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probably lead to serious complications ; and expressed a hope that no action might be taken by the Government of this colony which would have the effect of preventing the internationalization of these islands. 17. Upon the receipt of this I requested the Premier to stop the departure of the " Hinemoa," and telegraphed to my Private Secretary to return from Auckland. 18. The same day I informed your Lordship by telegram that the "Hinemoa " would not go to Samoa; adding, at the request of my Ministers, that a day or two previously they had received information from Samoa to the effect that two German men-of-war had made their appeai'ance there, and that the officers of those vessels had, immediately on hearing of the despatch of the petition, entered into an agreement with the King of Samoa which was to last for five years, by which the whole authority of the Government was handed over to Germany; but that the king stated that he had signed the agreement under coercion; none of the consuls, except the German Consul, had been consulted; the chiefs (who had not been consulted) and people repudiated the agreement, and the Parliament refused to ratify it. I stated, also that my Ministers once more urged that, inasmuch as several residents in New Zealand Avere largely interested in Samoa, if the German annexation in New Guinea was acquiesced in, it was most desirable that Tonga and Samoa should become part of the British Empire; and that they trusted that the agreement which had been entered into between England and France with reference to the New Hebrides would not be in any way affected. 19. The same day I returned to Christchurch; and soon after my arrival here I received by telegram from the Premier a full copy of the German-Samoan agreement, which had been forwarded from Samoa. The Premier added that Ministers thought it so important and affected them so much that I should telegraph it to the Colonial Office. I replied by telegraph, concurring in the proposal, but pointing out that the cost of such a message would be about £400, and asking whether they approved of the expenditure. To this the Premier replied, "We " think text of treaty should be wired; and perhaps Colonial Office, seeing it is of " Imperial importance, will refund us cost." 20. I accordingly forwarded to your Lordship on the Bth instant the text of the agreement, adding that I was requested by my Ministers to state that they felt aggrieved that though the Colonial Office, knowing of the petition, had telegraphed that the representations of my Government would be fully considered, yet nevertheless assurances were exchanged between England and Germany that the independence of Samoa would be respected ; and that the proceedings of the German Consul were a direct breach of such assurance. 21. On the 9th instant I received a letter from the King of Samoa (copy enclosed) forwarding a copy of a letter from him addressed to Her Majesty, dated the 12th November, and asking me to telegraph to Her Majesty not to regard the German treaty, because the Samoans accepted it fearing if they did not Samoa would be violently taken by Germany, and hoping it would be annulled by annexation to Great Britain. The Kingvalso enclosed a copy of a letter from him to the Imperial German Consul, dated the 20th November, stating (in reply to a letter from that Consul to the King) that it was quite true that he and the Samoan Government had asked Her Majesty to annex Samoa, and that they firmly adhered to that desire. 22. By the same mail I received a letter (copy enclosed) from the Acting British Consul at Samoa stating that the feeling throughout the whole of that country in favour of annexation to Great Britain is genuine and general, and, notwithstanding many attempts to shake their determination, all parties of Samoans were unanimous. 23. These documents appeared to me to be so important that I telegraphed the substance of them to your Lordship on the same day. 24. Meanwhile constant notices and articles appeared in the newspapers with reference to the "movements of the mysterious ' Hinemoa.' " In consequence of these I telegraphed to the Premier asking him if necessary to repeat the orders already given, and received from him an answer to the effect that the vessel was expected back at Wellington in about ten days.

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