F.—B

2

PACIFIC CABLE.

FINANCE, RATES, TRAFFIC, ETC. No. 1. The Acting High Commissioneb to the Hon. the Prime Minister. Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London 8.W., Sir,-— 27th September, 1912. Referring to my letter of the lltli October, L9ll [No. I. F.-8., 1912], I have the honour to enclose herein copy of a letter from the Colonial Office covering a communication from the Imperial Treasury showing the amounts recoverable from the colonial Governments in respect to the deficit on the working of the cable for the year ended 31st March, 1912, and asking that arrangements might be made for payment to the Imperial Treasury of the sum of £4,499 17s. Bd., being the amount due from the Government of New Zealand. * * * * * * Payment has been made to the Imperial Treasury. The payment will appear in the next accounts forwarded to the Treasury. I have, &c, The Hon. the Prime Minister. Wellington. C. Wray Paluskr. [Tel. 12/101(65)0

No. 1. The Acting High Commissioneb to the Hon. the Prime Minister. Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.W., Sir,— 27th September, 1912. Referring to my letter of the lltli October, L9ll [No. I. F.-8., 1912], I have the honour to enclose herein copy of a letter from the Colonial Office covering a communication from the Imperial Treasury showing the amounts recoverable from the colonial Governments in respect to the deficit on the working of the cable for the year ended 31st March, 1912, and asking that arrangements might be made for payment to the Imperial Treasury of the sum of £4,499 17s. BeL, being the amount due from the Government of New Zealand. * * * * * * Payment has been made to the Imperial Treasury. The payment will appear in the next accounts forwarded to the Treasury. I have, cfec, The Hon. the Prime Minister. Wellington. C. Wray Palusbr. [Tel. 12/101(65)0

Enclosure in No. 1. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, to the Secretary to the High Commissioner. Sir.— Colonial Office, Downing Street, London S.W., 18th September, 1912. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, for the information of the High Commissioner, the accompanying copy of a letter from the Treasury on the subject of the expenses incurred in connection with the Pacific Cable Board for the year 1911-12, and to inquire whether he can arrange to pay to the Imperial Treasury the sum of £4,499 17s. Bd., being the amount due from the Government of the Dominion. 2. I [am to add that copies of the papers enclosed in this letter have been forwarded to the Governor of New Zealand. I am, &c, Henry Lambert, For the Under-Secretary of State. The Secretary, Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand.

Sub-enclosure 1 in No. 1. The Secretary to the Treasury to the Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Sir, — Treasury Chambers. Whitehall, London S.W., 6th September. I ill 2. I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to request you to inform Mr. Secretary Harcourt that the Pacific Cable Board's account of the expenses of the cable for the year ended the 31st March last has now been audited. A copy of the Auditor's report is enclosed herewith, from which it will be seen that the deficit on the working of the cable for the year 1911-12 amounted to £40,498 18s. lid., and the sums recoverable from the Dominion Governments are therefore as follows :— £ s. d. Australia (six-eighteenths) .. .. .. .. .. 13,499 12 11 Canada (five-eighteenths) ..... .. .. 11,249 14 2 New Zealand (two-eighteenths) .. .. .. .. 4,499 17 8 £29,249 4 9 I am accordingly to request you to move Mr. Harcourt to communicate with the Dominion Governments concerned in order that these amounts may be paid as soon as practicable to the credit of the account of the vote for telegraph subsidies and Pacific- cable. A copy of the printed account as presented to Parliament is also enclosed. I am, &c, Robert Chalmers. The Under-Secretarv of State, Colonial Office. London S.W.