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No. 2. New Zealand, No. 20. My Lord,- Government House, Wellington, 9th February, 1921. 1 have the honour to inform Your Lordship that a statement is current in New Zealand that the Government of Italy is in possesssion of certain new and valuable information in regard to the control ol diseases in fruit-trees and other plants. As no particulars of the nature of this information are available, my Ministers would be glad if you would cause inquiries to be made as to whether the statement is correct, and, if so, they would be obliged if particulars could be supplied to them. I have, &c, JELLICOE, Governor-General. The Right Hon. Viscount Milner, P.C., G.C.8., &c, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A-2, 1921, No. 24.

No. 3. New Zealand, No. 09. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 12th April, 1921. I have the honour to refer to Viscount Milner's despatch, No. 168, of the 23rd August, 1920, and to confirm my telegram of to-day's date, relative to the question of increased contributions to the funds of the Imperial Institute. 2. The suggestions made by Lord Milner have been very carefully considered by my Ministers, and have also been brought under the notice of the New Zealand Institute and of those responsible officers of the Public Service of the Dominion whose duties are of such a nature as to render their opinion on the subject worthy of consideration. 3. As the result of these inquiries and of the discussions following them, combined with the present necessity for the exercise of the strictest economy, my Ministers feel, with great regret, that they cannot at the present time accede to the request that New Zealand's contribution to the funds of the Institute be increased to £3,000 per annum. The Prime Minister will, however, look into the matter during his forthcoming visit to England, and on his return to the Dominion will give further consideration to the proposals. I have, &c, JELLICOE, The Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill, M.P., Governor-General. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 4. New Zealand, No. 71. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 13th April, 1921. With reference to your predecessor's despatch, No. 1, of the 4th January, regarding the issue of war medals to members of the mercantile marine, I have the honour to inform you that the last paragraph of clause 1 of the notice of May, 1920, is not intended to exclude members of the mercantile marine resident in New Zealand who may have served in voyages to the United Kingdom, but is treated as in addition to paragraph 2 of clause 1, which provides for the recognition of service out of ports in the United Kingdom. 2. Copies of the New Zealand instructions and forms which were enclosed in my despatch, No. 199, of the 17th December, to Lord Milner, for transmission to the Government of the Union of South Africa, were also sent direct to the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. 3. As the forms of application are now being reprinted to meet the amended conditions, fresh copies will be shortly forwarded direct to Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Newfoundland, as requested. I have, &c, JELLICOE, The Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill, M.P., Governor-General Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1921, [No. 11.]