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been made in the rate of exchange at which the Secretary of State for India in Council sells Council drafts on India, the rate of exchange for remittances made to India hy postal or money orders has been raised from 15 rupees to £1 (Is. 4d. the rupee) to 14 rupees 2 annas to £1, which is the equivalent to the nearest anna to the rate of Is. sd. the rupee. 2. Your Ministers will no doubt take such steps as may be necessary to bring these measures to the public notice. I have, &c, WALTER H. LONG. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, P.C., G.C.M.G, M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Restrictions on Trade Remittance to India. Owinij to the drain on the legal tender money in the reserves of the Government of India due to (1) military expenditure debitable to the War Office involving the indirect remittance of very large sums, and (2) the purchase, for export, of articles of importance for the prosecution of the war, it has become necessary— (a.) For the Secretary of State to limit the sale of drafts on the Government of India, which in normal times are sold without limit of amount and form an important part of the machinery of remittance : (b.) To stipulate that the Indian exchange banks, as a condition of being allowed to buy drafts on the Government of India, shall apply their resources in India primarily to the financing of exports included in a list of exports of special war importance, which has been drawn up in consultation with other Government Departments : (c.) To ask firms and institutions in India to make remittances to England only through the exchange banks, so that the money paid in. India against money to be received in England may become available for the purpose mentioned in (b).

No. 58. New Zealand, No. 165. My Lord,— Downing Street, 22nd October, 1917. I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that it has been notified by the Government of the Union of South Africa that '* all persons entering the Union from foreign territory or by sea must be in possession of passports vise or issued by a competent authority. I have, &c, WALTER LL LONG. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, P.C., G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 59. New Zealand, No. 166. My Lord, — Downing Street, 22nd October, 1917. With reference to my telegram of the 2nd August, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that His Majesty's Government desire that instructions should be issued to masters of all British ships, whether on Government service or not, that no marine protests should be noted in the Dominions and colonies except before an officer of the Government, and that they would be glad to learn, for the instruction of those masters, before which officers the masters should attend for the purpose of making their protests. I have, &c, WALTER H. LONG. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl oT Liverpool, P.C., "G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.