A.—2

22

the circular refers to the expenses of removal and of maintenance during the imprisonment, and other expenses incident to the conviction, of any persons who hav&.been convicted, as well as to the expenses in the case of criminal lunatics. I have, &c, KNUTSFORD. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

No. 28. (New Zealand, No. 28.) My Lokd, — Downing Street, 15th September, 1889. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to your Lordship, for communication to your Government, with further reference to your Despatch No. 30, of the 29th May, a copj r of a letter from the Foreign Office, with its enclosures, respecting the inability of the French Government to take part in the Dunedin Exhibition of 1889^90; together with a further letter from the Foreign Office forwarding a despatch from Rome conveying the decision of the Italian Government on the subject. I am, &c, The Earl of Onslow. ROBERT G. W. HERBERT.

A.-l, 1890.N0. 6,

Enclosure 1. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir, — * Foreign Office, 7th September, 1889. With reference to my letter of the 6th ultimo, I am directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the accompanying despatch and enclosure (Lord Lytton, No. 197, commercial, 4th September), stating the French Government regret they cannot take part officially in the New Zealand Exhibition. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. T. V. Lister.

Sub-Enclosures. Lord Lytton to Lord Salisbury. My Lord, — Paris, 4th September, 1889. With reference to my No. 176 of this series, I have the honour to transmit herewith to your Lordship copy of a note which I have received from the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, stating that he is informed by the Minister of Commerce that the Government of the French Republic regrets very much that they cannot accept the invitation of the Government of New Zealand to take part officially in the Scientific and Education Department of the Exhibition to be held at Dunedin in November next, the date of its opening being too near for them to be able to take the necessary steps in time. I have, &c, The Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., &c. Lytton.

M. l'Ambassadeue, — Ainsi que j'ai eu l'honneur d'en informer Votre Excellence, sous la date dv 30 Juillet, j'ai porte a la connaissance de M. le President dv Conseil, Ministre dv Commerce, de l'lndustrie, et dcs Colonies, l'invitation officielle adressee, avec l'agrement dv Gouvernement Britannique, par les autorit^s de la Npuvelle-Zelande au Gouvernement francais de prendre part, dans la Section Scientifique eD d'Education, Pi l'Exposition gui doit s'ouvrir a Dunedin au mois de Novembre prochain. Je viens de recevoirla reponse deM. Tirard a cette communication. Sans meconnaitre l'interet qu'aurait pu presenter, pour les possessions francaises d'Oceanie, la participation officielle de la France a cc concours, M. le President dv Conseil estime, ainsi que je l'avais fait pressentir a Votre Excellence, que l'epoque de l'ouverture de cc concours est trop rapprochee pour que le Gouvernement francais soit en mesure d'y prendre part. En vue, toutefois, de faire connaitre aux industriels et negociants francais l'organisation de cc concours, et de leur permettre d'y participer, le cas eeheant, a titre individuel et prive, M. Tirard a present l'insertion dune note relative a l'Exposition de Dunedin au Journal Officiel et au Moniteur Officiel dv Commerce. Je vous serais oblige, M. l'Ambassadeur, de vouloir bien porter la reponse gui precede a la connaissance de votre Gouvernement, en lvi exprimant les regrets dv Gouvernement francais de n'avoir pu dormer d'autre suite a la.demande dv Gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Zelande. , Agreez, &c, Son Excellence le Comte de Lytton. E. Spuller,