A.—2

Enclosure. His Majesty's Embassy presents its compliments to the Ministry for Eoreign Affairs, and has the honour, under instructions from His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to state that the Government of New Zealand is anxious to secure the co-operation of the Government of the Republic in the meteorological work which is being carried out in the Southern Pacific area by the Apia Observatory in Western Samoa. In this respect they would welcome particularly the establishment of a reliable meteorological station in the Marquesas Group by the French colonial authorities. At the present time information about the Western Pacific is given by Australia and New Zealand and by the Geophysical Observatory at Apia. Information with respect to' the Central Pacific is furnished by the French authorities, who are now publishing valuable data at Papeete, in the Society Group. The Government of New Zealand are of- opinion that observations from the Marquesas Group would be of especial value in affording data about a region concerning which little is known, the nearest stations being Easter Island, about 3,500 kilometres distant, and Tahiti, about 1,700 kilometres distant. These observations are likely to be of great assistance in forecasting seasonal changes, and, when wireless stations are provided, for forecasting cyclones. It is understood that Monsieur Clavel, of the Hydrographic Office at Nukahiwa, Marquesas Group, is willing to undertake the observations and is capable of carrying out the work, and the Director and staff of the Apia Observatory will be pleased at all times to afford him any assistance within their power. His Majesty's Embassy ventures to request the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to be so good as to inform it of the view of the Government of the Republic in this matter, and trusts that this suggestion may meet with the latter's favourable consideration. British Embassy, Paris, 4th May, 1926. Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres, Republique Fran§aise, Paris, le 30 juin, 1926. Par note du 4 mai dernier, l'Ambassade de Grande-Bretagne a bien voulu signaler au Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres l'interet qu'attacherait le Gouvernement de Sa Majeste a l'installation, par les Autorites coloniales fran9aises, d'une station meteorologique aux lies Marquises, station dont les travaux s'harmoniseraient, en les completant, avec ceux des autres stations situees dans les lies Samoa, en Australie, en Nouvelle-Zelands, et a Papeete. Le Ministere des Affaires Ktrangeres a l'honneur de faire savoir a l'Ambassade de Grande-Bretagne que le Ministre des Colonies, a qui cette suggestion avait ete aussitot soumise en a saisi les Autorites coloniales locales et les a invitees a lui faire A connaitre leur sentiment sur ses possibilities de realisation. Ambassade de Grand-Bretagne, a|Paris.

No. ye. New Zealand, No. 166. Sir, — Downing Street, 21st July, 1926. With reference to my despatch, No. 230, of the 22nd December, 1925, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copjf of the Newfoundland Act respecting the Taxation and Immunity from Taxation of State Enterprises, 1926. 2. A copy of the Act is also being sent to tlie Governors-General of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Union of South Africa, and the Irish Free State, and to the officers administering the Governments of Southern Rhodesia and of the Australian States. I have, &c., L. S. AMERY. Governor-General His Excellency General Sir C. Fergusson, Bart., LL.D., G.C.M.G., K.C.8., D.5.0., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. An Act respecting the Taxation and Immunity from Taxation of State Enterprises. [Passed 24th April, 1926. Whereas the Imperial Economic Conference in 1923 passed certain resolutions respecting the immunity from taxation of State property within the British Empire, except so far as the property may be owned or held in a trading capacity, and recommended their adoption, which has been done by the Imperial Government and other British Dominions : And whereas it is desirable to give effect to said resolutions in this colony :

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