A.—4d*

1885. NEW ZEALAND.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 87. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 17th June, 1885. I transmit herewith an extract from the Times, of the 11th instant, relating to an article which appeared in the North German Gazette on the Samoan question, in which that journal purports to controvert a statement of yours that the possession of Samoa is necessary for the welfare of New Zealand; pointing out that the distance between the New Zealand and Samoan groups is about 900 miles, while the discrepancy in size and population is so great as to prevent Samoa ever proving a dangerous rival, and going on to suggest that the value of Samoa to New Zealand cannot be great enough to make it worth while to compromise the foreign relations either of the colony itself or of the Mother-country. I have, &c, The Hod. the Premier, Wellington. JP. D. Bell.

Enclosure. [The Times, Thursday, 11th June, 1885.] The Samoan Question. Berlin, 10th June, 1885. The North German Gazette publishes a communique to-day on the Samoan question, based uponrecently published accounts of the commerce of New Zealand. A study of these reports, says the article, should convince every impartial Englishman that the claim of New Zealand to annex Samoa is quite unjustifiable. It then goes on to controvert the statement of the Premier of New Zealand that the possession of Samoa is necessary for the welfare of that colony, pointing out that the distance between the New Zealand and Samoan groups is about 900 miles, while the discrepancy in size and population is so great as to prevent Samoa from ever proving a dangerous rival of New Zealand. It concludes by suggesting that the authorities of New Zealand could find enough to do in the further development of the resources of that Island, and hints that the value of Samoa to New Zealand cannot be great enough to make it worth while to compromise the foreign relations either' of New Zealand herself or of the Mother-country.

Authority: Geobge Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBs.

CONFEDERATION AND ANNEXATION. (PAPERS RELATING TO THE ISLANDS OF SAMOA AND TONGA.) [In Continuation of A.-4d, 1885.]