A.—2.

No. 30. New Zealand, No. 111. My Lord,— Downing Street, 28th May, 1909. With reference to my despatch No. 171, of the 16th October last, i have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of your Ministers, that the approval of the Army Council and of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury has now been obtained to the transfer to the Governor of New Zea land of the lands referred to in your despatch No. 67, of the 28th August last. 2. In accordance with the procedure laid down in the first section of the Colonial Fortifications Act, 1877, representations are being laid before both Houses of Parliament, and when these representations have lain for forty days on the tables of both Houses they will be submitted to His Majesty, and an Order in Council will be issued vesting in the Governor the lands in question. I have, &c, CREWE. Governor, the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

No. 31. New Zealand, No. 112. My Lord,— Downing Street, 28th May, 1909. I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a note from the United States Ambassador at this Court to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, on the subject of the proposed International Conference for the Preservation of Natural Resources to be held at The Hague. 2. I also enclose a copy of a despatch from Mr. Bryce to Sir Edward Grey, which gives certain further information with regard to tfie proposed Conference. The United States Government have been asked to state in due course the date on which the Conference will assemble, and to furnish a definite programme of the subjects for discussion. 3. His Majesty's Government have decided to be represented at the Conference, and they have ascertained from the United States Government that it is their desire that the self-governing dominions of the British Empire should also be represented by delegates. 4. I shall be glad to learn whether your Government proposes to accept the invitation of the United States Government to send representatives. I have, &c. CREWE. Governor, the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1910, No. 27.

Enclosures. (10577.) Sir, — American Embassy, London, 18th March, 1909. I have the honour to enclose herewith a copy of an Instruction from the Department of State, dated the 19th ultimo, in connection with a proposed World Conference for the Conservation of National Resources, which would be held at The Hague. I venture to express the hope that His Majesty's Government may be disposed to accept the invitation to send delegates to the Conference in question. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Sir Edward Grey, Bart., &o. Whitelaw Reid. Sir, — Department of State, Washington, 19th February, 1909. There is now assembled in Washington, in response to the invitation of the President, a Conference of representatives of the United States of Mexico and of the Dominion of Canada to meet the representatives of the United States of America for the purpose of considering the common interests of the three countries in the conservation of their natural resources. The cordiality with which the neighbouring Governments accepted the invitation is no less an augury o£ the success of this important movement than is the disposition already shown by the Conference to

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