A.—2.

Enclosures. No. 611993/08. Sir,— General Post Office, London, 24th May, 1909. With reference to your letter of the 19th of last month, No. 1249~4/1909, forwarding the enclosed English text of the proposed Convention for a direct exchange of money-orders between France and New Zealand, together with a copy of recent correspondence on the subject, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to point out that certain discrepancies exist between the accompanying draft and the French text, of which a copy was sent with your letter of the 22nd December last, No. 46001/1908. Article 1, paragraph 1. The French text stipulates that the service is to extend to the Principality of Monaco, but no such provision appears in the English text. Article 1, paragraph 2. Ihe equivalent of £40, the maximum amount of a single order in British currency, is fixed at 1,008 francs in the French text, but is not specified in the English text. Article 8. The words " re clames par " in the French text are rendered by " paid to " in the English text, and " definitivement acquises a" by "ultimately belong to"; but the phrases "claimed by" and "become the property of," respectively, which appear in the Money-order Convention recently concluded between France and the Transvaal, are thought to give a closer approximation to the French text, and to be more suitable for adoption. Apart from these differences, the Postmaster-General sees no objection to the terms of the accompanying draft instrument ; and he presumes that the Earl of Crewe will now ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to take the necessary diplomatic measures for the conclusion of the Convention. A French toxt of the detailed regulations for the execution of the proposed Convention has lull been received in this office: hut 1 am to make the following observations on the English text now returned to you: — (1.) No specimen of the List of Money-orders described in detail in Article IV, and referred to as "Form A " in Article VI, appears in the appendix. A specimen of the form will doubtless be placed with the completed regulations; and 1 am to suggest that the words "similar to specimen A annexed to these regulations " should lie inserted in the first paragraph of Article IV, between the words " list " and " of." (2.) In Article X it is provided that money-orders shall remain payable in France for one year from the date of issue, and in New Zealand for twelve months after the expiration of the month of issue; but in the Convention between France and the Transvaal the period of validity was fixed at twelve months from the date of issue for each country. (3.) Mr. Buxton has no objection to the settlement of balances due from France to New Zealand through the medium of the Accountant-General's Department of this office, as contemplated in Article XV : but any drafts issued in this connection should be made payable to the order of the Postmaster-General, and not to the Comptroller and Accountant-General. (4.) In Table B of the appendix the allowance provided for in Article 3 of the Convention is incorrectly given at \ instead of i per cent. This is presumably a clerical error. I am, <fee, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. H. Babinhton Smith. No. 17609/1909. g IR) Downing Street, 4th June, 1909. With reference to your letter No. 1909, of the 9th March, I am directed by the Earl of Crewe to transmit to you, to lie laid Itefore Secretary Sir E. Grey, the accompanying copy of a despatch from the Governor of Now Zealand respecting the proposed Convention for a direct exchange of money-orders between France and the Dominion. 2. I am alsn to enclose a copy of a letter on the subject from the General Post Office, to which Department Lord Plunket's despatch was referred on receipt. 3, As the English text of the proposed Convention forwarded by the Governor is definitive, I am to request that the necessary diplomatic measures may be taken for its execution as it stands. 4 The regulations, it appears, are to l>e signed by the Postmaster-General of New Zealand and the Under-Secretary of State for Posts and Telegraphs of France : and I am to suggest that the alterations which tlic General Post Office proposes in Articles IV and XV and in Table B of the appendix should W- brought to the notice of the French Government, in order that, if accepted, they may be made before the regulations are signed in Paris and sent out to Now Zealand for signature by the Postmaster-General of the Dominion. Tt is presumed that the regulations, when signed in Paris, will be sent out direct to Wellington. I «m. *c.. The Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. H. VS. Just.

No. 34. New Zealand, No. 116. My Lord, Downing Street, Bth June, 1909. With reference to my predecessor's despatch No. 111, of the 6th December, 1907, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your

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