JAN. 7.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 37

And whereas under Article XIV. of such treaty it was provided that the stipulations therein contained for the recovery of deserters from the vessels of their respective countries should not apply to the subjects of the country where the desertion takes place:

And whereas it is desirable to repeal the said Order in Council of the 19th day of May, 1898:

Now, therefore, His Majesty, by virtue of the power vested in him by the hereinbefore-recited subsection (1) of section 238 of “The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894,” and by and with the advice of his Privy Council, is pleased to order and declare, and it is hereby ordered and declared, that from and after the publication hereof in the London Gazette, seamen not being slaves (and not being British subjects) who, within His Majesty’s dominions, desert from ships belonging to subjects of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships.

And His Majesty, by virtue of the powers vested in him by the provisions of section 738 of “The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894,” and by and with the advice of his Privy Council, is further pleased to order and declare that upon and after the publication hereof in the London Gazette the Order in Council made on the 19th day of May, 1898, and published in the London Gazette on the 20th day of May, 1898, shall be revoked, and the same is hereby revoked accordingly.

And the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and the Secretary of State for India in Council, are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly.

A. W. FITZROY.

Licensing of Vehicles.—By-law made by the Patangata County Council.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Wellington, 19th December, 1903.

IT is hereby notified, in accordance with section 311 of “The Counties Act, 1886,” that so much of By-law No. 3, made by the Patangata County Council on the 5th day of March, 1903, as appoints the several sums to be paid to the Patangata County funds for the licensing of vehicles plying for hire for the carriage of passengers or goods within the County of Patangata, has this day been approved by His Excellency the Governor.

JAS. McGOWAN,
For Colonial Secretary.

Control and Management of Kaponga Town Hall Site vested in Kaponga Athenæum Committee.

Department of Lands and Survey,
21st December, 1903.

HIS Excellency the Governor has, in pursuance of “The Public Reserves Act, 1881,” been pleased to vest the control and management of the Kaponga Town Hall site (Section No. 28, Block XI., Kaupokonui Survey District, Taranaki Land District), containing 1 acre, in

THE KAPONGA ATHENÆUM COMMITTEE.

T. Y. DUNCAN,
Minister of Lands.

Plants declared to be Noxious Weeds in the Boroughs of Caversham and Balclutha, and the County of Pohangina.—Notice No. 846.

Department of Agriculture,
Wellington, 31st December, 1903.

IT is hereby notified for public information that the undermentioned local governing bodies have by special order declared the plants enumerated opposite each to be noxious weeds within the meaning of “The Noxious Weeds Act, 1900,” in the district under the jurisdiction of each respectively:—

Local Bodies. Plants.
Caversham Borough Council.. Gorse and broom.
Balclutha Borough Council .. Broom, gorse, and ragwort or ragweed.
Pohangina County Council .. Ragwort or ragweed.

T. Y. DUNCAN,
Minister for Agriculture.

Regulations as to the Introduction of Trees, Fruits, and Plants into South Australia.—Notice No. 844.

Department of Agriculture,
Wellington, 29th December, 1903.

THE following regulations of the South Australian Government, dated 11th November, 1903, as to introduction of trees, fruits, and plants into South Australia, are published for general information.

The regulations dated 17th December, 1902, and published in the New Zealand Gazette of 5th February, 1903, are revoked.

T. Y. DUNCAN,
Minister for Agriculture.

1. (a.) THE introduction into South Australia of grape-vines and any portions thereof from any country or place is absolutely prohibited.

(b.) Living trees, plants, or portions thereof (not being grape-vines or portions thereof), and fruits (not being grapes), may be introduced into South Australia from any country or place under and subject to these regulations, but not otherwise.

(c.) Living trees, plants, or portions thereof (not being fruit) shall only be introduced into South Australia at Port Adelaide by sea, or at Adelaide by parcels post, or at Adelaide by railway parcel under bond.

(d.) All living trees, plants, or portions thereof intended for introduction into South Australia must, prior to being landed or introduced, be thoroughly cleansed of soil: Provided always that any inspector may admit plants growing in pots if in his opinion there is no danger in importing them.

2. All living trees or plants, or portions thereof, or fruits, introduced into South Australia from any country or place shall, on being landed or introduced, be forthwith delivered into the custody of some officer of Customs, and shall, at the expense of the importer or consignee thereof, be conveyed in original unopened packages to such place as the Commissioner shall direct.

3. An inspector shall examine such trees, plants, or portions thereof, or fruits, and may treat such trees, plants, or portions thereof, or fruits, in such manner as he may think desirable, or may order that such trees or plants, or portions thereof, or fruits, and the boxes or packages in which they were packed, or either of them, shall be destroyed by fire if in his opinion there is any danger in importing them.

4. The expense of conveying such trees, plants, portions thereof, or fruits to the place fixed for their examination, and of the examination and treatment or destruction thereof, shall be borne by the consignee or introducer thereof, and shall be paid before they are delivered to such consignee or introducer.

5. No person shall be entitled to any compensation by reason of any damage to or by the destruction of any tree, plant, portion thereof, or fruits, or of any box or package, under these regulations.

6. No parcel of plants or portions thereof shall be introduced into South Australia from any country where the insect known as Phylloxera vastatrix is known to exist, unless accompanied by a declaration made by the grower before a Justice of the Peace or British Consular Agent in the State or country of origin, to the following effect:—

(a.) That the case contains no grape-vines or portions thereof.

(b.) That the plants were grown at a greater distance than 50 yards from any grape-vines or roots of vines.

(c.) That no phylloxera exists or has existed in the nursery or garden in which the plants have been growing.

(d.) That the whole of the plants are free from the insect known as Phylloxera vastatrix.

Subsidies to Public Libraries.

Education Department,
Wellington, 28th November, 1903.

NOTICE is hereby given that the sum of £3,000 has been voted by Parliament for distribution to public libraries.

The distribution will take place on the 8th February, 1904, and no claim will be entitled to consideration that shall not have been sent in in due form and received by the Secretary for Education, Wellington, on or before the 31st January, 1904.

1. A library to be entitled to a subsidy must be public in the sense of belonging to the public, and of not being under the control of an association, society, or club whose membership is composed of a section of the community only, and if within a borough it must be open to the public free of charge. The receipts for the year from subscriptions and