A.—l.

No. 22. New Zealand, No. 211. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 30th September, 1926. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 172, of the 31st July, with regard to the importation into New Zealand of works believed to infringe copyright. 2. In the reply which they have submitted to me, my Ministers state, as their opinion, that it is necessary that the information referred to in the concluding paragraph of my despatch, No. 63, of the 14th April, should be communicated by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise to owners of copyrights who give the requisite notice. They would accordingly be grateful if this course could be followed in respect of such future notifications. It is understood that as regards notifications already made the New Zealand authorities will, when necessary, communicate direct with the owners of the relevant copyrights. 3. Ministers have asked me to convey an expression of their appreciation of the assistance given by His Majesty's Government in connection with this matter. I have, &c., CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General. The Right Hon. L. C. M. S. Amery, M.P., Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.

No. 23. New Zealand, No. 213. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, Ist October, 1926. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of yonr despatch, No. 144, of the 30th June, inquiring whether local creditors in New Zealand are accorded any preference over creditors in any other part of the Empire in (a) bankruptcy proceedings and (b) in the liquidation of a company. 2. My Ministers have advised me, in reply, that there is no law or regulation in New Zealand which authorizes the Official Assignee or the liquidator of the company giving preference to payment of debts due by a bankrupt or company to local creditors. The law as regards the distribution of such estates is the same in this "Dominion as in other parts of the Empire, and the estate is distributed pari passu to all creditors in the one bankruptcy, or liquidation, wherever they are situated. Ifhave, &c., [CHARLES£FERGUSSON, Governor-General. The Right Hon. L. C. M. S. Amery, M.P., Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.

No. 24. New Zealand, No. 238. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 11th November, 1926. With reference to your despatch, Dominions No. 422, of the 7th September, relative to the Customs privileges enjoyed by Latvian diplomatic and consular officers in this Dominion, I have the honour to inform you that my Ministers have furnished the following replies to the questionnaire submitted by the Latvian Minister : — (1) At the present time there is no representative of the Latvian Government in New Zealand. No occasion has arisen for any ruling regarding the quantity, weight, &c., of diplomatic baggage which can be imported into New Zealand in sealed packages.

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