26

A.—4d

2. I telegraphed to you on the 20th instant, as soon as I received these documents :—• " Samoan Parliament passed Act annexing Samoa to New Zealand. Have received Act. Inform Colonial Office." . 3. I do not think I am called upon to comment on the importance of the position which these documents disclose. Unless there is to be a new departure as regards the foreign policy of the Empire, the Imperial Government can hardly refuse to consent to receive what the Samoan islanders offer. We cannot here believe that the British nation is not to annex any territory, unless its so doing receives the sanction of the great statesman who rules the destinies of Germany. B. S. [For Appendices see end of Correspondence.]

No. 64. The Peemiee to the Agent-Geneeal. Samoan Parliament passed Act annexing Samoa to New Zealand. Have received Act. Inform Colonial Office. 20th March, 1885. _ Eobeet Stout.

No. 6 The Agent-Geneeal to the Pbemiee. Sir,— 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 21st March, 1885. _ I transmit to you herewith a report of what passed in the House of Commons last night when Mr. Bedmond, M.P., put certain questions to Mr. Gladstone relating to New Guinea. Mr. Gladstone, in answering the questions, said that it was impossible to do more than consult the wishes of the Australian Governments in the negotiations with foreign countries; that Her Majesty's 'Government would endeavour to secure the interests of the colonies as well as they could, and had, with regard to New Guinea, endeavoured to secure fair consideration for them ; but that it would' not be possible to give any undertaking that before further negotiations took place the Government would undertake to consult the views of the colonies. Mr. Bedmond thereupon gave notice that he would, on a future day, call attention to the injustice Australia had suffered by Germany being allowed to hoist her flag over any part of New I also annex a report of a question put by Mr. Gorst as to the hoisting of the German flag in Samoa, to which Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice answered that no information of that kind had reached the Foreign Office. You will observe, however, from the annexed extracts from other papers, that an account of the hoisting of the German flag at Apia had been received at Berlin ; but it was not believed there that the German Government would indorse the action of their naval commander. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F- D- Bell.

Enclosure 1. [The Times, Saturday, 21st March, 1885.] House of Commons, Friday, 20th March. New Guinea. Me. W. Bedmond asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether Her Majesty's Government had agreed to the annexation by Germany of certain portions of the island of New Guinea; whether the Colony of Queensland was anxious to obtain possession of these same portions of that island ; and whether Her Majesty's Government, in the negotiations with Germany about this matter, consulted the wishes and views of the Government of Queensland. _ _ Mr. Gladstone. —The question of the honourable member invites some verbal criticism. There have been no annexations by Germany in New Guinea, and Germany has not declared its intention of proceeding in that method. They have proceeded rather by the proclamation of a protectorate. The question assumes that the Colony of Queensland has indicated m some particular manner a desire to obtain those portions of New Guinea which have been made the subject of a protectorate by Germany. But Queensland did not indicate any such intention. What has happened is this : that the Government authorities did contemplate and did what lay in them to proclaim the annexation of the whole of the non-Dutch portion of New Guinea, without distinguishing between one part and another. Then, the honourable member asks whether, in their negotiations with Germany, Her Majesty's Government consulted the wishes and views of the Government of Queensland. My answer is, that there have been communications between the Colonial Office and the authorities connected with the different colonies, and not with the Government of Queensland exclusively, which has no peculiar or exclusive title to be heard m the matter. But it is impossible to do more than consult the wishes of these Governments. In our transactions with foreign countries we must endeavour to secure the interests of the coloniesas well as we can; and, with regard to New Guinea, we have endeavoured to secure fair consideration Mr. W. Bedmond asked whether, before further annexations by Germany, the Government would undertake to consult the views of the Governments of the interested Australian colonies. Mr. Gladstone replied that it would not be possible to give an undertaking of that kind. Mr. W. Bedmond gave notice that he would, on a future day, call attention to the extreme