A.—s

1911. NEW ZEALAND

SOUTH AFRICA UNION PARLIAMENT (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE RESOLUTION OF CONGRATULATIONS FROM BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE).

Laid on the Table of both Houses by Leave.

Minister's Office, Education Department, Wellington, Ist February, 1911. Memorandum for the Right Hon. the Prime Minister. I have the honour to send herewith— (1.) Copy of my letter to General the Right Hon. Louis Botha, Prime Minister of South Africa, forwarding for presentation to the Union Parliament the resolution of congratulations of the General Assembly of New Zealand upon the establishment of a national Government; and (2.) Copy of letter from the Prime Minister desiring me to convey to you the Parliament's sincere appreciation of and thanks for the resolution. I desire to take this opportunity of placing on record my appreciation of the many kindnesses shown to me by the Government, the local authorities, and generally by the people of South Africa and Rhodesia. During a six-weeks sojourn in those States I received from both Englishand Dutch-speaking residents many tokens of good will and friendship towards this Dominion, and of pleasure at its being officially represented on the historic occasion of the consummation of the Union of South Africa. Gbo. Fowlds, Minister of Education.

Sib,— Cape Town, 31st October, 1910. As the representative of New Zealand I am desired to present to the Union Parliament the following resolution passed by each House of the General Assembly of that Dominion : " That this House heartily congratulates the South Africa Union Parliament upon the establishment of a national Government." In requesting you to be so good as to submit the resolution to the Senate and the House of Assembly, I have pleasure in saying that it expresses the unanimous feeling of the Parliament and the people of New Zealand. I have, &c, Gbo. Fowlds, The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, Cape Town. Ministei of Education. Union of South Africa, Sir,— Prime Minister's Office, Cape Town, 11th November, 1910. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 31st of October containing a resolution of the General Assembly of New Zealand conveying hearty congratulations to the Parliament of the Union on the establishment of a national Government for South Africa. I had the honour of reading your letter to the members of the South African Legislature, and, in reply, I have been requested to convey through you to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister of New Zealand the sincere appreciation and thanks of the Union Parliament for the New Zealand Parliament's hearty congratulations on the establishment of a national Government for South Africa. I should also be glad if you would convey to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister an expression of the sincere regret of my Government that he was not able to be with us on this momentous occasion, and to thank him for sending such a distinguished colleague to represent New Zealand in his stead.

Union of South Africa, Sir, — Prime Minister's Office, Cape Town, 11th November, 1910. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 31st of October containing a resolution of the General Assembly of New Zealand conveying hearty congratulations to the Parliament of the Union on the establishment of a national Government for South Africa. I had the honour of reading your letter to the members of the South African Legislature, and, in reply, 1 have been requested to convey through you to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister of New Zealand the sincere appreciation and thanks of the Union Parliament for the New Zealand Parliament's hearty congratulations on the establishment of a national Government for South Africa. I should also be glad if you would convey to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister an expression of the sincere regret of my Government that he was not able to be with us on this momentous occasion, and to thank him for sending such a distinguished colleague to represent New Zealand in his stead.