PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. (PAPERS AS TO THE HOME GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPHING TO GOVERNORS OF COLONIES THE RESULTS OF THE EUROPEAN CONGRESS.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1878 Session I, A-05

A.—s

1878. NEW ZEALAND. PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. (PAPERS AS TO THE HOME GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPHING TO GOVERNORS OF COLONIES THE RESULTS OF THE EUROPEAN CONGRESS.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. No. 1. Hon. the Premier to Eight Hon. the Earl of Beaconsfield. "Wellington, August 2. Lord Beaconsfield, London. _ £££3 Ot/cht not telegraphic information results Congress be sent Governors Colonies, enable Legislatures telegraph addresses ? George Grey.

No. 2. Eij Excellency the Goternor, to Hon. the Premies. Memorandum for Sir George Grey. The Governor presents his compliments to Sir George Grey, and begs to forward to him tho copy of a cypher telegram which he has received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and which he supposes must be the answer to some telegram sent by Sir George Grey to Lord Beaconsfield. Normanby. Government House, 7th August, 1878.

(Enclosure.) Copy of Telegram from Sir Michael Hicks Beach to His Excellency the Goternor. Inform Sir George Grey, in reply to telegram to Prime Minister, that Her Majesty's Government have been much gratified to receive from several colonies expressions of public satisfaction at the results of the Congress, from which it would appear that these conferences are generally known, and that there is therefore no necessity for an official announcement by telegraph, as suggested. London, sth August. M. Hicks Beach.

No. 3. Hon. the Premier to His Excellency the Goternor. Memorandum for His Excellency. Sir Georoe Grey presents his respectful compliments to the Marquis of Normanby, and acknowledges the receipt of His Excellency's memorandum of this day's date, covering copy of a telegram from Sir Michael Hicks Beach, upon the subject of telegraphing to tho Governors of Colonies the results of the recent European Congress. 2. Sir George Grey transmits to tho Governor copy of tho telegram he forwarded to Lord Beaconsfield. 3. Sir George. Grey still thinks it would be better for Her Majesty's Government to communicate,, direct to the Governor, for the information of tho New Zealand Parliament, the results of tho Congress. He feels that he is doing his duty in pointing out that when a colony has for a long period of time constantly apprehended the serious consequences which might be entailed on it by a war which it had not brought about, and could by no efforts of its own prevent or influence—when, also, during all that time it was prepared cheerfully to submit to great sacrifices to aid the Empire in the anticipated war —it would be well if tho Home Government, sympathizing with the anxieties of its colony, relieved them by a telegraphic message to the Governor the moment peace was assured.

A.—s

2

4. The Legislature of a colony like that of New Zealand would value, and is worthy of, a communication of this kind. It would interest the whole Colony in the proceedings of the Parent State. If war should hereafter take place, it is through the colonies being associated with the Homo Country by considerate proceedings such as the one now recommended, that their sympathy and effectual aid in the struggles of the Empire would best be secured. Communications of this nature make the entire Empire one people. 5. Sir George Grey believes that the addresses hitherto sent Home have proceeded from public meetings, to which no communication could have been made by the Imperial Government. The Parliament of the colony stands in a very different position. 6. His Excellency may, perhaps, think it worth while to telegraph to the Secretary of State on the subject; as there would be time, after the receipt of a reply to such a telegram, for tho Assembly to adopt addresses. Wellington, August 7, 1878. G. Grey.

No. 4. His Excellency the Governor to Hon. the Premier. Memorandum for the Hon. Sir George Grey. The Governor presents his compliments to Sir George Grey, and begs to acknowledge the receipt of his memorandum of the 7th of August, relating to the telegram received from Sir Michael Hicks Beach, in reply to the telegram sent privately by Sir George Grey to Lord Beaconsfield. The Governor will of course be happy to forward by telegraph any communication Sir George Grey may wish to send to the Secretary of State, but he must decline himself to offer any remonstrance to the opinion expressed by Her Majesty's Government, as it does not appear to him that any real advantage would be obtained by the course proposed by Sir George Grey. The question, as the Governor views it, is not whether the result of the Congress shall be communicated to the colony, which no doubt will be done in the ordinary way by despatch, but whether it is necessary that an official communication should be made by telegraph. Could it be shown that such a communication were necessary to allay alarm, or to prevent unnecessary expenditure in tho colony, no doubt it would be desirable that such a course should be adopted; but the public are perfectly aware through the public journals that a Treaty of Peace with Eussia has been made, and all apprehension as to war has thereby been relieved, neither is there, at present, any expenditure of money taking place which could be stopped. Communication by telegraph, invaluable as it is in cases of emergency, is very expensive, and consequently has to be confined within very narrow limits. New Zealand has, of course, no claim to be treated in a manner different to that in which other colonies, in a similar position, are treated ; and to communicate in any detail to all the colonies the proceedings of the Congress by telegraph, would, it appears to the Governor, be a most unnecessary waste of public money; while to communicate the simple fact that peace has been settled, would be simply announcing that which is already known by every individual in the colony. Due information of what has taken place will, no doubt, be sent to the colony by mail, and will probably arrive before the prorogation of Parliament. The Governor, therefore, can see no use in pressing further for an official announcement by telegraph. Government House, Wellington, Bth August, 1878. Normanby.

