A.—4d

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telegraphed to you to that effect (copy enclosed), and am waiting to hear in reply whether you No. 77. would approve of such a course. The Colonial Office desired me to send in a formal proposal on the subject, and I shall do so as soon as I hear from you. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 80. The Secretary of State to Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.B. Sib, — Downing Street, 22nd April, 1885. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch No. 29, of the 20th of A.-1., No. 29. February last, enclosing a letter which you had received from the King of Samoa, with other papers relating to recent events which have taken place there. The views of Her Majesty's Government in regard to Samoa, are explained in the despatch which I have recently addressed to you in reply to yours, No. 20, of the 31st of January, as well as in the despatch which I addressed to the Acting High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, dated the 17th of February last, a copy of which I communicated to you in one of the same date, A.-2., No. 38. to which despatches I now beg to refer you. I have, &c, Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.M.C.G., C.B. &c. Derby.

No. 81. The Premier to the Agent-General. Samoa. Consider useful Convention can only be made on spot. 28th April, 1885. Eobert Stout.

No. 82. The Agent-General to the Premier. Samoa. Am parleying Colonial Office. Krauel. 6th May, 1885. F. D. Bell.

No. 83. The Premier to the Agent-General. Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, sth June, 1885. I enclose for your information copy of a memorandum forwarded by Ministers to His j$ 0 45 Excellency the Governor relating to affairs in Tonga. There is no doubt urgent need of the attention of the Foreign and Colonial Offices to the subject, for, if affairs are not arranged, there is every probability of much trouble on the King's death. Though private information has been received by us from Tonga about affairs in the Friendly Group ; we, knowing the embittered feeling that now exists there, have not thought it proper to reproduce the statements of either party. We have no doubt that should the matter be mentioned you will be able to represent our views to the Colonial Office. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General, &c. Eobert Stout.

No. 84. The Premier to the Agent-General. Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, sth June, 1885. Beferring to your letter of the 21st March last (No. 353), more particularly to that portion n O . 6§ relating to the hoisting of the German flag at Samoa, I have now the honour to enclose for your a-l n 51 information copy of a memorandum addressed by Ministers to His Excellency the Governor on the subject. Notwithstanding the want of information at the Foreign Office, the fact was as stated in the extracts from the newspapers which you enclosed. We trust that the present unsatisfactory position of Sanioan affairs will speedily be altered. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General, &c. Eobert Stout.

No. 85. The Premier to the Agent-General. Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, sth June, 1885. pit 0 ;i . Since I wrote you on the subject of the hoisting of the German flag at Samoa His Excel- No. 80. lency the Governor has received a despatch from the Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies, from which it appears that under no circumstances can annexation be allowed. Under the circumstances, therefore, it does not appear that we can do anything further, at all events for the present. As regards the proposed new Convention referred to in your letter (No. 468) of the No, 79. 20th April, you will have gathered from my telegram of the 28th April that we are of opinion it No, 81, could only be arranged on the spot. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General. Eobert Stout,