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No. 75. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Consul for Portugal, Wellington. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 11th April, 1908. I have the honour to inform you that the Foreign Office has been advised by its Minister at Lisbon that an invitation to the Government of New Zealand to be represented at the International Telegraph Conference at Lisbon this year was sent through the Portuguese Consul. I should be obliged if you would inform me whether such an invitation was sent through you, as there is no trace of its having reached this Department. I have, Ac, D. Robertson, Secretary. John Duncan, Esq., Consul for Portugal, Wellington. [Tel. 08/822.]
No. 76. The Right Hon. the Prime Minister to the High Commissioner. (Telegram.) Wellington, 14th April, 1908. liisßON Conference : Re my letter twentieth March : Owing my absence from Wellington, I was unable closely consider proposition to define regulations affecting code-language. Now regret unable support British proposal referred to in our letter under heading Proposition One. Cancel whole instructions under Proposition One. New Zealand considers status quo should be maintained. Agreeable co-operate with Great Britain to refrain challenging unauthorised combinations referred to in London letter fifteenth January. [Tel. 08/822.]
No. 77. The Right Hon. the Prime Minister to the High Commissioner. Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 14th April, 1908. Sir, — Lisbon International Telegraph Conference. In continuance of my letter of the 20th ultimo, I have the honour to forward herewith for your guidance further notes [not printed] with reference to propositions affecting this Dominion to be placed before the Conference on the 4th May next. With this further opportunity of considering the proposals, I am still of opinion that you should generally consult the British delegates in determining your course in respect of the business of the Conference; and a negative attitude, therefore, I have generally left to your discretion to be exercised after such consultation, except in tile important point of the use of made-up words. My cable message of to-day's date and the remarks in the schedule hereto [not printed] (see Article VI (1), will sufficiently indicate the course of your action thereon. I have, Ac. J. G. Ward, Prime Minister. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, High Commissioner for New Zealand, London. [Tel. 08/822.]
No. 78. The Consul for Portugal, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. S™. — Portuguese Consulate, Wellington, 14th April, 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 11th instant, and, on looking oyer the correspondence received last mail from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lisbon, I find mention made of a letter dated the 17th January relating to the International Telegraphic Conference, and this, no doubt, is the letter to which you refer. I regret to inform you that I have been unable to find any trace of having received this letter but I have cabled to-day to the Consul-General for Portugal,' Sydney, as follows : " Have you received letter 17th January instructing you invite Australian Government to send representative to Telegraphic Conference, Lisbon ? Mine has not re.ached me, but presume I may invite New Zealand Government send representative. Reply "; and I shall be pleased to forward you his reply when received. ' In the meantime, I shall be greatly favoured if you will consider that the invitation to send a representative to the Telegraphic Conference, Lisbon, has reached you. I have, Ac, John Duncan, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Consul for Portugal [Tel. 08/822.] u 6 al -