A.—3b

4

reference to the supposed intentions of the Imperial Government contained in the opening Speech of His Excellency the Governor. You will not, however, take the letter, of which lam now sending you a copy, to be Lord Derby's answer to the joint representation of the Agents-General. I have, &c. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

Enclosure. Sie,— Downing Street, August 29, 1883. I am directed by the Earl of Derby to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist instant, enclosing copy of telegram from the Premier of New Zealand, stating that the Colonial House of Representatives desires to be furnished with a statement from this Department of the contribution required from New Zealand to meet the expenses incurred by Her Majesty's Government in respect of unoccupied islands of the Pacific. The telegram in question appears to have originated from a misapprehension as to the intentions of Her Majesty's Government; and Lord Derby concludes that you will have explained to your Government that Her Majesty's Government are not now prepared to receive contributions from the colonies towards the cost of annexing any of the Western Pacific Islands. I am, &e. The Agent-General for New Zealand. R. H. Meade.

* No. 11. The Peemieb to the Agent-Geseeal. Sie, — Premier's Office, Wellington, October 6, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letters enumerated in the margin [Nos. 191, 211, and 219], having reference to the annexation question, and also of a number of copies of the letter prepared by you, which, having been signed by the Agents-General for New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria, and by yourself, was presented to Lord Derby, and subsequently, with his Lordship's permission, published in London newspapers. 2. The Government regret to notice that the Agent-General for South Australia did not feel justified in signing the letter to Lord Derby, because they believe that the occasion is one on which, more than ever before in the history of these colonies, unanimous action was desirable. This, it may be hoped, will be secured by the Conference to be held in Sydney, to which, it is understood, the South Australian Government have promised to send representatives. 3. Telegrams from you, which were received during the late session of Parliament, raised the questions whether the Government would authorize you to say that New Zealand would agree to share the cost of any Annexation of Pacific Islands undertaken by the Imperial Government at the request of the colonies ; and whether we would agree to enter into joint, not separate, engagements as to the payment of that cost. As the Parliament was in session, it was impossible the Government should authorize you to make any such engagements, pending a decision by the House of Representatives upon the report of its Select Committee, appointed to consider the question generally. 4. You were informed by telegraph, as soon as was possible, of the scope of the resolutions adopted, and you would learn therefrom that, while each Chamber approved generally of the Government's action, the resolutions of the House were —as to defraying the cost of Annexation —less comprehensive than statements relating to the point contained in the letter to Lord Derby, which had been forwarded to his Lordship a few days before the date of the telegram in question. It would have been well if this discrepancy could have been avoided ; but the Government recognize that, to the Agents-General, delay in forwarding the letter would appear to be very undesirable, and it will no doubt be recognized by the Imperial Government, that nothing in the nature of an engagement to apply public funds could be made, except subject to the approval of Parliament, or consequent upon a resolution passed by it. The House of Representatives did, in fact, resolve that there should not be any pecuniary engagement on the part of the colony until the amount that would be involved was known and had been considered. 5. You will, I am sure, understand that my reason for so fully referring to this question of contribution is, that I feel the necessity of preventing any misconception respecting it. 6. Generally, as regards the letter to Lord Derby, I have nothing but congratulations to offer upon the careful research which it evidences, and upon the ability and force with which the results of that research are set forth. I have, &c. Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G. Agent-General, London. H. A. Atkinson.

See A.-3, p. 128,

No. 12. The Pbemieb to the Agent-General. Agent-Genebal for New Zealand, London. Conference, Sydney, November. Procure and forward full information respecting claims Foreign Powers on Pacific islands. Whitakek. Wellington, September 22.