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No. 14. - No. 56. My Lord, Government House, Wellington, 14th July 1908. In reply to your despatch, Miscellaneous, of the 14th May last, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that the Letters Patent constituting the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Dominion of New Zealand were published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 11th June 1908. I have etc., The Right Honble PLUNKET, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Governor.

No. 15. No. 58. My Lord, Government House, Wellington, 29th July 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge your Lordship's despatch, No. 96, of the sth June last, asking for information on the subject of the methods adopted in limiting the length of Parliamentary Speeches in New Zealand. 2. There is no method adopted for limiting speeches in the Legislative Council of this Dominion. 3. In the House of Representatives the Standing Orders Nos. 108 and 111 fix a time for speeches, and under the Standing Order No. 173 the Speaker, or, in a Committee of the whole House, the Chairman, may require a Member to discontinue his speech. 4. I enclose two copies of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (1906). I have etc., The Right Honble PLUNKET, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Governor.

No. 16. No. 62. My Lord, Government House, Wellington, 3rd August 1908. I have the honour to inform your Lordship that I opened the Fourth Session of the Sixteenth Parliament of New Zealand on the 29th of June last. 2. Enclosed I forward, for your Lordship's information, copies of the Speech that I delivered on that occasion, together with copies of the Addresses in reply from the Legislative Council and House of Representatives. I have etc., The Right Honble PLUNKET, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Governor. y'

No. 17. No. 66. My Lord, Government House, Wellington, 28th August 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge your Lordship's despatch, No. 80, of the 22nd May last, enclosing a copy of a letter from the Board of Trade on the subject of the desirability of establishing a lighthouse and fog-signal in the locality of the Auckland Islands.. 2. I duly submitted your despatch to my Ministers and have now received from my Prime Minister the enclosed copy of a minute from the Minister for Marine, which explains the present position as regards this question. I have etc., The Right Honble PLUNKET, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Governor.

A.-2, 1909. No. 13.