51

A.—2

The Board of Trade trust that, should an opportunity -arise, your Ministers may see their way to alter the regulations relating to the Examination of Masters and Mates at present in force in New Zealand, so as to correspond as nearly us circumstances permit with those in force in the United Kingdom. I have, &c, CREVVE. Governor, the Right Hon. Lord Flunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

No. 85. New Zealand, No. 193. My Lord, — Downing Street, 29th October, 1909. I have the honour to request that you will inform your Ministers that an application lias been received from the Argentine Minister at this Couii for the issue of an exequatur to Mr. P. E. Davies as Vice-Consul at Wellington, with jurisdiction over the North Island. As this gentleman is resident in Wellington, I have to request that you will report whether there is any objection to his appointment; and, if not, that you will recognise him provisionally in that capacity until the arrival of the exequatur, and report when you have done so. I have, &c, CREWE. The Officer administering the Government of New Zealand.

A.-l, 1910 No. 61.

No. .86. New Zealand, No. 194. My Lord, Downing Street, 30th October, 1909. With reference to my despatch No. 98, of the 12th May last, I have the honour to inform you that, with the consent of Bis Majesty's Government, the 27th proximo has been fixed as the date for the first deposit of ratifications of the Conventions drawn up at the Second Peace Conference at The Hague in 1907. 2. It is accordingly proposed to deposit on that date His Majesiy's ratification of the follow ing Conventions and Declaration (in respect of which legislation is not required), viz. :— (1.) Convention respecting tlie limitation of the employment of force for the recovery of contract debts; (2.) Convention relative to the opening of hostilities; (3.) Convention concerning the laws and customs of war on land; (4.) Convention relative to the status of enemy merchant ships at the outbreak of hostilities; (5.) Convention relative to the conversion of merchant ships into warships ; (H.) Convention relative to the laving of-automatic submarine contaci mines; (7.) Convention respecting bombardments by naval forces in time of war; (8.) Convention relative to certain restrictions on the exercise of the right of capture in maritime war; (9.) Declaration prohibiting the discharge of projectiles and explosives from balloons. 3. The Conventions relative to the laying of automatic submarine contact mines, and bombardments by naval forces in time of war, were signed by His Majesty's plenipotentiaries subject to certain reservations. These reservations will be recited and embodied in the instrument of ratification. I have, &c, CREWE. Governor, the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.