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No. 42. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to Sir Sandford Fleming, Halifax. General Post Office, Wellington, 30th July, 1904. Sir, — Pacific Cable Conference. I have the honour to confirm my telegrams of the 24th and 26th ultimo, and to acknowledge the receipt of your replies of the 24th and 27th idem, concerning your appointment by this Government as its representative at the Pacific Gable Conference to be held in London. A copy of the telegrams is attached [Nos. 22, 23, 27, 28]. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General. Sir Sandford Fleming, K.C.M.G., The Lodge, Halifax, Canada.

No. 43. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord,— Colonial Office, Downing Street, 30th July, 1904. With reference to my despatch of the 13th instant, I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of your Ministers, that I have now ascertained from the Governor-General of Canada that the first fortnight of November will be a convenient time for the Canadian and New Zealand delegates to attend the forthcoming Pacific Cable Conference, which will accordingly meet during that period. I have, &c, Alfred Lyttelton. Governor the Right Honourable Lord Plunket, X.C.V.0., &c.

""" ——— No. 44. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Prime Minister. (Telegram.) London, 4th August, 1904. Cable Conference meets in first fortnight in November.

No. 45. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Prime Minister. Sir,— Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 4th August, 1904. I beg to inform you that I have received a letter from the Cofonial Office, stating that it has now been ascertained that the first fortnight in November will be a convenient time for the Canadian and New Zealand delegates to attend the Pacific Cable Conference, which will accordingly meet during that period. I have, &c, Walter Kennaway, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. For the Agent-General for New Zealand.

No. 46. The Hon. the Prime Minister to the Agent-General. Sir,— Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 15th August, 1904. I have the honour to inform you that the Auckland Section of the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union and the Wellington Trades and Labour Council have requested that the Chinese stokers on H.M. cable-steamer "Iris" be replaced by Europeans, if not at once, then on the termination of the Board's engagement with the Chinese. It was also pointed out that the vessels of the Eastern Telegraph Company are manned throughout by a white crew. As the Government is in sympathy with the views of the Federated Seamen's Union and the Wellington Trades Council, I shall be obliged if you will, as the colony's representative on the Pacific Cable Board, urge that body to agree to replace the Chinese by white stokers. I may mention that the Secretary of the Seamen's Union appealed in the first instance to the Commonwealth Government, and received a reply in effect that the attention of the Commonwealth's representative on the Pacific Cable Board would be drawn to the matter, with a view to the Chinese being replaced by white labour, if the Board could be induced to agree to this, and that application should be made to the Government of this colony to instruct its representative to move the Board in the direction indicated, or to support any direct action on the part of the Commonwealth's representative. I am forwarding a copy of this letter to Sir Sandford Fleming for his information and guidance. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, For Prime Minister. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 47. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington, to Sir Sandford Fleming, Halifax. Sir,— Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 15th August, 1904. I have the honour to forward herewith copy of letter I have addressed to the AgentGeneral for this Colony [No. 46], requesting him to move the Pacific Cable Board to replace the Chinese stokers on H.M. cable-steamer "Iris " by a white crew.