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that the Government of Italy is in possession of new and valuable information regarding the control of diseases in fruit-trees and other plants, I have the honour to inform you that no further information on the subject is available in New Zealand than that contained in my despatch, No. 26, of the 9th February last. 2. As there does not appear to be any foundation in fact for the statement which was current in the Dominion at the time my despatch was written, it is not desired that inquiries should be pursued in the matter, though the offer of the Minister of Agriculture to do so is very much appreciated by my Ministers. I have, &c, JELLICOE, The Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill, M.I ~ Governor-General. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 9. New Zealand, No. 1.05. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 16th August, 192.1. With reference to your despatch, No. 122, of the 20th June, intimating that His Majesty's Government and the Government of India have agreed to pay a special subscription to the International Customs Tariff Bureau of three times the normal contribution in respect of the year 1921-22, I have the honour to inform you that my Government has decided to make a similar payment on behalf of New Zealand. I have, &c, JELLICOE, The Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill/M. I\, Governor-General. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2j 1921, No. 30.

No. 10. New Zealand, No. 170. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 25th August, 1921. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 121, of the 20th June, relating to arrangements for the issue of medals to members of the mercantile marine, with particular reference to New Zealand. 2. My Ministers ask me to state that in the case of an applicant to whom the ribands of the British War Medal and the Mercantile Marine Medal have been issued in the United Kingdom, who now resides in the Dominion, and who applies for the issue in New Zealand of the medals, the procedure adopted by the Marine Department is to fill in a form of application for the ribands and medals, and to note on the application form that the ribands have been issued in the United Kingdom, &c, quoting at the same time the number of the " authority to wear the ribands " which was issued to the applicant. This having been done, the Marine Department will forward to the Board of Trade a copy of the form of application with its endorsement, and any additional information which may be available, so that the medals may be forwarded by the Board of Trade to the Marine Department for issue in New Zealand. 3. If similar procedure is adopted by the Board of Trade in the case of those applicants who receive the ribands in New Zealand and are now resident in the United Kingdom, the medals will be forwarded from New Zealand for issue. 4. This method, which it is hoped will be convenient to the Board of Trade, is considered advisable in order to avoid any unengraved medals remaining on hand in this Dominion. I have, &c, JELLICOE, The Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill, M.P., Governor-General. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1921, No. 29.