Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatch of the 20th instant¹ regarding the date upon which the determination of the Boundary Commission will take effect, and to state that my Ministers concur generally in the terms of the reply which the British Government propose to make to the Commission's memorandum on the subject. My Ministers, however, for reasons which they will advance at the forthcoming preliminary discussion, are of opinion that it may not be found possible to hold the further conference referred to in the 4th paragraph of your despatch before October, and they would suggest that the reply to the Commission should be altered accordingly.

2. A copy of the draft of the reply which my Ministers propose to address to the Secretary of the Boundary Commission, and which is couched in similar terms to the draft which accompanied your despatch, is sent herewith.

3. My Ministers agree that Tuesday the 28th instant will be a suitable date for the preliminary discussion between representatives of both Governments of the general lines which the arrangements to enable the determination of the Commission to take effect with the least possible inconvenience should follow, and the Minister for Justice, the Minister for Finance and the Attorney General, accompanied by the High Commissioner, will accordingly be in attendance at the Dominions Office at 11 a.m. on that date.