D.— No. 14.

Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, and so forth ; To Our Trusty and Loving Subject, George Williams, Doctor of Medicine, Greeting : Whereas on the fifteenth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Colony of New Zealand, did issue in Council a Commission in Our name appointing certain persons named therein to inquire into and report upon the Manufacture of New Zealand Elax, as well as the Cultivation of other Varieties of Flax, and to recommend the best means of promoting that Manufacture in the Colony of New Zealand : And whereas it is desirable to appoint an additional person to the aforesaid Commission: Now know ye that We, reposing great trust and confidence in your knowledge and ability, have authorized and appointed, and by these presents do authorize and appoint you, George Williams, to be an additional Commissioner for the purposes and with the powers specified in the said Commission; which Commission continues in full force and virtue, anything herein notwithstanding. In testimony whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent, and tho Seal of Our said Colony to be hereunto affixed. Witness Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Our Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same ; and issued at Auckland, in New Zealand aforesaid, on the second day of November, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, and in the thirty-third year of Our reign. Approved in Council, G. F. Bowen. Henet D. Pitt, Captain, R.A., Private Secretary, (for Clerk of the Executive Council).