2

A.—2

Sub-Enclosure. Sir,— Government House, Adelaide, 20th January, 1887. At the request of Commander Walcot, of Her Majesty's colonial ship " Protector," I have the honour to ask if you will be good enough to sanction the examination by the officers of Her Majesty's ship " Nelson " of Mr. Clarkson as to his fitness for the position of Chief Engineer of the " Protector." Commander Walcot suggests that, if you agree, all examinations should in future be conducted in a similar manner, as there are not a sufficient number of the necessary officers to conduct them in this colony. Perhaps you will kindly let me know when and where it would be convenient to receive Mr. Clarkson on board the "Nelson" for examination. I have, &c, Bear-Admiral George Tryon, C.B. W. C. F. Eobinson.

No. 3. (Circular.) Sib,— Downing Street, 10th May, 1887. With reference to my predecessor's circular despatch of the 17th November last, I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying extracts from letters from the Board of Trade, showing the character of the information which it is desired should be furnished by Colonial Governments direct to that department, for insertion in their Journal. With reference to the concluding paragraph of the letter of the 26th April, I enclose a list received from the Board of Trade of weekly newspapers of certain colonies with which they desire to be supplied. I have, &c, H. T. HOLLAND. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

A.-2, 1887, Sess. 11., No. 2.

Enclosure 1. Extbacts from a Letter from the Boabd of Teade to the Colonial Office, dated 28th March, 1887, No. C. 1160. "It is not so much periodical and tabular returns of banks, railways, telegraphs, &c, that are desired as notes on matters of immediate interest in trade and commerce, such as are commented on by Her Majesty's Consuls abroad It is often of great importance to British manufacturers and merchants to be informed of what changes are likely to be made in foreign and colonial tariffs, and that they appear to appreciate the notices of this kind. lam to add that care is always taken to state the stage at which any Bill or proposal for such changes has arrived."

Enclosure 2. Extbact from a Letter from the Boabd of Tbade, dated 26th April, 1887, G. 1160. " The nature and description of the information supplied for each colony must necessarily depend in great measure upon the requirements and condition of the particular colony, and it must therefore be left in great measure to the discretion of the colonial authorities to report upon such subjects as may be calculated to advance the commercial and industrial interests of the United Kingdom and the colonial possessions. At the same time lam to point out that, as copies of the Board of Trade Journal are regularly supplied to all the Officers Administering the Governments of the colonies, these gentlemen would be enabled to see for themselves the nature of the information relating to foreign countries which has been considered most suitable for publication, and this might to some extent assist them in their choice of subjects relating to their own colonies upon which reports might be prepared for insertion in the Journal. " Subject to these observations, I am to suggest that the following are, in the opinion of this department, a few of the more important subjects to which the inquiries of the Governors of the colonies might from time to time be directed with a view to the preparation of reports, which this Board would be glad to receive as frequently as possible : (1.) All tariff changes, both actual and projected, and decisions of the department on disputed points in the administration of the Customs. (2.) Details of the verdicts and decisions in cases of trials or new points of commercial law, or cases in which previous decisions have been reversed, especially in reference to patent, copyright, trade-marks, and design cases. (3.) Notices of new processes of manufacture. (4.) Establishment of new industries. (5.) Notices of condition of crops. (6.) Increase or decrease of employment of labour. (7.) Notices of exceptional state of manufactures. (8.) Notices of proposed exhibition of commercial products. " I am to add that the Board of Trade attach great importance to the receipt of the chief weekly newspapers from the principal colonial possessions, a list of which accompanied the letter from this department of the 28th ultimo ; and I am further to suggest, for the consideration of Sir H. Holland, that, with a view to information relating to the colonies for incorporation in the Trade