A.—2

2

No. 1

(No. 10.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 28th February, 1903. a.—i,i9o3. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 2), No. 3i. o f the 6th January, and, in reply, to acquaint you for the information of your Ministers that a War Office Committee, under the presidency of Lord Hardwicke, is considering the question of the distribution of trophies captured in the late war in South Africa, and that it is intended by that Department to place a due proportion of the number available at the disposal of this office for allocation to the colonies concerned. 2. In this event I may assure you that the claims of New Zealand will not be overlooked. I have, &c, (For the Secretary of State), ONSLOW. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 2. • (No. 15.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th March, 1903. I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, copy of correspondence with the Pacific Cable Board respecting the rates to be charged for Government telegrams from this country via the Pacific cable. 2. I trust that on consideration your Ministers will see their way to reducing the terminal rate for Government telegrams from England to at least per word, the rate which is now charged on telegrams from Australia. I have, &c, (For the Secretary of State), ONSLOW. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosures. Sir,— The Pacific Cable Board, 30th September, 1902. With reference to your letter of 19th instant, I am instructed by the Pacific Cable Board to state, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that they have ascertained that the Eastern Telegraph Company proposes on the completion of the route via the Cape to Australia to reduce the rate on Government messages not to Is. 6d. a word, as the Colonial Office letter assumes, but to Is. 7|d., viz.,— s. d. Australian terminal charges . . ... ... ... ... 0 4 Eastern Company's charges (half rates) ... ... ... ... 1 3| 1 7| On the same principle the Board, it is presumed, should reduce the rates to Is. 9id., viz.,— s. d. Tariff to Vancouver ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 8 Australian terminal charge ... ... ... ... ... 0 4 Half rate, Pacific cable ... ... ... ... ... 0 9^ 1 9} They write this on the assumption that— 1. The Government of the Commonwealth have reduced the terminal rate on Government messages from sd. (the ordinary rate), to 4d. a word, and 2. That the pool companies and Commercial Company will not consent to take Government traffic to Vancouver for less than Bd., against the reduced rate for ordinary messages of Is. a word. The companies have so far refused to carry Government traffic for less than two-thirds the ordinary rate, and Mr. Chamberlain is doubtless aware that the carriage of an ordinary telegram to Vancouver is Is. 6d. a word. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. S. Walpolb. Sir,— Downing Street, 10th October, 1902. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th September, respecting the rates for Government telegrams to Australia. 2. Having regard to the fact that the rate over the Eastern and Eastern Extension Telegraph Company's lines will be 2d. per word less than the rate vid Vancouver and the Pacific cable, Mr. Chamberlain feels that it will be necessary seriously to consider whether messages from this Department to the Australian Government can be sent by the latter route.