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No. 8. No. 48. My Lord, - Government House, Wellington, 22nd June 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge your predecessor's despatch, No. 54, of the 2nd April last, transmitting a copy of a letter from the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, communicating a Resolution passed at the Annual Meeting of the Chamber. 2. My Ministers are of opinion that it would not be advisable for the New Zealand Government to promise the Imperial Authorities that it will not initiate legislation imposing restrictions upon British ships not registered in nor engaged in the coastal trade beyond those imposed by the Imperial Merchant Shipping Acts, as such a promise might hamper future legislation, especially as regards ships engaged in the inter-Colonial trade. I have etc., The Right Honble PLUNKET, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Governor.

A.-2, 1909, No. 5.

No. 9. No. 49. My Lord, Government House, Wellington, 30th June 1908. In reply to your predecessor's despatch, No. 5, of the 17th January last, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that the Captain Cook Memorial Committee will gladly accept the iron smooth bore gun offered by the Admiralty as a trophy for the memorial to Captain Cook at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, and that arrangements will be made for its shipment free of charge to the Admiralty. I have etc., The Right Honble PLUNKET, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Governor.

No. 10. No. 50. My Lord, Government House, Wellington, 30th June 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge your predecessor's despatches, Miscellaneous of the 30th July 1907 and No. 53 of the 2nd April last, with reference to the resolution passed at the Colonial Conference on the subject of the desirability of securing greater uniformity in the trade statistics of the Empire. 2. I enclose, for your Lordship's information, a copy of a memorandum which I have now received from my Prime Minister, in which he makes certain comments upon the note mentioned in the resolution. I have etc., The Right Honble PLUNKET, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Governor.

Enclosure. Wellington, 11th June, 1908. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. Eefebring to Despatch dated 30th July 1907 from the Secretary of State for the Colonies and to the accompanying papers relating to the Colonial Conference of 1907, I have the honour to furnish your Excellency with the following comments on the " Note on Trade Statistics " —see page 521. 1. Common Statistical Year. It is assumed that the practice in New Zealand of making out the returns for the Calendar year is in accordance with the wishes of the Board of Trade. 2. Countries of origin and ultimate destination of goods. Goods on through bill of lading or on transhipment entry are entered as from the country from which they were originally shipped. The same principle governs the export return. The goods are entered as exported to the country or ultimate destination so far as this can be ascertained. In the case of foreign goods liable to surtax, the particular foreign country from which they come is not shown, but the total value and amount of duty is shown separately. It would be in vain to expect Importers to state the country of origin in the case of goods not subject to surtax in the case of goods not coming direct from such country. In many cases this information is not known and any attempt to exact it would result in very imperfect and unreliable information being given.