A.—3

1887. NEW ZEALAND.

FEDERATION AND ANNEXATION. (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS). [In Continuation of A.-3, 1886.]

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

No. 1. The Seceetaey of State to the Govebnoe. * 10th March, 1886. See New Zealand Herald, 10th December, 11th December : Cornwall; Samoan land claims; caution parties concerned against using violence.

No. 2. The Seceetaey of State to the Govebnob. Sib,— Downing Street, 11th March, 1886. With reference to my telegram of the 10th instant, I have the honour to transmit to you for communication to your Government, a copy of a despatch from the Acting High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, with its enclosures, respecting a design which appears to be entertained by the South Sea Island Produce Company, forcibly to eject Messrs. McArthur and their agents from certain lands in one of the Navigators Islands. Tour Government will, no doubt, consider the propriety of taking whatever measures may be possible for discouraging and for preventing, if possible, the formation of expeditions from the colony for the purpose of taking such proceedings as those which appear to be contemplated in this case, for if British subjects or persons of any nationality proceed from a British colony and create disturbances in Samoa, they will place an additional difficulty in the way of Her Majesty's Government in their efforts to maintain the independence of those islands. I have, &c, Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.B. Geanville.

No. 1.

Enclosure. Administrator Thueston to Colonel Stanley. Sib, — High Commissioner's Office, Western Pacific, Suva, Fiji, 23rd December, 1885. I have the honour to enclose for your information a copy of a letter and its enclosure which has been addressed to me by Messrs. McArthur and Co., of Auckland, New Zealand. 2. I also annex several excerpts from Auckland newspapers of late dates referring to the same subject as their letter. 3. By the out-going mail I have written to Mr. Deputy Commissioner Powell at Samoa, giving him advice upon such points as I think may be useful. 4. With regard to the intention of the South Sea Island Produce Company to eject the Messrs. McArthur from certain lands at Samoa now in their actual possession, upon the ground that the company has acquired it from a Native woman, I have no doubt that the woman referred to is, or was, the concubine of Mr. P. Cornwall, mentioned by Chief Justice Sir John Gorrie, in his memorandum of the 10th December, 1883, in reply to Lord Derby's despatch of the 13th November of the same year, and I am satisfied that, apart from any contention as between Cornwall and Messrs. McArthur, the woman in question can have no right in any land in Samoa, independent of her rights as a member of her family or community. 5. According to papers formerly submitted to me by Cornwall in person, the claim of the woman to the lands disputed, is not based upon original or Native ownership, but is made in virtue of a " settlement " upon her by Cornwall, who, as the reputed actual owner thereof, had obtained large advances from Messrs. McArthur and Co. I—A. 3.