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Enclosures. Sir,— Downing Street, 24th April, 1906. With reference to the letter from this Department of the 10th January last, and your reply (24178/06) of the 13th idem, respecting the proposals put forward by the Government of New Zealand for discussion at the Postal Union Congress, now holding its sittings at Rome, I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to transmit to you, to be laid before the Postmaster-General, a copy of a telegram from the Governor of New Zealand with regard to the proposal made by his Government for universal penny postage. I am, <tc. The Secretary, General Post Office. H. Bertram Cox.

Sir,— General Post Office, 27th April, 1906. With reference to your letter of the 24th of this month (No. 14122/1906) enclosing a copy of a telegram from the Governor of New Zealand with regard to the proposal made by his Government for universal penny postage, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the question has already been represented to the Treasury. The loss to British revenue which would be involved in the establishment of the system is estimated at about £600,000 a year, of which no part would be recovered by an increa«se in the amount of correspondence, as there would be no profit on the letters sent at the lower rate. In view of these financial considerations, in which the Lords of the Treasury have expressed their concurrence, the Postmaster-General regrets that the British delegates will not, under present conditions, be able to support the proposal of the New Zealand Government. I am, _c, The Secretary, Colonial Office. H. Buxton Forman. No. 4. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 2nd June, 1906. I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the colony under your government, a copy of an Order of His Majesty the King in Council, dated the 11th May, 1906, for giving effect to the treaty between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Nicaragua for the mutual surrender of fugitive criminals, which was signed at Managua on the 19th April, 1905. I have, &c, ELGIN. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. [The Order in Council is published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 2nd August, 1906, page 2099.] No. 5. (New Zealand—No. 52.) My Lord,— Downing Street, 14th June, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 9th instant regarding the inspection of frozen and tinned meat exported from New Zealand, and to state, for the information of your Ministers, that I have caused copies of your telegram to be communicated to the Press for publication. 2. Copies have also been transmitted to the War Office, the Admiralty, the Board of Trade, the Local Government Board, and the India Office. I have, &c, ELGIN Governor the Right lion. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

No. 4. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 2nd June, 1906. I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the colony under your government, a copy of an Order of His Majesty the King in Council, dated the 11th May, 1906, for giving effect to the treaty between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Nicaragua for the mutual surrender of fugitive criminals, which was signed at Managua on the 19th April, 1905. I have, &c, ELGIN. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. [The Order in Council is published in the Neui Zealand Gazette of the 2nd August, 1906, page 2099.]

No. 5. (New Zealand—No. 52.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 14th June, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 9th instant regarding the inspection of frozen and tinned meat exported from New Zealand, and to state, for the information of your Ministers, that I have caused copies of your telegram to be communicated to the Press for publication. 2. Copies have also been transmitted to the War Office, the Admiralty, the Board of Trade, the Local Government Board, and the India Office. I have, &c, ELGIN Governor the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.