A.—l.

until the Governor of the said colony shall signify, either by speech or message to the Legislative Council and House of Eepresentatives of the said colony, or by Proclamation, that such Bill has been laid before Her Majesty in Council, and that Her Majesty has been pleased to assent to the same: Aryl whereas a certain Bill passed by the Legislative Council and House of Eepresentatives of the said colony, entitled "An Act to amend 'The Governor's Salary and Allowances Act, 1873,' " was presented to the Officer administering the Government of the said colony for Her Majesty's assent : "And whereas the said Bill was reserved by the said Officer for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon : And whereas the said Bill so reserved as aforesaid has been laid before Her Majesty in Council, and it is expedient that the said Bill should be assented to by Her Majesty: Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in pursuance of the said Act, and in exercise of the power thereby reserved to Her Majesty as aforesaid, doth by this present Order, by and with the advice of Her Majesty's Privy Council, declare her assent to the said Bill. C. L. Peel.

COLONIAL PROBATES. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 24th April, 1888. I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a copy of a draft of a Bill to provide for the recognition in the United Kingdom of probates and letters of administration granted in British possessions, together with a copy of an explanatory memorandum by the Parliamentary Counsel. The resealing of colonial probates was one of the subjects discussed at the Colonial Conference (C. 5,091, pp. 75, 76), and I shall be glad to receive any observations of your Government upon this Bill, which has been prepared for dealing with the matter. I have, &c, KNUTSEORD. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

(New Zealand, No 111.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 25th October, 1888. With reference to the correspondence noted in the margin, I have the honour to enclose a copy of a memorandum which I have received from the Premier on the subject of the Colonial Probates Bill. I have, &c, W. E. DRUMMOND JERVOIS. The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c.

Enclosure. Memorandum for His Excellency. Premier's Office, Wellington, 25th October, 1888. The Premier begs to return the circular despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies dated the 24th April last, and to state that Ministers consider the proposed Colonial Probates Bill would be of advantage to the colony. A similar Bill would be required to be passed in the colony in respect of probates and letters of administration granted in the United Kingdom, and a Bill will be prepared, in anticipation of the Act of the Imperial Parliament, for presentation to the New Zealand Parliament. H. A. Atkinson, Premier.

CONSULAR APPOINTMENTS. Appointment of Mr. Fisher as Italian Consul. (New Zealand, No. 34.) My Lord, — Government House, 28th April, 1888. I have the honour to report that, on the application of M. G. Branch!, Consul for Italy at Melbourne, I have provisionally recognised the appointment of Mr. George Fisher to act as Consular Agent for Italy at Wellington, in the room of Mr. Charles J. Johnston, resigned, until Mr. Fisher's name shall have been submitted to the Imperial Government for the exequatur. I have, &0., W. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS, The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c,

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