A.—2.

Sir, — Downing Street, 31st August, 1911. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th instant, and to request you to inform the High Commissioner that the Foreign Office are being asked to furnish the information desired by the Government of New Zealand as to the legislation to be introduced into the Imperial Parliament in regard to pelagic sealing. 2. On receipt of this information it will be communicated to the" Governor'of New Zealand. I am, &c, The Secretary, Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand. H. W. Just.

No. 97. New Zealand, No. 318. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bfch September, 1911. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the papers noted below on the subject of the importation of foodstuffs from the self-governing dominions into foreign countries. I have, &c, L. HAKCOUKT. The Officer administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosures. The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs jjresents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and, by direction of the Secretary of State, transmits herewith copies of the undermentioned papers. Foreign Office, 18th July, 1911.

[Similar letter sent to Local Government Board, Board of Trade.] Board of Trade (Commercial Department), Gwydyr House, Whitehall, Sir— London S.W., 21st June, 1911. 1 am directed by the Board of Trade to advert to your letter (No. 36987) of the 13th October last, forwarding copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Minister at Copenhagen, in which he reports that the importation into or transit through Denmark of meat, frozen or otherwise, is entirely prohibited by the law of the 14th April, 1893. The Board note, however, that the official statistics of the foreign trade of Denmark indicate that fresh meat is imported into the. Kingdom for consumption so that it would seem that complete prohibition cannot be actually in operation. lam accordingly to suggest, for Sir E. Grey's consideration, that this fact might be brought to the notice of Sir C. Greene, and that he might be instructed to furnish a further report as to the nature and effect of any subsequent legislation that may have affected the matter, including the special regulations, if any, affecting imports from individual countries. In this connection I am to point out that the regulations which accompanied Sir A. Johnston's despatch, No. 28, Commercial, of the 27th June, 1896, appear to indicate that the prohibition of the importation and transit of fresh and slightly salted meat is not in fact universal, whilst the Danish law of the 26th March, 1906, concerning the importation and exportation of agricultural products, translation of which was forwarded with Mr. Ford's despatch, No. 10, Commercial, of the 31st March, 1906, contains provisions for the marking of imported " agricultural produce of animal origin," and includes under this head " meat and meat-products from horses, cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry." I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. Geo. J. Stanley.

12—A. 2.

89

Date. Description. 18th July, 1911 18th July, 1911 10th August, 1911 19th August, 1911 2nd September, 1911 From the Foreign Office.

Name and. Date. Subject. Name and. Date. 1. Board of Trade, 21st June .. .. • • 1 2. H.M. Minister at Copenhagen —No. 40, Commercial, of meat in Denmark. 6th July J