¥.— 8

2

PACIFIC CABLES. No. 1. The High Commissioner to the Hon. the Prime Minister. Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.W., Sir,— 20th September, 1913. Referring to my letter of the 27th September, 1912 [No. 1, F.-8, 1913], I have the honour to enclose herein copy of a letter from the Colonial Office covering a communication from the Imperial Treasury, showing the amounts recoverable from the Colonial Governments in respect to the deficit on the working of the cable for the year ended 31st March, 1913, and asking that arrangements might be made for payment to the Imperial Treasury of the sum of £3,585 10s. 10d., being the amount due from the Government of New Zealand. I accordingly telegraphed to the Treasury at Wellington on the 11th instant, and having received in reply a cable bank-order for the above amount, payment has been made to the Imperial Treasury. The payment will appear in the next accounts to be rendered to the Treasury. I have, &c, C. Wrat Palliser, For High Commissioner for New Zealand. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. [P. & T. 11/ I.]

Enclosure in No. 1. The Assistant Undtcr-Sechetary of State, Colonial Office, to the Secretary to the High Commissioner. Sir, — Colonial Office, Downing Street, 9th September, 1913. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, for the information of the High Commissioner, the accompanying copy of a letter from the Treasury on the subject of the expenses incurred in connection with the Pacific Cable Board for the year 1912-13, and to inquire whether lie can arrange to pay to the Imperial Treasury the sum of £3,585 10s. 10d., being the amount due from the Government of New Zealand. 2. I am to add that copies of the papers enclosed in this letter have been forwarded to the Governor of New Zealand. I have, &c, The Secretary, Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand. H. W. Just. Sub-enclosure 1 in No. 1. The Assistant Secretary to the to the Under-Secretary op State, Colonial Office. Sir, — Treasury Chambers, 3rd September, 1913. I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to request you to inform Mr. Secretary Harcourt that the Pacific Cable Board's account of the expenses of the cable for the year ended the 31st March last has now been audited. A copy of the auditor's report is enclosed herewith, from which it will be seen that the deficit on the working of the cable for the year 1912-13 amounted to £32,269 17s. 5(1., and the sums recoverable from the Dominion Governments are therefore as follows :— £ s. d, Australia (six-eighteenths) ... ... ... ... 10,756 12 5 Canada (five-eighteenths) ... ... ... ... 8,963 17 1 New Zealand (two-eighteenths) ~. ~. ... ... 3,585 10 10 0 4