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A.—2

Cancer Research Fund, a copy of a letter which has been received from the General Post Office by the Secretary of the Fund with regard to the Post Office regulations relating to the transmission through the post of pathological specimens intended for medical examination or analysis. 2. I enclose also, for convenience of reference, an extract from the regulations referred to, and have to suggest that the necessary instructions shall be given to insure that specimens for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund are forwarded in future by letter-post. I have, &c, CREWE. The Officer administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosures. Enclosure 1 in Circular dated 29th December, 1909. Sir, — General Post Office, London. It has been reported to the Postmaster-General that, from time to time, packets containing pathological specimens intended for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund have been received in this country by parcel-post from places abroad, and have been delivered at the Examination Hall exceptionally, although the transmission of such specimens by parcel-post in this country is contrary to the regulations of this office. The prohibition is based chiefly on the ground that the parcel-post, being available for large packets, is extensively used for the transmission of articles of food and clothing, and that it is out of the question to safeguard such articles from contamination in the event of the breakage of, or leakage from, other packets. The objection applies, of course, with greater force in the foreign and colonial parcel-post than in the inland, because of the longer time that foreign and colonial parcels are in transit, and also because of the greater liability to damage during transit. In ths circumstances the Postmaster-General has had no alternative but to issue instructions that in future pathological specimens received by parcel-post from abroad are to be destroyed, however addressed. I am, &c, The Secretary, the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. J. P. Kino.

Enclosure 2 in Circular dated 29th December, 1909. Articles sent for Medical Examination or Analysis. Deleterious liquids or substances, though otherwise prohibited from transmission by post, may be sent for medical examination or analysis by a qualified medical practitioner or qualified veterinary surgeon to a laboratory or institute, public or private, or to a medical practitioner or veterinary surgeon within the United Kingdom, by ordinary letter-post, under the following conditions :— Any such liquid or substance must be enclosed in a receptacle hermetically sealed, which receptacle must itself be placed in a strong wooden, leather, or metal case in such a way that it cannot shift about, and with a sufficient quantity of some absorbent material (such as sawdust or cotton-wool) so packed about the receptacle as absolutely to prevent any possible leakage from the package in the event of damage to the receptacle. The packet so made up must be conspicuously marked " Fragile, with care," and bear the words " Pathological specimen," and also the signature and address of the medical practitioner or veterinary surgeon who sends it. The packet must on no account be sent hy parcel-post. Any packet of the kind found in the parcel-post, or found in the letter-post not packed" and marked as directed, will be at once stopped and destroyed with all its wrappings and enclosures. Any person who sends by post a deleterious liquid or substance for medical examination or analysis otherwise than as provided by these regulations is liable to prosecution. It is recommended that, if receptacles are supplied by a laboratory or institute to medical practitioners or veterinary surgeons, they should be submitted to the Secretary, General Poet Office, in order to ascertain whether they are regarded as complying with the regulations.

No. 113. New Zealand, No. 227. My Lord, Downing Street, 30th December, 1909. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of an Order of His Majesty in Council of