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No. 29. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (Circular ) Sir, — Downing Street, 25th November, 1880. With reference to my predecessor's circular despatch of the 27th of April last (No. 37 of 1880), I have the honor to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a copy of the Act which has been passed by Parliament for taking a census in this country on the night of the 3rd of April, 1881, together with copies of the Householders' Schedule issued under the provisions of the Act, showing the nature of the information which it is desired to obtain. I have to add that Her Majesty's Government have observed with much satisfaction the ready acquiescence of the colonies in the proposal made in my predecessor's circular that an endeavour should be made to obtain an enumeration of the people throughout the colonies simultaneously with that in this country. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government KIMBERLEY. of New Zealand.

No. 30. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (Circular ) Sir, — Downing Street, 3rd December, 1880. I have the honor to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, with regard to the great importance of securing uniformity of armaments in the Imperial and colonial services. I also transmit to you a copy of the further correspondence on this subject noted in the margin,* together with one copy of each of the publications specified in the War Office letter of the 12th of November, which have been supplied by that department for the use of your Government, and which contain much valuable information relating to the several branches of warlike equipment. The enclosed correspondence will, I think, sufficiently show the great advantage to both the Imperial and colonial services of adopting measures to insure all possible uniformity in the armaments of both services, and I shall be glad to be favoured with the views of your Ministers on this very important question. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government KIMBERLEY. of New Zealand.

Enclosure 1 in No. 30. The Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to the Colonial Office. Sir,— 13, Delahay Street, 15th October, 1880. With reference to your letter of the 31st July last, enclosing copies of a letter from the War Office of the 19th July, and of your reply of the 31st July, I am directed by the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to inform you that, having taken evidence upon the subject, they entirely concur in the opinion of Lord Kimberley and of the Secretary of State for War as to the great importance of all colonial armaments being of such a description as would enable them to be used with the service stores and ammunition in time of war; and that measures should be taken to insure all possible uniformity in this respect. The importance of this view is impressed upon them, not only by the reasons given in the correspondence referred to, but also by the advantages which would be gained by securing that, when practicable, the stores, and especially ammunition for heavy guns and musketry, should be of such a nature that Her Majesty's ships may render and receive assistance at distant stations in the colonies ; and that Her Majesty's troops and forces levied in the colonies may not be embarrassed by complications of arms and stores when co-operating for any given purpose. The

* W. 0., 24th July, 1878 ; W. 0., 19th July, 1880 ; extract of CO. to W. 0., 31st July ; 12th November, 1880,