A.—s.

In deference to the wish expressed in your telegram, I have refrained from communicating with ■our Agent-General, but was on the point of doing so when your last message reached me. I have, &c, C. Haedie Buzacott, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. (for the Colonial Secretary.)

Enclosure No. 1. The Seceetaby of State for the Colonies to the Offices Administeeing the Goveenment of Queensland. Sib, — Downing Street, Ist January, 1877. I have the honor to transmit to you, for your information and for that of your Government, a copy of a note which, in obedience to instructions from the Imperial Government, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris has addressed the Government of France, drawing attention to the objections entertained by the Australian Colonies to the resort to their territories of pardoned convicts from New Caledonia. The instruction to Lord Lyons to make a further representation to the French Government on this subject, of which a copy is likewise enclosed, was based upon a request contained in your despatch No. 05 of the 2nd September last. I enclose for your information an extract from the Journal Officiel giving the notification issued an August last upon this subject, to which allusion is made in Lord Lyons's note to the Due Decazes. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government of Queensland. Casnaevon.

Sub-Enclosure No. 1. Lord Lyons to the Due Decazes. M. le Ministee,' — Paris, 13th December, 1876. Tour Excellency is well aware that the local colonial authorities strongly object to the arrival in Australia of pardoned convicts from New Caledonia, and indeed the French G-overnment was so considerate as to insert in the Journal Officiel of the 29th August last a notice to that effect. Since I had before the honor of addressing your Excellency on the subject, Her Majesty's Government have received from the Governors of Her Majesty's Australian possessions further despatches pointing out that the feelings of the colonists are strongly opposed to the reception of persons of this class, and they have accordingly instructed me once more to press upon the attention of the French Government the objections entertained in those colonies to the resort to the territory of released French prisoners. I have, &c, The Due Decazes. Lyons.

Sub-Enclosure No. 2. Earl of Debby to Lord Lyons. Mt Lobd, — Foreign Office, Bth December, 1876. I have to .acquaint your Excellency that I caused to be communicated to the Colonial Department the extract from the Journal Officiel which accompanied your Excellency's Despatch No. 711, of the 29th August last, notifying that the French. Consul at Sydney had informed the French Government that the Australian authorities object to the arrival of pardoned convicts from New Caledonia. On the 26th of last October I transmitted to your Excellency, with my Despatch No. 922, an extract of a despatch from the Grovernor of New South Wales upon this subject. Other despatches have been subsequently received at the Colonial Office from the Governor of Queensland, relating to the resort to the Australian Colonies of French Communists from New Caledonia. For your Excellency's information, I transmit this correspondence herewith, requesting that it may be ultimately returned to this department. Although the French Government have already been made aware by your Excellency's representations of the feeling which exists in Australia upon this subject, Lord Carnarvon has suggested to me that it may be advisable to impress still further upon them the objections which are entertained in those colonies to the resort to their territory of released French prisoners, and I have accordingly to request that your Excellency will take an opportunity once more of drawing the attention of the French Government to this matter. I have, &c, His Excellency Lord Lyons, G.C.8., &c. Deeby.

Sub-Enclosure No. 3. Exteact from Journal Officiel. Le Gouvernement a etc averti par le Consul Francais residant a Sydney que les autorites Australiennes s'opposent a l'arrivee dcs deportes grades de la Nouvelle-Caledonie. II eroit devoir porter cette decision a la connaissance dv public, afin que les families dcs deportes gui auraient eu la pensee d'adresser dcs secours en argent leur donnent une autre destination que celle dcs Colonies Australiennes.

Enclosure No. 2. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to the Officer Administeeing the Goveenment of Queensland. Sib, — Downing Street, 2nd March, 1877. With reference to my circular despatch of the Ist of January, I have the honor to transmit to you, for your information and" for that of your Government, a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, 3—A. 5.

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