A.—2

1886. NEW ZEALAND.

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. (New Zealand, General.) Sir,— Downing Street, 22nd July, 1885. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter from the Eoreign Office notifying the adhesion of Tunis to the International Telegraph Convention. I have, &c, EKED. STANLEY. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c.

Enclosure. Sir,— Foreign Office, 17th July, 1885. Article XVIII. of the International Telegraph Convention requires that adhesions to that Convention should be notified to the signatory Powers by the country in which the last Conference was held; and this duty therefore at present devolves upon Great Britain. As New Zealand, South Australia, Victoria, the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, and New South Wales are parties to this Convention, I am directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to request you to move the Secretary of State for the Colonies to cause the Governors of those colonies to be informed that a notification has been received from the Government of the French Republic of the adhesion of Tunis to the International Telegraph Convention, such, adhesion to date from the Ist July, 1885. I am further to request that the following particulars of the accession may be stated at the same time: (1.) Tunis will rank in the fifth class of States contributing, under Article LXXVI. of the Convention, to the expenses of the International Telegraph Office. (2.) The frauc is the only money used in the regency for telegraphic operations. (3.) The terminal rate for Tunis is at the present time included in the rates of the cables between France and the coast of Africa. Tunis not being as yet connected with any other system, there is no present occasion to consider the question of transit rates. (4.) Tunis will be included amongst the countries to which the European regulations apply. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. J. Pauncefote.

No. 2. (New Zealand, General.) Sir,— Downing Street, 28th July, 1885. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office formally notifying the adhesion of the Colony of Tasmania to the International Telegraph Convention. I have, &c, PEED. STANLEY. Governor Sir W. E. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c. I—A. 2.