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No. 16. (General.) My Lord, — Downing Street, loth May, 1902. With reference to your despatch (No. 108) of the 12th October last, in which you request that the necessary action might be taken for upholding certain administrative agreements which have been entered into between the Postal Administration of New Zealand and the postal authorities of certain foreign States, I have the honour to state for the information of your Ministers that the matter having formed the subject of reference to the General Post Office, and that Department having advised that the attitude of the International Bureau was technically correct, and that consequently some simple form of diplomatic instrument was necessary, I communicated with the Foreign Office as to the form of such instrument, and have signed declarations approving and confirming the several agreements reported in your despatch, which are to be forwarded to His Majesty's representatives in the various foreign States to which they relate, to be exchanged against similar instruments executed by the proper authorities in those States. 2. The instruments returned in exchange will be forwarded to you as soon as they may be received from the Foreign Office. I have, &c, J. CHAMBERLAIN. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., &c.

A.-1, 1902. No, 55.

No. 17. (No. 47.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 16th May, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 19) of the 26th March last, embodying a resolution passed by the representatives of the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce on the subject of the contracts for the supply of meat to the Imperial army, and also a further resolution recommending the early adoption of the metric system of weights and measures. 2. I have caused copies of these resolutions to be forwarded to the Secretary of State for War and the Board of Trade respectively. I have, &c, J. CHAMBERLAIN. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., &c.

A.-l, 1902, No. 83.

No. 18. (No. 48.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 16th May, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 16) of the 10th March, respecting the sinking fund for the redemption of the New Zealand four-per-cent. Imperial-guaranteed debentures authorised by the Act 33 and 34 Victoria, cap. 40. 2. In reply, I transmit to you for the information of your Ministers the accompanying copy of a letter on the subject from the Treasury, together with a copy of a letter addressed in last September to the Auditor of the Civil List by the Crown Agents for the Colonies. From these documents your Government will learn the exact nature of the addition to the list of authorised investments for the sinking fund, which was not made clear in the Treasury letter of the 20th September to this Department. 3. I understand that the Crown Agents have already acted in accordance with the suggestion made in their letter of the 7th September to the Auditor of the Civil List. I have, &c , J. CHAMBERLAIN. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., &c.

A.-1, 1902, No. 80.