F.—7

2. From the General Post Office memorandum printed on pages 135 et xeq. of Cd. 5273, your Ministers will have observed that the policy of further reductions in postage-rates has been steadily pursued since the similar resolution of the Colonial Conference of 1907. The views expressed and the resolution of the Colonial Conference will continue to be acted upon by His Majesty's Government as opportunity arises. I have, &c, L. Harcouht. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., <fco. [P.O. 11/3678.]

No. 3. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. Mt Lord, — Downing Street, 2nd August, 1911. With reference to my despatch of tho 18th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of correspondence with the Foreign Office as regards the form in which the proposed arrangement with France for the reduction of postal rates between New Zealand and French Oceania should be carried out. I have, &c, L. Harcourt Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., <fee. [P.O. 10/981(1).]

Enclosure 1 in No. 3. The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. Sir, — Downing Street, 17th July, 1911. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th of July [not printed] on the subject of penny postage between New Zealand and French Oceania. 2. In reply, I am to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Sir E. Grey, the accompanying copy of a despatch [not printed] from the Governor of New Zealand forwarding a draft Convention to carry out the proposed arrangement. A copy of this despatch was sent to Sir Joseph Ward before his departure from this country, with a request for an intimation of his views on the matter, but he did not find it possible to deal with the question before he left England. 3. Mr. Harcourt will therefore be glad if the French Government can now be invited to enter into the Convention on the lines of that enclosed in Lord Islington's despatch. i. I am to add that the General Post Office is being informed of what is being done. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. C. P. Lucas.

Enclosure 2 in No. 3. The Under-Sbcretary of State, Foreign Office, to the Under-Secretaky of State for the Colonies. Sir,— Foreign Office, 24th July, 1911. I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th instant, forwarding a draft Convention between the United Kingdom and France for the reduction of postal rates between the Dominion of New Zealand and French Oceania. In reply, I am to observe that it does not appear necessary that the arrangement in question should take the form of a Convention containing provisions for the exchange of ratifications between His Majesty and the President of the French Republic. In Sir E. Grey's opinion, an agreement between the two Governments would fully meet the case, and I am therefore to suggest that the draft might be amended accordingly, and that in place of the first part of Article IV a provision should be substituted to fhe effect that it shall come into operation on a fixed date. Such date might be agreed to by both parties previous to signature. If Mr. Secretary Harcourt concurs, a preamble in the form usual in the case of agreements between Governments will also be inserted in the draft, which will then be forwarded to Hie Majesty's Ambassador at Paris for submission to the French Government. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. W. Langlbt.

Enclosure 3 in No. 3. The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Under-Secretary op State, Foreign Office. Sir, — Downing Street, Ist August, 1911. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th ultimo, and to state that he concurs in Sir E. Grey's suggestion that the proposed arrangement with France for the reduction of postal rates between New Zealand and French Oceania should take the form of an agreement between the two Governments, the draft Convention enclosed in the letter from this Department of the 17th ultimo being amended as proposed in your letter. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office, C P, Lucas.

2