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No. 15. His Excellency the Governor to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. (Telegram.) Wellington, 10th May, 1904. Referring to your telegram of the sth May, Pacific Cable: Can you state approximately about, what date will be convenient to Conference? Knowledge-of this affects selection of delegates. New Zealand agrees with Colonial Office proposals —that is, one delegate each Great Britain, Canada, Commonwealth; New Zealand voting-power to be as already indicated by you.

No. 16. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Prime Minister. (Telegram.) London, 17th May, 1904. Pacific cable: In reply to your telegram of the 17th May [not printed], would be glad to know name delegate Government proposed to appoint, previous to finally appointing.

No. 17. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Agent-General for New Zealand, London. (Telegram.) Wellington, 27th May, 1904. Your telegram of 17th: Shall advise you proposed delegate before finally appointing. Am holding over pending some idea of date of Conference.

No. 18. The Hon. the Prime Minister to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 30th May, 1904. Referring to your telegram of 17th May: Shall advise you proposed delegate before finally appointing.

No. 19. The Secretary, Australasian Federated Seamen's Union, Auckland, to the Hon. the PostmasterGeneral, Wellington. Auckland Section of the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union, Sir, — 31, Palmerston Buildings, Queen Street, Auckland, 9th June, 1904. Enclosed please find copy of letter from the Federal Postmaster-General in re Cable Board steamer " Iris," now in Auckland Harbour, being manned by Chinese stokers. ■ As the Pacific Cable Conference is shortly to be held in London, would you be considerate enough to communicate with the Federal authorities for the purpose of having these men replaced by white stokers 1 Permit me in extension to point out that the Eastern Extension Cable Company's vessels a private concern —are manned throughout with a white crew. Thanking you in anticipation, I am, &c, J. K. Kneen, Secretary. The Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, K.C.M.G., Postmaster-General, Wellington.

Enclosure in No. 1.9. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary to the Hon. the Prime Minister, Melbourne. Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General's Department, Sir,— Melbourne, 20th May, 1904. In returning the attached letter which you forwarded to this office on the 10th instant, from Mr. J. K. Kneen, Secretary to the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union, Auckland, who brings under notice that the stokehold of the Pacific Cable Board's steamer " Iris " is manned byChinese, I have the honour, by direction, to inform you that this Department had not heard of this matter until a question in regard thereto was asked in Parliament by Mr. Spence, M.P., on the 22nd March last. The Postmaster-General thinks the attention of the representatives of the Commonwealth Government on the Pacific Cable Board should be drawn to this matter with a view of the Chinese being replaced by white labour, if the Board can be induced to do so. As, however, it is understood that the steamer in question has hitherto been stationed in New Zealand, and as •■.he Government of that colony is also interested as a party in the Pacific cable, it might perhaps be suggested to Mr. Kneen that application should also be made to that Government on the subject, and that it should be asked to instruct its representative on the Pacific Cable Board to move the Board in the matter or to support any action taken by the representatives of the Commonwealth. I have, <fee, Robert T. Scott, Secretary. The Secretary to the Prime Minister, Melbourne.