Sir,

I have the honour to refer to your confidential despatch of the 4th instant¹ on the subject of the letter received from the Secretary of the Boundary Commission regarding the date upon which the determination of the Commission will take effect, and to state that my Ministers appreciate the necessity for a careful examination of the technical details of the administrative arrangements which will require to be made to enable the determination to take effect with the least possible inconvenience.

2. They are, however, of opinion that this examination would be much facilitated by a preliminary discussion between representatives of both Governments on the general lines which the arrangements should follow, and in view of the possibility that the work of the Commission may be completed by October, they would urge that a conference of this nature should take place if possible before the end of the present month.

3. In the meantime my Ministers are desirous that their reply to the Commission's letter should not be unduly delayed and they would be glad, therefore, to be favoured, in accordance with the terms of paragraph 4 of your despatch No. 243² of the 19th ultimo, with a copy of the draft of the reply which the British Government propose to send to the Commission,