion of this Chamber, legislation in Australia and other Colonies of the Empire affecting British ships owned in the United Kingdom not engaged in the coastal trade of the Colony should not impose upon such ships any restrictions beyond those imposed upon them by the British Merchant Shipping Acts."

No. 6. No. 58. My Lord, Downing Street, 10th April, 1908. With reference to my Circular despatch of the 23rd of November, 1906, I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that all parts of the Empire have now decided to adopt the increased unit of weight under the recent Convention of Rome for letter postage, with the exception of the Commonwealth of Australia and the several South African Governments. These Governments will, however, accept as fully prepaid at Id. the ounce all letters received from other parts of the Empire. 2. I take this opportunity of, informing you that the Bechuanaland Protectorate has decided to adopt the Imperial Penny Postage system from the Ist instant. I have etc., ELGIN. Governor, the Rt. Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O.

No. 7. No. 59. My Lord, Downing Street, 11th April, 1908. With reference to your despatch No. 12 of 14th Feby., 1907, on the subject of the attaching of individual members of the Imperial Yeomanry to Colonial Mounted Forces and vice versa, I have the honour to request Your Lordship to inform your Ministers that on further consideration the Army Council consider it desirable to extend the original proposal and to make it possible for members of all arms of any Colonial Force to be temporarily attached as individuals to the Territorial Force and even to His Majesty's regular forces, and also, for any member of the Territorial Force to do his annual training with a Colonial Force whenever he may happen to be for the time being resident in a Colony. 2. In my despatch General of the 12th of November, 1906 it was stated that it would not be necessary for purposes of discipline, to bring men of the Colonial Mounted Forces under the Army Act by enlisting them into the Imperial Yeomanry. But, though enlistment is not necessary, the Army Council consider it very important that any individuals attached to corps in the manner proposed should, while so attached, be subject to the same law and regulations as that corps itself; and