P.—B.

No. 2. The Manages in Australasia, Eastern Extension Company, Melbourne, to the Secretaby, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Melbourne, 22nd January, 1902. A Peess rate has been authorised between Australasia and Japan from to-day. Bate from New Zealand two and sevenpence per word.

No 3. The Officee in Chaege, Telegraph Office, Wakapuaka, to the Secebtaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Wakapuaka, sth March, 1902. Easteen Extension advise they are now ready to take traffic vid Cocos.

No. 4. The Geneeal Managee, Pacific Cable Board (at Suva), to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Suva, 6th May, 1902. Please order troop messages from New Zealand which Extension carry free from Wakapuaka to Sydney to be directed by that route. Not desirable we,should complicate accounts or interfere with courteous action Extension Company made before our cable existed.

No. 5. The Manager in Austbalasia, Eastern Extension Company, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Sib,— Melbourne, 23rd May, 1902. Confirming my telegram of the 21st instant [No. 159, F.-8, 1902] I have the honour to inform you that my company, not wishing New Zealand and New Caledonia should be exceptionally treated pending negotiations with the Right Honourable Mr. Barton for a Federal agreement, are disposed to apply to them the tentative arrangement agreed upon between the Federal Government and the company that the reduced rates should be made uniform throughout the Commonwealth, provided the undertaking already given is extended accordingly. A formal undertaking from the Federal Government that the existing agreements should not be thereby prejudiced was necessary, in consequence of the following provision inserted in Article 1 by the contracting States : " Provided always this " [schedule of reduced rates] " shall only apply to the colonies entering into this agreement." The Honourable the Federal Attorney-General has given the extended undertaking, and the reduced rates will come into operation on the Ist June, 1902. I venture to hope that you will now agree to accept the company's message-form, which could be altered to correspond with the Government form if you consider it necessary. I have, &c, W. Wareen, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Manager in Australasia.

i Read here No. 128.] No. 6. The Superintendent, Eastern Extension Company, Wakapuaka, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Wakapuaka, 23rd May, 1902. Beene office has been officially notified that the reduced rates given in my telegram of yesterday [not printed ; but see No. 159, F.-8, 1902] will come into force on first of June.

No. 7. The Hon. the Acting-Premiee, Wellington, to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 24th May, 1902. Eastern Extension Company extends reduced international cable rates New Zealand, from first June, to and from Europe : Ordinary, three and four a word ; Government, two and three vid Pacific, the rate vid Extension a penny more ; Press, one and twopence. All our Government messages sent vid Pacific

2