A.—2

18

Enclosures. [Official Report, sth May, 1920.] Traveller's Money.—French Government Order. 76. Mr. Gilbert asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he is aware that the French Government has issued an order forbidding travellers carrying away from France more than 1,000 francs, either in British or French money, and if they are in possession of larger amounts it is taken away from them ; whether he is aware that the notice of this order is only issued on the railway-trains, and acts most unfairly to Indian and colonial passengers travelling overland from Marseilles ; and can he make representations to the French Government to allow special facilities to these passengers, and also to give better notice to passengers from and to this country ? Mr. Harmsworth : Notice of the French law was given at the time in the Board of Trade Journal of 2nd May, 1918, and certain modifications in favour of foreign commercial travellers visiting France were published in the issue of the same journal dated 11th March, 1920. I do not consider that representations to the French Government in favour of travellers passing through France could at present be made with any prospect of success. France.—Exportation op Money. In virtue of a French law of 3rd April, 1918, the sum of money which may be taken out of France by persons leaving the country is limited to 1,000 francs. This limitation is a source of considerable inconvenience to foreign commercial travellers, who frequently recover, just prior to leaving the country, a sum of money which they were obliged to deposit on entering the country as duty on samples, with the result that the total sum in their possession exceeds 1,000 francs. The French Customs authorities have now, however, issued instructions that foreign commercial travellers visiting France may, on leaving the country, be permitted to export freely the sums which they deposited on entering the country, even when the addition of this sum to the money they are already carrying raises the total above 1,000 francs.

Republic Francaise.—Avis Aux Voyagetjrs. Prohibition d'Exportation dcs Monnaies dOr, a"'Argent, et dcs Billets de Banque. Il est interdit d'exporter dcs monnaies dor ou d'argent francaises ou etrangeres sous peine dun emprisonnement dun mois a deux ans et dune amende de 100 a 5,000 francs ou de l'une de ces deux peines seulement. En outre, For ou l'argent saisis sont confisques ainsi que les moyens de transport (Loi dv 17 Aout, 1915, et Decret dv 12 Juillet, 1919.) Sauf autorisation speciale dv Ministre dcs Finances (Commission dcs Changes), il est egalement interdit aux yoyageurs se rendant a l'etranger d'emporter une somme superieure a 1,000 francs par personne en billets de la Banque de France ou a la contre valeur de cette somme en billets de banque (Strangers. (Loi dv 3 Avril, 1918, et Arrete dv 3 Juillet, 1918.) Une tolerance est accordee pour les monnaies d'argent jusqu'a concurrence dune somme maxima de 10 francs par personne. Les voyageurs gui no se conformeraient pas a ces prescriptions s'exposeraient a l'emprisonnement et a une forte amende.

No. 27. New Zealand, Dominions, No. 226. My Lord— Downing Street, 3rd June, 1920. With reference to my predecessor's despatch, Dominions, No. 796, of the 13th December, 1917, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that the Government of Malta has decided to abolish the special postal war-tax of |d. on all letters, and of 3d. on all parcels, posted in the colony for delivery in other parts of the Empire, with effect from the Ist June, 1920. At the same time it has been decided to revise the rates of postage in Malta for letters addressed to other places in the British Empire, with effect from the same date, as follows : For the first ounce, l|d. ; for every succeeding ounce, Id. 2. I have also to request that you will inform your Ministers, with reference to Mr. Long's despatch, Dominions, No. 713, of the 13th December, 1918, that the postal war-tax which was imposed in Nyasaland was abolished, with effect from the Ist January, 1920. I have, &c, MILNER. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. Earl of Liverpool, P.C, G.C.M.G, 0.8.E, M.V.O, &c.