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No. 73. New Zealand, No. 27. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 23rd February, 1912. With reference to your despatch, No. 299, of the 25th August, 1911, on the subject of Imperial Conference Resolution XI (Accident Compensation Laws), I have the honour to inform you that in a minute to me of the 19th February my Ministers report as follows : " There does not appear to be any necessity for New Zealand to take steps in the direction indicated, on account of the fact that, while British Workers' Compensation Act of 1906 has the widest application, the New Zealand Act is largely based on that Act, and goes further than the Acts of any other British dominion." I have, &c, ISLINGTON, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 74. New Zealand, No. 28. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 23rd February, 1912. With reference to your despatch, No. 413, of the 29th December last, regarding the International Convention for the Suppression of Obscene Publications, I have the honour to inform you, in reply to the last paragraph of your despatch relating to the authority to be designated by the New Zealand Government under Article I of the Convention, that my Government has decided that the Commissioner of Police shall be the authority for this Dominion. I have, &c, ISLINGTON, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., '&c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1912, No. 141.

No. 75. New Zealand, No. 32. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 29th February, 1912. Referring to your despatch, No. 403, of the 16th December last, regarding the proposed appointment of Mr. William J. Prouse as Vice-Consul for Uruguay at Wellington, I have the honour to inform you that my Government has no objection to this gentleman, and that notification of the provisional recognition of his appointment was published in the issue of the New Zealand Gazette of the 22nd February, 1912. I have, &c, ISLINGTON, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1912, No. 136.

No. 76." New Zealand, No. 33. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 29th February, 1912. With reference to your despatch, No. 218, of the sth July, 1911, inquiring whether my Ministers desire that notification of their adhesion to the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between the United Kingdom and Japan should be given, I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a memorandum received from my Prime Minister, stating that the matter has been carefully considered, and that it has been decided by the New Zealand Government not to adhere to the treaty at present. I have, &c, ISLINGTON, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies,

A.-2, 1912, No. 51.