GENERAL SCRATCHLEY'S VISIT.

Press, Volume XLI, Issue 6054, 10 February 1885, Page 2

GENERAL SCRATCHLEY'S VISIT.

[Bt Thlegraps.] IIBOH OTO OOBJMffIPOKDBirr.I WELLINGTON, February 9. I informed you several days ago that TTiB Excellency the Governor was awaiting the arrival of General Scratchley before commencing big tour of the Weet Coast,: and that the latter wa3 daily expected in New Zealand to confer with the Government on the New Guinea question. It would seem there has been some hitch or delay in the arrangements, and His Excellency has now proceeded to Dunedin; for what purpose is not known. His Excellency has bees asked to perform the inaugural ceremonies in oannection with the opening of the High School at Dunedin on the 25th inst, but that would hardly take him to Dnnedin so early. lam not aware that His Excellency has promised to preside at the ceremonies referred to, but I apprehend his* movements will be a good deal guided by the movements of General Scratchley, the special Commissioner for New Guinea, woo is still expected to visit New Zealand, and will probably arrive in course of a fortnight or three weeks, by which time Ministers will have re-assembl&d in Wellington to meet him. In compliance with instructions from the Colonial Office, General Scratchley would consider this step necessary before proceeding to New Guinea. I have obtained a copy of these instructions to the Special Commissioner, dated Downing street, November 17th, and upon this point it is expressly stated that upon his arrival in Australia the Special Commissioner is to ascertain whether the colonies will provide in subsequent years a sum adequate to the maintenance of the protectorate. Aβ it is clearly understood that this protectorate is the desire cf the colonies, and is rot to be a source of expense to England, it is expressly laid down in the instructions that the Special Commissioner is not to con* template or to incur any expense in NewGuinea for providing buildings for him* self or his officers, until the wishes of the colonies as to the continuance of protectorate have been ascertained, and the necessary funds provided. Of course, co far as New Zealand is concerned all thia may be discovered without General Scratchley visiting the colony, but he desires to have a personal interview with the Government, and so arrive at a better understanding. The matter is now being debated by cable, ani I understand the New Zealand Government have expressed their readiness to contribute to the protectorate to the extent authorised by Parliament last session. Major-General ScratcUeyV position does not seem to be an enviable one. Instead of coming' here ac an accredited administrator, with the cheerful knowledge that hie salary, travelling, and other expenses are to be provided from the Imperial funds, he seems to be on a sort of begging expedition, and hie chief mission appears to be to get all he can out of the Australian Governments, to spend as much as he can get, but not a penny more. Should the colonies provide funds this year they may fail to do so another year, and then the special Commissioner, to use a colloquialism, would be "up a tree." Whilst oa the subject of New Guinea, and in connection with the cablegrams published in this morning's papers relating to the Anglo - German negotiations which have recently been going on in reference to New Guinea, Samoa, and other islands of the Western Pacific, I may say that I have good reason to believe that the opinion of the colonies was asked as to the ad visableness or otherwise of allowing Germany to proclaim a protectorate over the Samoan group, provided she gave up the territory recently annexed on the Northern New Guinea coast. Whatever the opinion of the other colonies may be on the subject, *nd it is not unlikely th»t most of them would favor the arrangemeat, the New Zealand Government would etroagly oppose it, and instructions to protest against such an exchange have bsen sent to the Agent-Geneial fay the Government. Correspondence ie now passing between several other colonies with a view to endeavor to arrange a basis for a combined protest by those colonies who view the proposal wUhdjafavor,