2

F.—B

EASTERN EXTENSION COMPANY'S CABLES.

CAPE-AUSTRALIA AND FREMANTLE-COCOS.

No. 1. The Secretary, Pacific Cable Board, London, to the Hon. the Prime Ministee, Wellington. Pacific Cable Board, 24, Queen Anne's Gate, London, S.W., g _ 20fch July, 1903. I am directed by the Pacific Cable Board to acknowledge, with thanks, your letter of the 18th ultimo enclosing a cony of further correspondence [F.-Ba, 1903] with the Bight Hon. Sir B Barton Prime Minisier of the Australian Commonwealth, relative to the agreement with the Eastern Extension Company, in which correspondence is embodied a copy of the agreement in Question 1 am ' &c -' The Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. Hugh Latham, Secretary.

No. 2. The Hon. the Postmaster - General, Wellington, to the General Manager, Pacific Cable Board, at Vancouver. (Telegram ) Wellington, 29th July, 1903. As Parliament sitting, regret unable meet you unless you come on to Wellington. Hope you can arrange. If not, Gray will meet you at Auckland.

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Prime Minister. (Telegram.) n London, Ist August, 1903. Pacific Cable Board suggests that New Zealand Postmaster-General or some other responsible officer should meet Mr. Eeynolds at Auckland on the 24th August, and go to Australia with him to devise means for obtaining a settlement of differences with Federal Government.

No. 4. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Department of External Affairs, g m Melbourne, sth August, 1903. In continuation of my telegraphic despatch of the 30th ultimo [E.-Ba., 1903, p. 12], reporting the confirmation by the House of Representatives of the agreement with the Eastern Extension Company, I have the honour to enclose for your information copies of Hansard containing a report of the "debate. I have, &c, ° Edmund Barton. The Hon. the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Wellington.

No. 5. The Hon. the Prime Minister to the Agent-General. g IR) _ Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 13th August, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th June last, transmitting copy of a letter from Sir Horace Tozer, addressed to the Times, on the subject of the Pacific cable, and of one referred to therein from Sir John Cockburn. Both letters have been printed and laid before Parliament as an addendum to the Parliamentary Paper F.-Ba, giving the correspondence as well as the agreement between the Commonwealth and the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, and bringing the history of the case up to date. You will receive a copy of both papers in the usual course. I have, &c, The Hon. W. P. Beeves, R- J. Seddon. Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 6. The Hon. the Premier, Brisbane, to the Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. (Telegram.) Brisbane, 17th August, 1903. Pacific cable : Have strongly protested against Federal Government ratifying agreement with Eastern Extension Company without special Conference of parties interested. Consider Conference should be held. Hope you will support protest,