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No. 29. New Zealand, No. 110. My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th April, 1912. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 30, of the 23rd February, forwarding an application for-the grant of His Majesty's permission for the adoption of the title " King George's Sailors' Institute " in connection with the sailors' institute which is being erected at Port Lyttelton in commemoration of His Majesty's Coronation. 2. In reply, I have to request that you will be so good as to inform me whether I am to understand that this application is supported by your Government and by yourself. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor the Eight Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

No. 30. New Zealand, No. 111. My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th April, 1912. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 6th instant, reporting that, with the alterations and additions mentioned, the new Ministry is now complete. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor the Eight Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

No. 31. New Zealand, No. 113. My Lord, — Downing Street, 16th April, 1912. I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a letter from the Board of Trade on the subject of fees charged in snipping offices in British possessions abroad in respect of services rendered in connection with the engagement and discharge of seamen and the noting of desertions. 2. I shall be much obliged if your Ministers will be so good as to supply the information in' question in so far as it concerns New Zealand. I have, &c, L. HAECOUET. Governor the Eight Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

Enclosures. Sir,— Marine Department, 7 Whitehall Gardens, London S.W., 4th April, 1912. I am directed by the Board of Trade to transmit herewith, for Mr. Harcourt's information, a copy of a letter from His Majesty's Consul-General at Hamburg, on the subject of fees charged in shipping offices in British possessions abroad in respect of services rendered in connection with the engagement and discharge of seamen and the noting of desertions. The Board observe that the statutes in force in most of the self-governing dominions and in the Straits Settlements make provision for the charge of fees not exceeding a certain maximum for such services; but it would be of assistance to them in dealing, under section 28 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, with the accounts of seamen left abroad, to know the exact amount of the fees charged, and the proportion which is allowed by law or practice to be deducted from the wages of the seamen. I am accordingly to suggest, for Mr. Harcourt's consideration, that this information should be obtained from the various dominions and Crown colonies. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W. Walter J. Howbll.

Sir, — H.M. Consulate-General, Hamburg, 6th March, 1912. In reply to your letter of Ist instant, regarding L.a.l.a. accounts for the s.s. " Northlands," I beg to state that the engagement fees and Clark's desertion fee were allowed and entered, as I was under the impression that similar fees were charged for similar services in all Government shipping offices in the British Empire. As this appears not to be the case, I should be glad to have details, for my information, of the fees charged in the shipping offices of the United Kingdom and in the colonies and British possessions. The fine of ss. against Mohamed Ibrahim was not paid into this office.

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