BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11861, 15 February 1907, Page 4

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

[ "^[Socoivocl Feb 14, 10.50 p.m London, Feb 14 t Sir Edward Grey resumed the , debate on the address-in-reply. He • said that tho New Hebrides Convention deliberately contemplated a i subsequent modification as tho result of experience. It provided a great j improvement on the previous stato of things. It must be remembered that the proportion of French settlers was two thirds to Uritain . one third. Since it was impossible to secure exclusive British possession the best possible bargain was made. If partition had beeu mooted, it was by no means certain that we should bave got the best of the bargain at a time when British interests had been 3 unduly depresssed in the New 3 Hebrides b^ the high protective i duties imposed on the colonies, while : the- French were granted more \ liberal treatment. The fear of outside complications induced Britain \ to propose a joint protection, con--3 tinuing the negotiations at leisure* France declined, for good reasons, and therefore the best course was to ratify the Convention, deferring further amendment until later. Sir Edward Grey declared that it would have been criminal had they not regulated labor. A step forward had been taken, but the working of the system must be carefully watched, ' and if abuses were discovered 1 France would be approached with a " view to amendmogt. -