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No. 48. New Zealand, No. 183. • Sir, — . Government House, Wellington, 21st October, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 345, of the 12th August, calling attention to certain questions which have arisen regarding the meaning of Article 10 of the Foreign Marriages Order in Council, 1913. 2. In compliance with your request I brought the matter under the notice of my Ministers, and I have received a minute, addressed to the Prime Minister by the Minister of Internal Affairs, which reads as follows : " With reference to the request contained in paragraph 6 of the Secretary of State's despatch, Registrars of Marriages in New Zealand are not empowered to issue certificates required by Article 10 of the Foreign Marriages Order in Council, as it has not been found necessary to bring that Order in Council into effect in New Zealand." I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P. 0., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1915. No. 52.

No. 49. New Zealand, No. 186. Sir,- — Government House, Wellington, 22nd October, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 296, of the 10th July, relative to the. useful work which is being carried out by the Society of Comparative Legislation. 2. I transmitted your despatch, and the society's memorandum which accompanied it, to my Ministers, as desired, and I have received a memorandum from the Prime Minister in which he states that he has had pleasure in discussing the matter with his colleagues. He informs me, further, that the Government of New Zealand is a regular subscriber of £5 ss. per annum to the society, and that the High Commissioner for New Zealand has this year been advised that the Government approves the proposal to extend the scope of the society's publication. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 50. New Zealand, No. 189. Sir,- — Government House, Wellington, 29th October, 1914. With reference to your telegram of the 20th, October, requesting that lists may be sent you showing the regiment, rank, Christian names, &c, of officers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, I have the honour to enclose copies of the Supplement to the Quarterly Army List of the New Zealand Forces for the month of October, which contains the particulars asked for, with the exception of the dates of embarkation. With regard to the latter, the Advance Party for Samoa embarked on the 14th August, 1914, and the Main Expedition for Europe embarked on the 24th September, 1914, sailing from Wellington on the 16th October, 1914. 2. I may add that copies of the Supplement referred to accompanied my despatch, No. 166, of the 30th September last, but it will be observed that the copies now sent you contain certain corrections. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.