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to you, for the information of your Ministers, six copies of the report of the Royal Commission on Shipping Rings. I have, &c, CREWE. Governor, the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

No. 56. New Zealand, No. 144. My Lord, — Downing Street, 16th July, 1909. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the papers noted below on the subject of the appointment of a President and a Public Prosecutor of the New Hebrides Joint Court. I have, &c, CREWE.

The Officer administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosures. No. 262. Sir, — Paris, sth July, 1909. On receipt of your despatch No. 239, of the 28th May last (18878/09), I addressed a note to the French Minister for Foreign Affairs proposing that joint representations should be made to the King of Spain by His Majesty's representative and the French representative at Madrid, with a view to the selection by His Majesty of a President and a Public Prosecutor of the Joint Court in the New Hebrides. I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of Monsieur Pichon's reply, in which he states that the Minister of the Colonies, whilst recognising the necessity of shortly taking action in this sense, will be unable to place His Excellency in a position to adopt the suggestion of His Majesty's Government until he has received certain information on the subject from the French High Commissioner for the New Hebrides. I have, &c., The Right Hon. Sir Edward Grey, Bart., M.P., &c. Francis Bertie. M. l'Ambassadeur, — Paris, le ler Juillet, 1909. A la date dv 29 mai dernnier, Votre Excellence a bien voulu m'exprimer le desir que le gouvernement de la Republique agisse aupres dv gouvernement espagnol en vue de la nomination, par le Hoi, dv president dv tribunal mixte, gui doit sieger aux Nouvelles-Hebrides, et dv magistrat charge de representer le ministere public pres de cette jurisdiction. M. le Ministre dcs Colonies, que j'ai saisi de cette question, tout en reconnaissant la n£cessit£ de proceder dans un rapproche a la demarche dont il s'agit, ne pourra me mettre en mesure de dormer suite a votre suggestion avant d'avoir recu certains renseignements qu'il attend au sujet de cette affaire dv Haut Commissaire de la France aux Nouvelles Hebrides. Agreez, <fee, Son Excellence Sir Francis Bertie. S. Pichon.

No. 57. New Zealand, No. 145 My Lord,— Downing Street, 16th July, 1909. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the consideration of your Ministers, enclosed copy of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Imperial Press Conference regarding the reduction in the charges on Press messages for Australia and New Zealand, together with copy of a letter on the subject from the Pacific Cable Board to the Secretary of the Conference. I have, &c, CREWE. Governor, the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

i Date. Date. Description. uly 5 1909. From H.M. Ambassador, Paris.