F.—s

12

Enclosure 1 in No. 35. Agreement providing for the Variation of Australian Bates and Admission of New Zealand to Guarantee. An Agreement dated the Thirteenth day of December, 1892, and made between Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen for account and on the authority of the respective Governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania (hereinafter referred to as " the original contracting colonies ") of the first part, Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen on account and by the authority of the Government of New Zealand of the second part, and the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, Limited (hereinafter called " the Extension Company ") of the third part. Whereas these presents are supplemental to an agreement dated the 31st day of March, 1891, and made between Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, for account and on behalf of the original contracting colonies of the one part, and the Extension Company of the other part (and which is hereinafter referred to as " the principal agreement ") : And whereas the Government of New Zealand have agreed to join in the guarantee contained in the principal agreement, and it has been arranged to reduce the rates for messages to or from New Zealand, and to vary the rates specified in the Second and Third Schedules to the principal agreement as hereinafter mentioned. Now it is hereby mutually agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows: — 1. From and after the Ist day of January, 1893, the Second and Third Schedules to the principal agreement shall be cancelled, and the schedules of rates hereunto annexed shall be respectively substituted therefor, and the principal agreement shall thereupon be read and construed accordingly. 2. The Government of New Zealand shall, as and from the Ist day of January, 1893, in all respects be bound by and have the benefit of the provisions, terms, and conditions of the principal agreement as varied by this agreement, as if the name of the said Government had been included in the first recital of the principal agreement, and as varied by this agreement the principal agreement is in all respects ratified and adopted by all the parties hereto, and the amount which the Extension Company shall be entitled to receive under Articles 3 and 4 of the principal agreement, as varied by this agreement, shall be paid to the Extension Company out of the consolidated revenue funds of the contracting colonies, including New Zealand. In witness whereof, Sir Saul Samuel, K.C.M.G., C.8., the Agent-General for New South Wales ; Lieut.-General Sir Andrew Clarke, G.C.M.G., C.8., CLE., representing Victoria ; Sir John Cox Bray, K.C.M.G., Agent-General for South Australia; Sir Malcolm Fraser, K.C.M.G., AgentGeneral for Western Australia; Sir Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon, K.C.M.G., Agent-General for Tasmania; and Westby Brook Berceval, Esquire, Agent-General for New Zealand, all duly authorized to execute these presents on behalf of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, have hereunto set their respective hands and seals; and the common seal of the Eastern Extension Australasia and Telegraph Company (Limited; hath been hereunto affixed, the day and year first above written. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-named Sin Saul Samuel, K.C.M.G., C.8., on behalf of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, in thei- Sage Samuel. (1.5.) presence of S. Yardley, Secretary, Department of Agent-General for New South Wales, London. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said Lieut. -\ General Sir Andrew Clarke, G.C.M.G., C.8., [ \ n i \ CLE., on behalf of Her Most Gracious Majesty j AND ' ° LAEKE - IL-s0l L - s 0 the Queen, in the presence of S. Yardley. J Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-named 1 ) Sir John Cox Bray, K.C.M.G., on behalf of Her! T P "R a ( Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, in the presencej ' of S. Yardley. J Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-named) Sir Malcolm Fraser, K.C.M.G., on behalf of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, in thef Malcolm Fraser. (1.5.) presence of S. Yardley. j Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-named' Sir Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon, K. CM. G., -o R BADr joisr ( \ on behalf of Her Most Gracious Majesty the ' ' '' Queen, in the presence of S. Yardley. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said Westby \ Brook Perceval, Esquire, on behalf of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, in the presence of- Westby B. Perceval, (1.5.) Walter Kennaway, Secretary, New Zealand Government Office, 13, Victoria Street, London. J The Common Seal of the Eastern Extensionl L? h |, c ° ? eal - of ) . . , -_~.. m the Eastern Extension Australasia and (Jnma Telegraph Company \ ■[ Australasia and ciiina^ (Limited), was hereunto affixed in the presence of J ( Teleg^Fmit C e°dT Pany j John Pender, Chairman. F. E. Hesse, Secretary.