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At the Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney. 30th NOVEMBER,, 1883. (Third Day.) Present: — Fiji: His Excellency Sir G. William Dcs Vceitx, K.C.M.G-., G-overnor of Fiji and H.B.M.'s Acting High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. New South Wales : The Honorable Alexander Stuart, M.P., Premier and Colonial Secretary. The Honorable George Eichard Dibbs, M.P., Colonial Treasurer. The Honorable .William Bede D alley, Q.C., M.L.C., Attorney- General. New Zealand: The Honorable Major Harry Albert Atkinson, M.P., Premier and Colonial Treasurer. The Honorable Frederick Whitaker, M.L.C., late Premier and Attorney-General. Queensland: The Honorable Samuel Walker Griffith, Q.C., M.P., Premier and Colonial Secretary. The Honorable James Francis G-arrick, Q.C., M.L.C., Postmaster-General. South Australia : The Honorable John Cox Bray, M.P., Premier and Chief Secretary. The Honorable J. W. Downer, Q.C., M.P., AttorneyGeneral. Tasmania: The Honorable William Eobert Giblin, M.P., Premier and Attorney-General. The Honorable Nicholas J. Brown, M.P., Minister of Lands and Works. Victoria : The Honorable James Service, M.P., Premier and Colonial Treasurer. The Honorable Graham Berry, M.P., Chief Secretary. The Honorable George Briscoe Kerferd, M.P., Attorney-General. Western Australia: The Honorable Malcolm Fraser, C.M.G-., Colonial Secretaiy. The Minutes having been read, —■ The President informed the Convention that he had since their last adjournment directed search to be made for such information as could be obtained from Parliamentary sources as to the present condition of the NeAV Hebrides Islands. He had ascertained from the Votes and Proceedings of the Queensland Parliament that in 1878 the following papers were presented to both Houses of Parliament, and were ordered to be printed. THE NEW lIEBEIDES ISLANDS—DESPATCH EESPECTING. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to Governor Sir A. E. Kennedy, K.C.M.G., C.B. Queensland. Circular. Downing-street, 28 February, 1878. Sir, 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, enclosing a communication which has been received from the French Ambassador at this Court, with reference to the intentions of Her Majesty's Government in respect of the New Hebrides Group, together with a copy of the reply which I caused to be addressed to the Foreign Office. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS-BEACH. Governor Sir A. E. Kennedy, K.C.M.G-., C.B. &c. &c. ' &c.

The Foreign Office to The Colonial Office. Sir, Foreign Office, Ist February, 1878. I am directed by the Earl of Derby to transmit to you, herewith, to be laid before Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a communication received from the French Ambassador at this Court, calfing attention to certain articles which have recently appeared in the Australian newspapers advocating the annexation of the Islands of the New Hebrides to the British Crown, and stating that, although the French Government do not attach any great importance to this movement in favour of annexation, still, as they themselves have no intentions with regard to this group, they would be glad to receive an assurance to this effect from Her Majesty's Government.