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No. 68. New Zealand.—Honours. My Lord,— , Downing Street, 22nd July, 1912. With reference to my telegram of the 13th June, I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship, for presentation to Mr. Donald Robertson and Mr. John Strauchon, their badges as Companions of the Imperial Service Order, together with letters addressed to them containing their warrants of appointment, and copies of the statutes of the order. Mr. Eobertson and Mr. Strauchon should be requested to send an acknowledgment of the receipt of their insignia direct to the Secretary of the Imperial Service Order. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

No. 69. New Zealand, No. 221. My Lord, — Downing Street, 26th July, 1912. I have the honour to inform you that I communicated to the Secretary of State for Home Affairs your telegram of the 12th instant, forwarding a message of sympathy in connection with the disaster at Cadeby Colliery, Yorkshire. Mr. McKenna has sent a copy of the message to the Inspector in charge of the district for communication to the relatives of the deceased and to the management of the mine, and he desires that an expression of thanks may be conveyed to you and to your Government and the people of New Zealand on behalf of himself and those concerned. I have. &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

No. 70. New Zealand, No. 222. My Lord,— Downing Street, 30th July, 1912. With reference to your despatch, No. 64, of the 30th June, 1910, I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a letter from the Army Council on the subject of the granting of permission to members of the Army Special Reserve to emigrate to the oversea dominions. 2. I shall be glad to learn whether your Government sees any objection to the application in the case of these men of the arrangements which have already been made by your Government in the case of calling-out of Army Reservists. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c. Enclosure. Sir,— War Office, London S.W., 18th July, 1912. 1 am commanded by the Army Council to inform you that their attention has been drawn to the fact that the existing regulation which prohibits permanent residence in the dominions or colonies in the case of men serving in the Special Reserve is not altogether satisfactory. It has been pointed out that such men, more particularly those engaged as country labourers, frequently experience considerable difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory livelihood at Home, and that the reduction in their small capital involved by the necessity of purchasing their discharge from the Special Reserve may seriously handicap them in their new career should they wish to emigrate. The Council are unwilling to place obstacles in the way of men who are actuated by a laudable desire to better their condition, and who may reasonably be expected to prove successful in their new surroundings. They therefore propose to amend the existing regulations to the extent of permitting the responsible officers to grant leave to would-be emigrants for the remainder of their Special Reserve engagements on the understanding that until duly discharged they will be liable to recall on mobilization, their travelling-expenses if they are conveyed to the United Kingdom being defrayed from Imperial funds. Before effect can be given to this proposal, however, it is clear that some machinery will be required to admit of touch being kept with men who have been granted leave under these conditions.