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No. 26. The Agent-Geneeal to the Pkejiiee. Sic, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 30th July, 1886. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th June, in which you inform me of the progress up to that time of the proceedings in Parliament on the subject of the New Hebrides; and I presume that the next mail will bring me the conclusion of those proceedings, with the final debate that resulted in the resolutions telegraphed by His Excellency the Governor to Earl Granville on the Ist July. In the meantime I transmit to you herewith copy of a letter I have received from the Colonial Office, covering a despatch addressed by the Earl of Eosebery to the French Ambassador on the 7th instant, containing his Lordship's formal answer to M. Waddington's proposals of last March. Lord Eosebery says that, after consulting the Australasian Governments, and ascertaining that their opinion is overwhelmingly opposed to the arrangement proposed by France, Her Majesty's Government are unable to consent to any departure from the understanding by which both countries are bound to respect the independence of the New Hebrides. I take this opportunity of also enclosing herewith copies of letters from the Colonial Office, which I find I have not already sent to you, as marked in the margin. A Paris telegram appeared in to-day's Times that the French Government has given assurances to England that, as soon as the present emergency is past, the troops will be withdrawn from the New Hebrides. I annex the extract, together with some others published a few days ago from French papers relating to the despatch of the troops from Noumea, and to the proceedings of the German man-of-war " Albatross " in the Islands. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 15,

No. 18,

Enclosure 1. The Colonial Office to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic,— Colonial Office, Downing Street, 22nd July, 1886. With reference to previous correspondence, I am directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you a copy of a letter addressed by the Earl of Eosebery to M. Waddington respecting the preservation of the independence of the New Hebrides. A copy of Lord Eosebery's letter will be forwarded from this department to the Governors of the Australasian Colonies by the next mail. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. Eobebt G. W. Heebeet.

Sub-Enclosure. The Earl of Eosebeey to M. Waddington. M. l'Ambassadeuh, — Foreign Office, 7th July, 1886. In the conversation which I had the honour to hold with your Excellency on the 30th April last with regard to the question of the New Hebrides, I stated that although I could not at that moment return a formal answer to the proposal made by the French Government on the subject, I was unable to hold out any hopes of a reply being given in the sense desired by your Excellency. For, putting all other considerations aside, Her Majesty's Government could not but be mainly guided in this matter by the opinion of the Australian Colonies, which they have now ascertained is strongly opposed to any agreement of the kind suggested. It was therefore superfluous to discuss any other objections which Her Majesty's Government might have entertained. The proposal, as understood by Her Majesty's Government, was to the effect that no objection should be raised by this country to the acquisition of the New Hebrides by France, and that in return for this concession France should engage not to send convicts or recklivistes to any place in the Pacific Ocean. I now beg leave to inform you, M. I'Ambassadeur, that Her Majesty's Government, after long and careful consideration of all the issues involved in this important question, vitally affecting as it does Her Majesty's dominions in the Pacific, are unable to consent to any departure from the present understanding between Great Britain and France, by which the two countries are bound to respect the independence of the New Hebrides. They are well aware of the difficulties arising from the transportation of French criminals to the neighbourhood of British dominions, against which they have felt it their duty earnestly and repeatedly to protest. But the opinion of the Australasian Colonies, which are the parties chiefly affected by this proceeding, is overwhelmingly —if not unanimously—opposed to the arrangement suggested by your Excellency, in a spirit which I readily recognize as conciliatory and amicable. I have, &c, Eosebeey.

Enclosure 2. The Colonial Office to the Agent-Geneeal. Sik,— Colonial Office, Downing Street, 19th June, 1886. I am directed by Earl Granville to transmit for your information copy of a telegram respecting the New Hebrides which has been ssnt from the Secretary of State to the Governor of South Australia. The telegram from Lord Lyons, the purport of which was announced in Parliament last night, was not received in this office in time for a communication to be made to you yesterday. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. R. H. Meade.