A.-2a

1895. NEW ZEALAND.

FURTHER DESPATCHES RELATIVE TO A COLONIAL DECORATION FOR SAVING LIFE, AND THANKING THE HOUSE FOR AN ADDRESS OF SYMPATHY RELATIVE TO THE ASSASSINATION OF MONSIEUR CARNOT.

Laid on the Table by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. My Lord, — Downing Street, 6th July, 1895. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch, No. 11, of the 16th April, in which you state that your Ministers are of opinion that power should be granted to confer, in certain cases, a decoration upon civilians and others for bravery in saving human life similar in character to that conferred by Order in Council in 1869 in the case of persons distinguishing themselves by bravery in war. I request that you will inform your Government that I have given my best attention to the application, and that I can find no precedent for such a step as is now proposed, the case of the New Zealand Cross not being altogether in point. It would appear that the proper source of decorative distinction for saving human life in New Zealand is the Royal Humane Society of Australasia or the Royal Humane Society of the United Kingdom. I have, &c, J. CHAMBERLAIN. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 2. (New Zealand, No. 46.) Despatch in Reply to Address of Sympathy on the Occasion of the Death of President Caenot. My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th September, 1894. With reference to your despatch, No. 25, of the 2nd of July last, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, for communication to your Government, a copy received through the Foreign Office of a despatch from Her Majesty's Minister at Paris, with a note from M. Hanotaux conveying the thanks of the French Government for the addresses of sympathy from the Parliament of New Zealand on the occasion of the assassination of Monsieur Carnot. I have, &c, RIPON. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., &c.