A.—2.

No. 1.

(No. 42.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 15th May, 1907. I have the honour to transmit to you for the information of your Ministers, with reference to your despatch (No. 81) of Bth October last, the papers noted in the subjoined schedule. I have, &c, ELGIN. The Officer Administering the Government, New Zealand.

Enclosures.

S IR) _ Foreign Office, 22nd April, 1907. With reference to your letter (43090) of November 30th last, 1 am directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to transmit to you herewith, for such observations as the Secretary of State for the Colonies may desire to make, a copy of a Note which has been received from the Chinese Minister regarding the proposed appointment of Chinese Consular Officers in Australia and New Zealand. I am to call, attention to the last paragraph of Wang Tahsieh's Note, from which it will be seen that he is particularly anxious for an early reply. I am, &c, F. A. Campbell. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office.

Your Excellency,— Chinese Legation, 12th April, 1907. In my note of September 18th of last year, I requested Your Excellency to afford through proper authorities facilities to a Chinese official, Mr. Hwang Hou Cheng, who was deputed by the Chinese Government to proceed to Australia and New Zealand to make investigations into the condition of the Chinese residing in various places in those parts of His Britannic Majesty's Dominions, before they took steps to appoint Consular Representatives in accordance with the request which the Chinese subjects had repeatedly made to them. From the report which Mr. Hwang Hou Cheng has submitted to the Imperial Government and myself, it appears that there, are about thirty thousand Chinese residing in various parts of Australia, and there is also a large number of them in New Zealand. The interests represented by such a number of Chinese must be, evidently, very immense, and the prospect of commerce which is to develop between Australia and China in the near future is also verj' bright. Under these circumstances, the Chinese Government, having for some time under their consideration the subject of the appointment of Consular Agents, have now come to a decision on the point. They propose to appoint a Consul-General to Melbourne, and one Consul in Wellington, New Zealand. In Fremantle, Sydney, and Brisbane, Vice-Consuls will be appointed. I hope this said proposal will meet the approval of His Majesty's Government, and should be much obliged, if Your Excellency could favour me with an early reply on the matter. T am, &c, Wang Tahsieh. Sir Edward Grey, Bart,, M.P.

Sin.— Downing Street, 15th May, 1907. I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 11786) of the 22nd ultimo and to state for the information of Sir E. Grey that it has been ascertained from the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand that there is no objection to the proposed appointments of Chinese Consular Officers in the Commonwealth and New Zealand. I am, &c, H. Bertram Cox, The Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office.

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Date. From To Subject. ;2nd April, 1907 ... Foreign Office 5th May, „ ... Colonial Office ... Colonial Office ... Foreign Office | (Proposed appointment of Chinese "' \\ Consular Officers in Australia and ' 11 New Zealand.