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beyond the protectorate but within the limits assigned to you as Deputy-Coimni?si(sner, you will act on your own discretion without referring to the High Commissioner for instructions, but you should, as far as practicable, inform him of your proceedings. 5. The Australian Colonies have agreed to provide £15,000 during the year ending June, 1885, for the expenses of the protectorate, and upon your arrival in Australia you will ascertain, by communication with the several Governments, whether the colonies will provide in subsequent years a sum adequate to the due maintenance of the protectorate, as it is clearly understood that the protectorate is established at the desire of the colonies, and is not to be a source of expense to this country. You will therefore fully understand that you are not to contemplate or to incur any expense in New Guinea for providing buildings for yourself or your officers until the wishes of the colonies as to the continuance of the protectorate have been ascertained, and the necessary funds provided. 6. Upon your arrival in New Guinea you will place yourself in communication with Mr. Eomilly, a Deputy-Commissioner of the Western Pacific, who has been placed in temporary charge of the protectorate pending your arrival, and will take over the charge from him. 7. You will be supplied in Sydney with a copy of the instructions given to him by the Commodore when leaving him in charge. 8. It is not possible for Lord Derby, with the limited information which he possesses as to the circumstances of the country, to now give you instructions in detail respecting the duties which you will have to perform as Special Commissioner. You should proceed to make yourself acquainted with the country, its harbours, and general features; and you should lose no time in entering into friendly relations with the natives, and in endeavouring, by all means in your power, to inspire their confidence and acquire their good-will. 9. You will especially make it your duty to explain to them that Her Majesty, in taking them under her protection, has their welfare in view, and that you are sent to secure to them the safety of their persons, the enjoyment of their property, and particularly to protect them from being deprived of their lands by force or fraud. At the same time you will make it known to them that, if it shall be decided to allow Her Majesty's subjects or others to purchase land, such transactions must in every case be conducted through you : that their wishes in these matters will be respected ; and that the purchase-money will be paid through you to them, unless in any case it shall appear desirable to apply it in their behalf for some object in which they are directly interested. You will also explain carefully, and satisfy yourself that they comprehend, that, by the sale of land, they deprive themselves of all further claim to it, and that it becomes the absolute property of the purchasers. In the event of any such purchases being made, it will be your duty to see that both parties agree as to the boundaries of the land, and that these boundaries are defined by beacons or other easily-recognizable marks. All such transfers should be carefully recorded in a register, and all subsequent transactions must be similarly recorded, or they will not be recognized by Her Majesty's Government. 10. You should give all proper encouragement to peaceful and legitimate trade between the natives and persons who may visit the protectorate; and in this and in other matters you will doubtless receive willing and efficient aid from the missionaries who have settled in New Guinea and established a friendly intercourse with the natives. 11. It will, however, be your duty to prohibit all dealings with the natives in arms, ammunition, explosive substances, or spirituous liquors, and to enforce, by all means in your power, the regulation issued by the High Commissioner on the sth April, 1884, to prohibit the supply of arms, ammunition, and explosive substances to natives of the Western Pacific Islands. A copy of this regulation is enclosed. 12. It is probable that attempts maybe made to engage labourers for Queensland and possibly other places from among the natives in the protectorate ; and, should such attempts be made, it will be your duty to place every lawful obstacle in the way. Natives from New Britain and other islands near the equator have proved not to possess the physique required for continuous labour, and heavy mortality followed their introduction into Queensland. The Government of that colony have in consequence prohibited their further engagement by vessels sailing from Queensland ports. It will be your duty to second these praiseworthy efforts of the colonial Governments, and to prevent the recruiting of natives of the protectorate for employment away from their own country. 13. Power is given to you by your commission to appoint such necessary officers as you may think expedient; but at present you should make no other appointments than of an officer to give you general assistance and of a private secretary. You are at liberty to appoint Mr. Eomilly to the former of the two positions. The experience he already possesses of affairs in New Guinea and its neighbourhood should prove of value to you, and as he is a Deputy-Commissioner for the Western Pacific you will be able to utilize his services within the protectorate or beyond it should you find it advisable to detach him for services to which you cannot personally attend, it being intended that in both capacities he should act under your immediate instructions. 14. After your arrival in Australia you should report to me whether you find other officers indispensable, and you will be at liberty to engage such as appear to you absolutely necessary, bearing in mind that the funds provided by the colonies must not in any event be exceeded. 15. It is also desirable that you should, as soon as possible after arrival, report what arrangements you will be able to make for locomotion, and for keeping up communication with the colonies and with England. You are doubtless aware that mail steamers run regularly through Torres Straits, calling both ways at Thursday Island. I have, &c, Major-General Scratchley, E.E., C.M.G. E. G. W. Heebeet.

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