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No. 52

New Zealand, Dominions No. 563. My Lord, — Downing Street, 30th August, 1917. With reference to my predecessor's despatch, No. 693, of the sth September, 1916, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a Royal Warrant, dated the 25th June, 1917, amending the third clause of the Military Cross Warrant of the 23rd August, 1916. I have, &c. WALTER IT. LONG. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, P.C., G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. The Military Cross. Royal Warrant of the 25th. June, 1917, amending the Third. Clause, of the Military Cross Warrant of the 23rd August, 1916. George R.I. Whereas Wo deem it expedient that acting or temporary Majors and acting or temporary Chaplains, 3rd Class, should be considered eligible for the award of the Military Cross : It is our will and pleasure and We do hereby ordain that the third clause of our Royal Warrant dated the 23rd August, 1916, governing the Military Cross, shall read as follows : — " Thirdly : It is ordained that no person shall be eligible for this decoration nor bo nominated thereto unless he be a Captain, a commissioned officer of a lower grade, or a warrant officer, Class I or Class 11, in our Army, or our Indian or Colonial Military Forces, and that the Military Cross shall be awarded only to officers of the above ranks on a recommendation to lis by our Principal Secretary of State for War. " Officers not above the substantive rank of Captain who hold the acting or temporary rank of Major, and acting or temporary Chaplains, 3rd Class, shall also be eligible." Given at our Court at, St. James's, this 25th day of June, 1917, in the eighth year of our reign. By His Majesty's Command, Derby.

No. 53. New Zealand, Dominions No. 594. My Lord, — Downing Street, 13th September, 1917. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, copies of an Army Council Instruction respecting the marking of graves of prisoners of war. I have, &c, WALTER H. LONG. Governor-Gen oral His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, P. 0., G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c. Enclosure. Army Council Instruction No. 1319 of 1917. War Office, 25th August, 1917. 1319. Prisoners of War: — Instructions regarding the Marking of Graves of Deceased. Enemy Combatants in the British Isles, and in all Commands of the British Empdre and. Districts abroad where War is not in Progress. 1. G.Os.C. (through Officers in Charge of Hospitals and Commandants, Prisoner of War Camps) will make arrangements for the marking of all existing graves of combatant, prisoners of war hitherto unmarked, and of future graves where provision for marking has not been made or is not in contemplation by fellow-prisoners of the deceased, with a simple wooden cross bearing full regimental particulars and date of death of deceased painted or stencilled on it. When required the necessary information will be furnished to G.Os.C, or Commandants, or Officers in Charge of Hospitals in respect of past and future deaths by the Prisoners of War Information Bureau, 49 Wellington Street, Strand, London W.C. 2.