A.—2

No. 27. New Zealand Dominions Treaty, No. 37. My Lord, — Downing Street, 24th October, 1924. With reference to my despatch, No. 90, of the 24th May, I have the honour to state that, as Your Excellency's Ministers will have observed from the letter from the Secretary-General of the League of Nations (C.L. 127) of the 12th September, the Conventions and Statutes on the International Regime of Railways and the International Regime of Maritime Ports (with the Protocols of Signature) have been ratified by His Majesty the King on behalf of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 2. Similar action is now contemplated as regards the Conventions relating to the transmission in transit of electric power and to the development of hydraulic power affecting more than one State, and the Protocols of Signature. I have, &c., J. H. THOMAS. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. Viscount Jellicoe, G.C.8., 0.M., G.C.V.0., &c.

No. 28. New Zealand,* No." 199. My Lord,— Downing Street, 24th October, 1924. With reference to my despatch of even date, Dominions Treaty No. 37, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that, as the Conventions and Statutes on the International Regime of Railways and the International Regime of Maritime Ports (with the Protocols of Signature) have now been signed on behalf of New Zealand and Western Samoa by the High Commissioner, steps are being taken for the preparation of a special instrument of ratification of these two Conventions, &c., on behalf of New Zealand and Western Samoa. 2. In the case of the Conventions relating to the transmission in transit of electric power and to the development of hydraulic power affecting more than one State, which also have been signed by the High Commissioner with the Protocols of Signature, it is proposed that the instrument of ratification on behalf of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is about to be prepared, should also include ratification on behalf of New Zealand and Western Samoa. I have, &c., J. H. THOMAS Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. Viscount Jellicoe, G.C.8., 0.M., G.C.Y.0., &c.

No. 29. New Zealand, Dominions No. 511. My Lord, — Downing Street, 27th October, 1924. With reference to my predecessor's despatch, Dominions No. 315, of the 17th August, 1923, and connected correspondence, I have the honour to request Your Excellency to inform your Ministers that I am informed by the Secretary of the Imperial Botanical Conference that the following resolutions were passed by the Conference : —- 1. " That this Conference, fully aware of the necessity for co-ordination of botanical work m all parts of the Empire, and recognizing that both investigators and undergraduates will benefit by contact with fresh points of view, urges that every effort be made to encourage the exchange both of members of the staff and of research students between the universities and research institutions of the Empire, and recommends the establishment of a permanent committee for this purpose,"

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