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No. 17. The Hon. the Premier to the Agent-General. Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, sth January, 1901. I have the honour to confirm my telegram to you of the 24th ultimo as follows : [No. 16] ; and to transmit herewith, for your information, copy of the Order in Council empowering you to act. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, for the Premier. The Hon. W. P. Eeeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

Enclosure in No. 17. Warrant Eanpurly, Governor. Order in Council. —At the Government House, at Wellington, this twenty-fourth day of December, 1900. Present: His Excellency the Governor in Council. In exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 2 of " The Pacific Cable Authorisation Act, 1899," and of all other powers enabling him in this behalf, His Excellency the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, acting by and with the consent of the Executive Council of the said colony, doth hereby appoint the Honourable William Pember Eeeves, the Agent-General of the said colony, to do whatever he deems necessary in order to give effect to the resolutions set forth in the schedule to the said Act. J. F. Andrews, Acting-Clerk of the Executive Council. [Eead here Nos. 47-49, et seqq.}

No. 18. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir, — 21st January, 1901. I beg to enclose herewith copy of a letter from the British Empire League containing a resolution, relating to the Pacific cable, which was unanimously adopted at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the League on the 10th instant. I have; &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Eeeves.

Enclosure in No. 18. Sib, — British Empire League, 112, Cannon street, E.C. 16th January, 1901. At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the British Empire League, held on the 10th instant, with Sir Eobert Herbert in the chair, the following resolution was unanimously adopted : — " That the Executive Committee of the British Empire League expresses its satisfaction at the acceptance by the Imperial Government of a tender for the construction of the Pacific cable, and congratulates the representatives of Canada, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and New Zealand, as well as the members of the British Empire League in Canada, upon the success of their efforts." My Committee will esteem it a favour if you will communicate the same to your Government. I am, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. C. Freeman Murray, Secretary.

No. 19. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. • Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sib,— 22nd January, 1901. Referring to my letter of the 21st ultimo [not printed], and to previous correspondence, I beg to enclose herewith a printed copy of the contract as completed with the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company (Limited), on the 31st ultimo, for the construction of the Pacific cable. I have, &c, The Hon, the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Eeeves.

Enclosure in No. 19. CONTRACT. Aeticles op Contbact, made the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred, between the Eight Honourable Sir Michael Edward Hicks-Beach, Baronet, and William Hayes Fisher, Esquire, two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, acting on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, of the first part; the Eight Honourable Donald Alexander Lord Stbathcona and Mount Eoyal, G.C.M.C., High Commissioner for the Dominion of Canada, acting on behalf of the Government of the Dominion of Canada, of the second part; the Honourable Heney