A.—2

No. 28. ■ (No. 66.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 21st October, 1898. ■»> W[ have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 56) of the 1st ultimo, reporting the appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel Gudgeon as British Eesident at Earotonga, and stating that you propose to visit the Cook Islands in person a few months hence. I have, &c, J. CHAMBBELAIN. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurlv, K.C.M.G., &c.

A.-l, 1899, No. 17.

No. 29. (General.) My Loed, — Downing Street, 31st October, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch (No. 50) of the 8th August last, conveying a request from your Government to be relieved from their obligation to contribute towards the expenses of the International Customs Tariff Bureau after the 31st March next. 2. The International Convention of the 5th July, 1890, contains no provision for the withdrawal of any party thereto, except on the expiry of each term of seven years for which the Convention may remain in force, and then only if the Convention has been denounced twelve months before the expiry of such term. 3. The first term of seven years expired on the 31st March, 1898, and, as your Government did not denounce the Convention twelve months before that date, I am advised—and the Foreign Office, to which department the question was referred, concur in this view—that your Government is bound to continue its contributions until the 31st March, 1905; and then, in order to be relieved of any payments after that date, it will be necessary for your Government to denounce the Convention in time for such denunciation to reach the Belgian Government twelve months before the expiration of that date. I have, &c, J. CHAMBEELAIN. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

A.-l, 1899, No. 14.

No. 30. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 2nd November, 1898. I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the colony under your government, a copy of an order of Her Majesty the Queen in Council, dated the 20th October, 1898, for giving effect to the treaty between Her Majesty and the President of the Eepublic of Bolivia for the mutual extradition of fugitive criminals, signed at Lima on the 22nd February, 1892, the ratifications of which were exchanged at Lima on the 7th March, 1898. I have, &c, J. CHAMBEELAIN. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. [For enclosure, see New Zealand Gazette, sth January, 1898, page 11.]

No. 31. Sir, — Downing Street, sth November, 1898. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of the despatch noted below, reporting the appointment of

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