25

A.—2

2. With regard to the instructions marked C, I understand that the Secretary of State for Home Affairs has decided, in the exercise of the discretion conferred on him by section 6 of the Act, that any applicant naturalized under the Act of 1870 who desires to obtain a certificate of naturalization in this country under the new Act should normally be required to be resident in this country. It appears to be desirable that this principle should be followed in His Majesty's oversea Dominions, and that any person applying for a new certificate under section 6 of the new Act, as adopted in the self-governing Dominions, should be resident in and should apply to the local authorities of that part of His Majesty's Dominions in which he was previously naturalized. Should he be no longer resident in that part of His Majesty's Dominions, he should apply to the local authorities of that part of His Majesty's Dominions in which he is then resident; but in that case it would be necessary for him to proceed as if he were making a first application for naturalization — i.e., under section 2, and not under section 6 of the Act-with the result that in this country he would have to take the steps laid down in the instructions marked A, and not those in the instructions marked C. T shall lie glad to learn whether your Ministers concur in the above. I have, &c, A. BONAR LAW. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

No. 52. New Zealand, No. 495. My Lord, — Downing Street, 6th September, 1915. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, to be laid before your Ministers, a copy of an Order of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, entitled the Foreign Animals Order of 1915, which permits the landing at foreign-animals wharves at Avonmouth and Cardiff of cattle and sheep from certain countries, including New Zealand, for slaughter within the wharves not later than four days after landing. 2. The countries specified in the Second Schedule to the Order include countries from which the binding of animals in Great Britain would normally be prohibited on account of the risk of the introduction of disease therefrom, and the Order has been made solely as a war measure, to terminate at three months after the close of the war. 3. Animals landed under tho new Order, which will come into operation on the 21st instant, will be subject to the provisions of the Foreign Animals Order of 1910, a copy of which is enclosed as varied by the new Order. The new Order contains special provisions designed to prevent the introduction of disease by means of the animals imported thereunder. These provisions require (a) that the animals shall be accompanied by a certificate of a veterinary surgeon to the effect that he examined the animals immediately before shipment, anil that neither they nor any other animal brought to the port, for shipment in the same vessel showed symptoms of cattle-plague, foot-and-month disease, pleuro-pneumonia, or sheep-pox: (h) that the animals shall be examined before landing by a Veterinary Inspector of the Board of Agriculture; (c) that the animals shall be slaughtered in the wharf not later than four days after their landing; and (d) that the master of the vessel shall keep a record of the illness and death of any animal on board, to be produced to the Veterinary Inspector. Special powers are given to the Board's Inspector to require disinfection, &c, if disease is found in any animal on board. 5. Conies of the Orders of the Board defining- the limits of the foreignanimals wharves at Avonmouth and Cardiff referred to are also enclosed. T have, &c, A. BONAR LAW Governor His Excellency the Rig-tit Hon Earl of Liverpool 0 C M.O. M.V.0., &c.

4—A. 2.