No. 5. Hon. the Premier to His Excellency the Goternor. Memorandum for His Excellency. Sir George Grey presents his respectful compliments to the Marquis of Normanby, and acknowledges tho receipt of his memorandum of the Bth August. 2. Sir George Grey did not ask that a remonstrance should be offered to an opinion expressed by the Homo Government. He holds that it is the duty of Her Majesty's Servants on the confines of the Empire, faithfully to advise the Home Government upon all those subjects connected with the distant dependencies of the Crown with which they are intimately acquainted. Such advice cannot be regarded as remonstrance. 3. The Empire of many races had been for months stirred by a common anxiety : it might, almost within the same hour, have been calmed and made joyous by a message that peace had been secured. Participation in sentiments of this nature insensibly links men into one people. 4. Only two telegraphic messages (one eastward, the other westward) need have been despatched by the Imperial Government. Sir George Grey cannot believe that the inconsiderable expense of such messages could have prevented British statesmen from so conveying a few gracious words, such as the Queen would have wished to utter, to the many peoples and races who had incurred large expenditure in anticipation of war, and who were prepared to make great sacrifices if war should break out. The omission was, in Sir George Grey's opinion, to be attributed rather to forgetfulness by Statesmen overburdened with great affairs —forgetfulness of which he still believes it to have been the duty of of other Servants of the Crown to remind them, by advice tendered in a becoming manner. Wellington, 12th August, 1878. G. Grey.

3

A.—s

No. 6. His Excellency the Goternor to Hon. the Premier. Memorandum for the Hon. Sir George Grey. The Governor presents his compliments to Sir George Grey, and begs to acknowledge the receipt of his memorandum dated the 12th of August. In reply, he can only repeat that he will be most happy to forward to the Secretary of State any communication that the Government may think it right to advise ; but after the receipt of the telegram from the Secretary of State, in reply to that sent privately by Sir George Grey to Lord Beaconsfield, he does not feel called upon himself to press the matter further. Government House, Wellington, 13th August, 1878. Normanby.

No. 7. Hon. the Premier to His Excellency the Governor. Memorandum for His Excellency. Sir George Grey presents his compliments to the Marquis of Normanby, and acknowledges the receipt of His Excellency's memorandum of yesterday's date. 2. Sir George Grey has already stated his belief that a great opportunity, perhaps for the first time, existed of Her Majesty being enabled to convey to all her subjects the deep sympathy she felt in their interests and welfare. The Home Government, having the first intelligence of the conclusion of peace, might almost instantly have set at ease the minds of millions of people, by a few gracious words uttered to them by their Sovereign. Perhaps the time has now passed when this could fittingly be done. 3. Sir George Grey thanks the Governor for his offer to forward to the Secretary of State any communication on this subject which the Government may think it right to advise. Having expressed his views to the Governor, Sir George Grey must decline to further press his advice. But as a question relative to the peace negotiations is to be raised in the House of Eepresentatives, perhaps the Governor will permit a copy of the correspondence, and of the telegrams, to be laid on the table of each House of the Assembly. Wellington, 14th August, 1878. G. Grey.

No. 8. His Excellency the Goternor to Hon. the Premier. Memorandum for the Hon. Sir George Grey. The Governor presents his compliments to Sir George Grey, and begs to acknowledge the receipt of his memorandum of this day's date. The Governor has no objection to this correspondence being laid upon the table of the House. Government House, Wellington, 14th August, 1878. Normanby. By Authority : Geoboe Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB7B. Price 3d.]