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" Proposals contained in War Office letter of 18th July, 1912, agreed to. The arrangements already made by the New Zealand Government in the case of callingout of Army Reservists will be applied in the case of men of the Army Special Reserve referred to in the despatch." I have, &c, ISLINGTON, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P.C., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 40. New Zealand, No. 165. Sir. — Government House, Wellington, 11th October, 1912. With reference to my despatch of the 9th August, No. 127, on the subject of the carrying of colours by regiments of the New Zealand Forces, I have the honour to transmit to you. the accompanying copy of a memorandum received from my Prime Minister, together with a copy of the enclosure referred to in the memorandum. I have, &c, ISLINGTON, The Right Hon. Lewis V. Harcourt, P. 0., &c, Governor. Secretary of State for the Colonies. Enclosures. Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, Bth October, 1912. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. The Prime Minister presents his compliments to His Excellency the Governor, and desires to state as follows for His Excellency's information, in respect to despatch No. 56 of the 15th February, 1912, received from the Right. Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the subject of the carrying of colours by regiments of the New Zealand Territorial Force : — 1. Of the eight Infantry regiments referred to in the despatch, seven have agreed to have their designations altered as described hereunder, with the privilege of carrying colours. These alterations will be made forthwith :— Present Designation. Future Designation. 4th Regiment (Otago Rifles) .. .. .. . . 4th (Otago) Regiment. sth Regiment (Wellington Rifles) .. .. .. sth (Wellington) Regiment. 7th Regiment (Wellington West Coast Rifles) .. . . 7th (Wellington West Coast) Regiment. Bth Regiment (Southland Rifles) . . .. . . Bth (Southland) Regiment. 9th Regiment (Wellington East Coast Rifles) .. . . 9th (Wellington East Coast) Regiment. 10th Regiment (North Otago Rifles) .. . . . . 10th (North Otago) Regiment. 14th Regiment (South Otago Rifles) .. .. . . 14th (South Otago) Regiment. 2. The remaining unit —namely, the 11th Regiment (Taranaki Rifles) —is desirous of retaining its original title of " Taranaki Rifles," in which connection a copy of a communication from the officer commanding the unit in question is attached, for favour of transmission to War Office. 3. In regard to paragraph 2, the Prime Minister respectfully requests that His Excellency will convey to the Colonial Office the wishes of the regiment to carry the private colour presented by the ladies of Taranaki, that being the only colour in its possession, while still keeping the title of " Taranaki Rifles "; and it is hoped that the Army Council may, if at all possible, grant the regiment this special concession in recognition of its past traditions. J. Allen, For Prime Minister.

11th Regiment (Taranaki Rifles). The 11th Regiment are desirous of retaining their old and original title —viz., " Taranaki Rifles." The Taranaki Rifles have traditions dating back to the Maori wars ; in fact, they were the first British Volunteer corps to become engaged with an enemy in the field, and my regiment do not desire to sever the link with the past if it can possibly be avoided. The 11th Regiment has a private colour presented by the ladies of this district "as a .token of the grateful and affectionate interest and their deep sense of the bravery and devotion displayed by the corps." This has been looked upon as a regimental Colour, but the regiment does not possess a King's Colour. My regiment was not given a King's Colour at the time when nearly all the regiments in New Zealand received that distinction. The King's Colour was presented to regiments which sent twenty men or more to the South African War, and the Taranaki Rifles exceeded this number, but, owing to some mistake on the part of the then officer commanding, my regiment did not receive this distinction.