A.—7

1887. NEW ZEALAND.

FEDERATION AND ANNEXATION (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO RECIDIVISTES). [In continuation of A.-6, 1886.]

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

No. 1. The Agent-Geneeal to the Peemiee. Sie, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 9th September, 1886. I transmit to you herewith copy of a letter I have received from the Colonial Office, covering copy of a despatch from Lord Lyons, giving an account of a conversation with M. de Freycinet respecting the French recidivistes. I also transmit a Times report of a question put to the Secretary of State in the House of Commons a few nights ago respecting the New Hebrides, and of Mr. Stanhope's reply. The designation of the Isle of Pines as a place for "collective relegation " under the recidivist law took place by a decree of the President of the Eepublic on the 20th August, upon a report from the Minister of Marine and Colonies. That report, after reciting the fact of yellow fever continuing to prevent any recidivistes being sent to French Guiana, stated that as there were reasons for applying the law without further delay, he proposed to designate the Isle of Pines for the purpose of "receiving a certain number," without specifying any particular number; and the President's decree simply declares that "the Isle of Pines, a dependency of New Caledonia, is designated for receiving the relegues collectifs." I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

Enclosure 1. The Colonial Office to the Agent-Geneeae. Sir, — Colonial Office, Downing Street, 31st August, 1886. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Stanhope to transmit to you copy of a despatch from Viscount Lyons to the Earl of Eosebery, reporting a conversation which he had held with M. de Freycinet respecting the despatch of French recidivistes to New Caledonia. A copy of this despatch will be duly communicated by this department to the Governors of the Australasian Colonies by the earliest opportunity. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand. Eobeet G. W. Hekbeet.

Sub-Enclosure. Viscount Lyons to Lord Bosebeby. My Lobd, — Paris, 12th July, 1886. With reference to your Lordship's Despatch No. 475, of the 7th instant, and to your telegram No. 79, of the 10th instant, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that I spoke to Moris', de Freycinet this morning of the statements that have appeared in the newspapers to the effect that batches of relapsed criminials (recidivistes), or of ordinary convicts, had been, or were about to be, despatched to New Caledonia. I reminded Monsieur do Freycinet of the earnest representations on the subject of the transportation of criminals to the Pacific Islands, which I had so often made to the French Government. I said that the feeling on the subject in the British Australasian Colonies was as intense as ever, and that no diminution had taken place in the objections to deportation to the Pacific Islands entertained by those colonies and by Her Majesty's Government. Monsieur de Freycinet neither contradicted the statements in the newspapers nor consented to "ive any assurances for the future. By the Beglement d' Administration Publique, of the 26th November last, New Caledonia and its dependencies were, he said, designated as places to which recidivistes might be relegated, and events had occurred which rendered it very important that