A.—i

4

2. As you will have gathered from my despatch, No. 147, of the sth August last, the necessary instructions in connection with light and harbour dues on prize or detained ships or cargo were issued to Collectors of Customs in accordance with your predecessor's despatch, No. 264, of the 21st May, 1915, and my Ministers advise me that in order to carry out the wishes expressed in your despatch under reply the further necessary instructions are being issued to the responsible Customs officials at New Zealand ports. I have, &o, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. A. Bonar Law, P.C., &o, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 8. New Zealand, No. 72. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 11th April, 1916. With reference to Mr. Chamberlain's circular despatch of the Bth December, 1898, I have the honour to inform you, at the request of my Prime Minister, that the quantities of gold and silver entered for export from New Zealand for the year ended December 31st, 1916, were as follows : Gold, 422,825 ounces, equal to 13,151-63 kilogrammes, valued at £1,694,553; silver, 957,541 ounces, equal to 29,783-54 kilogrammes, valued at £95,583. I have, &o, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. A. Bonar Law, P.C., &o, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 9. New Zealand, No. 74. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 11th April, 1916. In reply to your despatch, No. 62, of the 28th January, with regard to the compilation of statistics for 1915 for the International Bureau of the Postal Union, I have the honour to inform you that my Prime Minister advises me that the International Bureau has already been informed that the Government of New Zealand do not propose to make any statistical returns for the present. I have, &o, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. A. Bonar Law, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 10. New Zealand, No. 76. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 13th April, 1916. I have the honour to inform you that my Prime Minister has asked me to convey an expression of the thanks of the Government of New Zealand for the information contained in the enclosures to your despatch, No. 74, of the 2nd February, as to the measures adopted to detect offences under the Merchandise Marks Act. 2. The Prime Minister mentions that the particulars supplied will doubtless be found of considerable use by the Government here. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, The Right Hon. A. Bonar Law, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.