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Enclosure. Sik, — British Consulate, Papeete, 20th September, 1910. I have the honour to report that the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand are about to inaugurate a twenty-eight days' steam service between Auckland, New Zealand, and San Francisco, United Stated of America, via Papeete, Tahiti. The service will commence on the 22nd of October, 1910. For this service the Union Steamship Company will receive from the New Zealand Government a subsidy of £20,000 for one year ; but should the line be successful, then it will be continued for another two years, the only difference being that the point of departure from New Zealand will be from Wellington, provided the present New Zealand and Vancouver service should call at Auckland instead of Wellington. By this new line Tahiti will be brought into closer touch with the civilized world, more especially since the Oceanic Steamship Company (an American line) have just renewed their thirty-six days' mail-service with the French Government for another three years. This new line will be of great commercial advantage to these islands, as the Oceanic Steamship Company, having had up to now no competitor, was able to ask exorbitant charges for freights and passages, which will now have to be very greatly reduced. I enclose three copies of the " Journal Official " containing the official information of the proposed inauguration of the new line. I also enclose an extra copy of this despatch for transmission to the Commercial Intelligence Department of the Board of Trade should it be deemed of sufficient commercial interest. I have, &c, Sir E. Grey, Bart., M.P., &c, Foreign Office, London. Arthur L. Rowleys.

No. 91. New Zealand, No. 261. My Lord, — Downing Street, 9th November, 1910. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 2nd instant, in which you report that your Ministers are desirous that His Majesty's Government should co-operate with the Pacific Cable Board in the construction of an Atlantic cable to complete a through line to the Pacific. In reply, I have to request you to refer your Ministers to my predecessor's despatch, No. 247, of the 21st October, which explains the present attitude of His Majesty's Government on the subject. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, D.5.0., &c.

No. 92. New Zealand, No. 264. My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th November, 1910. With reference to your despatch, No. 105, of the 26th August last, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, enclosing copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at New York, forwarding copy of a communication on the subject of the high prices of foodstuffs in the United States, and the importation of Canadian and Australian meat into that country. I have, &c, ■ L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, D.5.0., &c.

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Date. ' I Description. 20th September, 1910 J From ELM. closure). Consul, Tahiti (without en-