1390

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 107

It shall remain in force for five years from that day, and unless any of the High Contracting Parties have announced, twelve months before the expiration of the said period of five years, its intention to terminate its operation, it shall continue in force for a period of one year, and so on from year to year.

If one of the Signatory Powers denounce the Convention, such denunciation shall have effect only as regards that Power.

ARTICLE XVII.

The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications exchanged at Paris with as little delay as possible, and, at the latest, at the expiration of a year.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done in twenty-six copies, at Paris, the 14th day of March, 1884.

(L.S.) LYONS.
(L.S.) HOHENLOHE.
(L.S.) M. BALCARCE.
(L.S.) LADISLAS, Comte HOYOS.
(L.S.) BEYENS.—LÉOPOLD ORBAN.
(L.S.) Baron d’ITAJUBA.
(L.S.) LÉON SOMZÉE.
(L.S.) EMANUEL DE ALMEDA.
(L.S.) MOLTKE-HVITFELDT.
(L.S.) MANUEL SILVELA.
(L.S.) L. P. MORTON.—HENRY VIGNAUD.
(L.S.) JOSÉ G. TRIANA.
(L.S.) JULES FERRY.—A. COCHERY.
(L.S.) CRISANTO MEDINA.
(L.S.) MAUROCORDATO.
(L.S.) L. L. MENABREA.
(L.S.) ESSAD.
(L.S.) BARON DE ZUYLEN DE NYEVELT.
(L.S.) NAZARE AGA.
(L.S.) F. D’AZEVEDO.
(L.S.) ODOBESCO.
(L.S.) Prince ORLOFF.
(L.S.) J. M. TORRÈS-CAÏCEDO.
(L.S.) J. MARINOVITCH.
(L.S.) G. SIBBERN.
(L.S.) JUAN J. DIAZ.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLE.

The stipulations of the Convention concluded under to-day’s date for the protection of submarine cables shall be applicable, in conformity with Article I., to the colonies and possessions of Her Britannic Majesty, with the exception of those hereinafter mentioned, namely,—

Canada. Newfoundland.
The Cape. Natal.
New South Wales. Victoria.
Queensland. Tasmania.
South Australia. Western Australia.

New Zealand.

Provided always that the stipulations of the said Convention shall be applicable to any of the above-named colonies or possessions on whose behalf notice to that effect shall have been given by Her Britannic Majesty’s Representative at Paris to the French Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Each of the above-named colonies or possessions which may have acceded to the said Convention shall be at liberty to withdraw from it in the same manner as the Powers parties to it. In the event of any of the said colonies or possessions desiring to withdraw from the Convention, a notification to that effect shall be made by Her Britannic Majesty’s Representative at Paris to the French Minister for Foreign Affairs.

(L.S.) LYONS.
(L.S.) HOHENLOHE.
(L.S.) M. BALCARCE.
(L.S.) LADISLAS, Comte HOYOS.
(L.S.) BEYENS.—LÉOPOLD ORBAN.
(L.S.) Baron d’ITAJUBA.
(L.S.) LÉON SOMZÉE.
(L.S.) MOLTKE-HVITFELDT.
(L.S.) EMANUEL DE ALMEDA.
(L.S.) MANUEL SILVELA.
(L.S.) L. P. MORTON.—HENRY VIGNAUD.
(L.S.) JOSÉ G. TRIANA.
(L.S.) JULES FERRY.—A. COCHERY.
(L.S.) CRISANTO MEDINA.
(L.S.) MAUROCORDATO.
(L.S.) L. L. MENABREA.
(L.S.) ESSAD.
(L.S.) BARON DE ZUYLEN DE NYEVELT.
(L.S.) NAZARE AGA.
(L.S.) F. D’AZEVEDO.
(L.S.) ODOBESCO.
(L.S.) Prince ORLOFF.
(L.S.) J. M. TORRÈS-CAÏCEDO.
(L.S.) J. MARINOVITCH.
(L.S.) G. SIBBERN.
(L.S.) JUAN J. DIAZ.

Enclosure 2.
[Translation.]

Procès-Verbal of Signature.—(Friday, 14th March, 1884.)

After having communicated their full powers, the Plenipotentiaries collated the texts of the Convention which had been prepared in a number equal to that of the Contracting States, and, all these documents having been found in good and proper form, the Plenipotentiaries affixed thereto their signatures and the seal of their arms.

On signing the Convention, His Excellency Lord Lyons made the following declaration in the name of his Government:—

“Her Majesty’s Government takes Article XV. to mean that in time of war a belligerent, who is signatory to the Convention, will be free to act, with respect to submarine cables, as if the Convention did not exist.”

Formal note was taken of this declaration on the part of His Excellency the Ambassador of Great Britain.

M. Léopold Orban read the following declaration in the name of the Belgian Government :—

“The Belgian Government, through its delegate at the Conference, has maintained that the Convention has no effect on the rights of belligerent Powers; these rights would be, after signing, neither more nor less extended than they are at present. The reference inserted in Article XV., though absolutely useless in the view of the Belgian Government, would not justify it in refusing to join in an object the importance of which was beyond dispute.”

Formal note was taken of this declaration of M. Léopold Orban.

Baron de Zuylen de Nyevelt stated that the Netherlands Government, in signing the Convention, could undertake to accede at present only as regards the mother-country. It reserved to itself the power to accede later to this Convention for the whole or for part of its colonies or possessions.

Formal note was taken of this declaration of the Minister of the Netherlands.

The Minister of Sweden and Norway stated that his instructions require him to reserve, in signing the Convention, the subsequent approval of the Legislatures of the united kingdoms.

The President took formal note of this declaration of the Minister of Sweden and Norway, while observing further that the reservation for the fulfilment of the formalities required by the different constitutions, before exchanging the ratifications of the Convention, was the right of all the Contracting States.

Taking into consideration the large number of the Contracting Parties, and following the method of proceeding already adopted at the time of the ratification of the treaties relative to the redemption of the Sound dues and the Scheldt tolls, of the Telegraph Convention at Paris, and of the Metre Convention, it was agreed, on the proposal of the President, that the exchange of ratifications for the protection of submarine cables should be effected through the Government of the French Republic.

The Plenipotentiaries decided further that the document which had just been signed should be brought to the cognizance of all the non-Signatory States, which should be invited to take advantage of the power of accession which is reserved to them by Article XIV. of the Convention.

It was agreed that this communication should be left to the care of the French Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Government of the French Republic would likewise receive notifications of accession which might come in before the date fixed for the Convention to come into force.

The present minutes, drawn up during the sitting, having been read and approved, the Conference separated at 3 o’clock.

Authority to frank.

General Post Office,
Wellington, 19th September, 1884.

His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to authorize

Mr. H. OTTERSON,
Second Clerk-Assistant of the House of Representatives, to frank letters, telegrams, and parcels on the public service.

JULIUS VOGEL,
Postmaster-General.

Money Order and Savings Bank Offices opened.

General Post Office,
Wellington, 24th September, 1884.

It is hereby notified for general information that Money Order and Savings Bank Offices will be opened at

BOMBAY (Chief Office, Auckland),
RIVERSDALE (Chief Office, Invercargill),
TUAKAU (Chief Office, Auckland),

on the 1st proximo.

W. GRAY,
Secretary.