9

A.—2

No. 13. New Zealand, No. 82. My Lord,— Downing Street, 21st March, 1912. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 4, of the 3rd January, transmitting a memorandum from your Prime Minister on the subject of the Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks Act' of the Parliament of New Zealand. 2. With reference to the second paragraph of your despatch, I have to point out that the Patent Office at Wellington is at present supplied with copies of the reports of patent cases issued in this country which contain reports of rulings and decisions given by the Comptroller-General, and on appeal by the Law Officers, in cases where any general principle arises, in addition to reports of cases before the Courts. 3. His Majesty's Government will, however, be glad to communicate to your Government any additional information as to the practice of the Patent Office, or as to the rulings of the Comptroller-General on any particular point or section of the Patent Acts, if your Ministers will be so good as to specify the points upon which information is desired. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

No. 14. New Zealand, No. 83. My Lord, — Downing Street, 21st March, 1912. With reference to the discussion on wireless telegraphy through the Empire which took place at the Imperial Conference (see pages 307-15 of Cd. 5745), I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, the accompanying copies of correspondence between the Postmaster-General and the Marconi Company on the subject of the establishment of a series of long-distance stations capable of communicating over a range of at least 2,000 geographical miles. 2. Although the company have not accepted the Postmaster-General's views on all points, the terms appear to be favourable to His Majesty's Government; there seems to be little doubt that there is at present no practicable alternative to the Marconi system for long-distance signalling ; and His Majesty's Government have therefore decided to accept the modified tender in respect of stations in England, Cyprus or Egypt, Aden, and Singapore, and the Indian Government have also accepted the agreement in regard to a station in India. 3. You are aware that the whole scheme has since the Imperial Conference been discussed with the High Commissioners of Australia, New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa, and I understand that Sir W. Hall-Jones has been in telegraphic communication with your Government on the subject. 4. It is proposed that the whole cost of the erection of the stations in England, Cyprus or Egypt, Aden, and Singapore should be borne by His Majesty's Government, and that the Indian and South African Governments respectively should bear the cost of the stations in their territories. The revenue would be divided, after the deduction of the royalty payable to the company, on the same basis as the receipts for ordinary telegrams, the rates charged to the public being made up of a terminal rate for the countries of origin and delivery and transit rates for the intermediate stations. 5. I shall be glad to learn in due course whether your Ministers desire that your Government should become a party to the agreement, in which case it could be extended so as to include a station in New Zealand for communication with a station in Australia. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c. 2—A. 2.