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At the Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney. m DECEMBER, 1883. (Tenth Day.) Present : — Fiji: His Excellency-Sib G.. William Dcs Vceux, K.C.M.G-., Governor of Fiji and 11.8.M.'s Acting High Commissioner for the "Western Pacific. N~eio South Wales: Ti.e Honoeable Alexander Stuart, M.P., Premier and Colonial Secretary. The Honobable George Eichard Dibbs, M.P., Colonial Treasurer.The Honorable William Bede Dallet, Q.C., M.L.C., Attorney- Gene ral. New Zealand : The Honobable Major Harby Albebt Atkinson, M.P., Premier and Colonial Treasurer. The Honobable Feedeeicic Whitakee, M.L.C., late Premier and Attorney-General. Queensland: The Honorable Samuel Walker Griffith, Q.C., M.P., Premier and Colonial Secretary. The Honoeable James Feancis Gaeeick, Q.C., M.L.C., Postmaster-General. South Australia .- The Honoeable John Cox Beat, M.P., Premier and Chief Secretary. The Honoeable J. W. Downee, Q.C., M.P., AttorneyGeneral. Tasmania : The Honoeable William Kobeet Giblin, M.P., Premier and Attorney-General. The Honoeable Nicholas J. Brown, M.P., Minister of Lands and Works. Victoria : The Honoeable James Service, M.P., Premier and Colonial Treasurer. The Honorable Graham Beeet, M.P., Chief Secretary. The Honorable Geoege Beiscoe Kerferd, M.P., Attorney- General. Western Australia : The Honoeable Malcolm Fraser, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary. The Minutes having been read, the President laid before the Convention the following telegram from the Right Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency Lord Augustus Loftus : — Dear Mr. Stuart, Government House, Sydney, 8 December, 1883. His Excellency desires me to enclose to you a telegram he has just received from Lord Derby. Tours truly, H. A. TJNWIN, 7/12/83. Private Secretary. " of Convention will receive early and careful consideration. Can Colonies supply number of, and particulars of escaped New Caledonia convicts arrested in Colonies" ? " DEEBY." Mr. Dalley drew the attention of the Convention to the subject of the necessity that exists for another Telegraph Cable, and after discussion it was agreed that further information should be obtained before finally dealing with the matter. The Committee appointed to frame a Eesolntion based upon Sir G. William Dcs Vceux's motion brought up the following Eesolution, which was agreed to, viz.: — That, in the opinion of this Convention, no purchases or pretended purchases of land made before the establishment of British jurisdiction or dominion in New Guinea or other islands of the Pacific not having a recognized Government, should be acknowledged, except in respect of small areas of land actually occupied for Missionary or trading purposes; and further, that after the establishment of such jurisdiction or dominion, no acquisition of land should be permitted except through the Crown, and then only for the like purposes. Mr. Whitakeb then proposed the following motion, of which he had previously given notice, which was agreed to : —■ That, in the opinion of this Convention, the several Colonies of Australasia, in order to meet an imminent danger, should, without delay, pass a uniform Law to prevent the landing on their shores of persons from penal settlements in the Pacific, who have been convicted of crimes. Mr.