A.—4

1906. NEW ZEALAND.

THE FUTURE ORGANIZATION OF COLONIAL CONFERENCES IN LONDON (CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

(New Zealand.—General.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 7th December, 1905. I had the honour to telegraph to you on the 29th ultimo requeeting you to suggest to your Ministers that it might be desirable, in view of all the circumstances of the case, to postpone the meeting of the next Colonial Conference until the year 1907, and that any further discussion of the proposals contained in my despatch of the 20th of April last relating to the organization of future Colonial Conferences had better be deferred until the next Conference meets. (2.) I have now to enclose for the information of your Government copies of a paper (Cd, 2785) in which the recent correspondence on the subject, beginning with my despatch of the 20th of April last and ending with my telegram of the 29th ultimo, has been presented to both Houses of Parliament. I have, &c, ALFEED LYTTELTON. Governor, The Right Honourable Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c. Enclosure. COLONIAL CONFERENCE.—CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE FUTURE ORGANIZATION OF COLONIAL CONFERENCES. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command if His Majesty, November, 1905

Table of Contents.

I-α. 4,

Serial No. From or to whom. I Colony, &c. Date. Subject. I To the Governors of the self-governing colonies] Circular 1905. April 20 Recites the history of previous Conferences ; suggests that the Conferences should in future be styled meetings of the Imperial Council, and that a permanent Commission should be formed to which the details of questions discussed by the Imperial Council could be referred. Encloses copy of a minute from Ministers expressing entire accordance with the principle and details of the scheme and offering suggestions. Reports that Sir W. Laurier desires to be allowed to close the Parliamentary session before replying to No. 1 Reports that his Ministers favour the establishment of an Imperial Council and of the proposed permanent Commission, 2 Governor Sir W. P. HelyHutchinson Cape Colony Telegram June 16 (Reo. July 8). 3 Governor - Gensral Earl Grey (Rec. July 8) 1 Governor Sir H. E. McCallum Natal June 20 (Rec. July 15)