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A.—2

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to.be, affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, A.D. one thousand nine hundred and ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and thirty-fourth. By the President—P. C. Knox, Secretary of State. Wμ. H. Taft.

No. 20. New Zealand, No. 102. My Lord, — Downing Street, 6th May, 1910. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copy of a Bill, introduced into the Canadian Parliament, shortly entitled " The Combines Investigation Act," together with copy of the speech in which the Minister of Labour moved the second reading of the Bill. I have, &c, CREWE. Governor the Eight Hon. Lord Plunket, G.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

No. 21. New Zealand, No. 103. My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th May, 1910. I have the honour to request that you will inform your Ministers that it has been brought to the notice of the Army Council that there are in circulation forgeries on paper of Army Forms B 128 and B 2077, the parchment certificates of character on discharge from the army and army reserve respectively. 2. As these certificates are one of the chief credentials of the ex-soldier in applying for employment, it is essential that their trustworthiness should be beyond doubt, and the Council think it desirable to bring to the notice of your Government the existence of forged forms, with a view to the fact becoming widely known. 3. The authorized forms are invariably printed on parchment, and bear the printer's press mark " H.W.V.," with the date and numbers printed. This mark is absent on those forgeries w T hich have come under notice. 4. I enclose copies on paper of the forms of certificate referred to, together with copies of Army Form D 426, the discharge |parchment certificate now issued in lieu of forms B 128 and B 2077. I have &c, CREWE. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, G.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

No. 22. New Zealand, No. 104. My Lord, — Downing Street, 13th May, 1910. With reference to my predecessor's despatch, No. 94, of the 9th October, 1907, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a note addressed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the French Ambassador with regard to the sale of liquor and ammunition by French citizens to the Natives of the New Hebrides. I have, &c, CREWE. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, G.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c. Enclosure. Your Excellency,— Foreign Office, 19th April, 1910. I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the attention of His Majesty's Government has been called by the British, authorities in the New Hebrides to the continued and increasing sale of liquor and ammunition by French citizens to the Natives of the group.