Page image

5

A.—s

to do so, issue a license without consulting his Ministers. But, in the case of a colony with Besponsible Government, the Governor would, in Lord Knutsford's opinion, be right in consulting his Ministers, and in acting upon their advice. Such a course is consistent with the principles now well established as governing the relations between the Governor and his Eesponsible Ministers. Lord Knutsford has communicated copies of this correspondence to the Governors of the Australasian Colonies. I have, &c. J. T. Arundel, Esq. John Bbamston.

No. 4. REGULATIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF PEACE AND GOOD ORDER IN SAMOA. Sir J. B. Thueston to Lord Glasgow. High Commissioner's Office, Western Pacific, My Lord,— Suva, Fiji, 29th December, 1892. Herewith I have the honour to enclose copies of a regulation which I have passed for the preservation of peace and good order in Samoa. At present, under the Western Pacific Orders in Council, an attempt to create disorder can only be dealt with by an order of prohibition forbidding the person prohibited from residing within certain limits ; or an order to find sureties for good behaviour, and in default an order of deportation. As sureties can seldom be found, the Court is obliged to either dismiss the case with a caution or order the defendant to be deported, a course which would be justifiable only in a very grave case. At present there are, I believe, many Europeans in Samoa who are inciting the natives not to pay their taxes, and to offer at least a passive resistance to the Government constituted by the Final Act of the Berlin Convention on Samoan affairs. It is therefore likely that a mere warning may not be a sufficient deterrent, and I have therefore passed the enclosed regulation, which will enable the Court to deal with persons seeking to create disturbance by a small fine or imprisonment, so that it will be unnecessary to issue any order of deportation except, as indicated above, in a case of special gravity and danger. I have, &c, John B. Thueston. His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., &c, Governor of New Zealand. [No. 1 of 1892. Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Empress of India, Defender of the Faith, &c. A Eegulation made in the Name and on behalf of Her Britannic Majesty by Her Majesty's High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, under the Provisions of the Western Pacific Order in Council of 1879, for the Maintenance of Peace and Good Order in Samoa. (1.5.) John B. Thurston. 1. Any British subject who shall be guilty of sedition towards the Government of Samoa shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds, or to imprisonment without hard labour for not more than three months, with or without a fine not exceeding ten pounds. 2. The expression " Government of Samoa " shall mean the Government recognised as such in Samoa by the principal British Consular Officer for the time being in Samoa. 3. The expression " sedition towards the Government of Samoa" shall embrace all practices, whether by word, deed, or writing, having for their object to bring about in Samoa discontent or dissatisfaction, public disturbance, civil war, hatred or contempt towards the King or Government of Samoa, or the laws or constitution of the country, and generally to promote public disorder in Samoa. 4. If at the trial of any person under this regulation it shall appear that the offence charged is one which would, if this regulation had not been made, be punishable as criminal libel, or otherwise, by English law or under any Order in Council issued by Her Majesty and being in force in Samoa, or by any other regulation made in the name and on behalf of Her Majesty by Her Majesty's High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, the Court may either proceed with the trial under this regulation, or may order that the charge under this regulation be dismissed and that the accused be put on his trial for criminal libel, or otherwise, as the case may be. 5. This regulation shall come into operation on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three, and may be cited as "The Sedition (Samoa) Eegulation, 1892." Given this twenty-ninth day of December, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two. By command. Wilfred Collet, Secretary to the High Commissioner.

No. 5. PROTECTION OF BRITISH SUBJECTS AND THEIR INTERESTS IN THE NEW HEBRIDES AND THE WESTERN PACIFIC, ETC. Sir J. B. Thurston to Lord Glasgow. My Lord, — Government House, Suva, Fiji, 28th December, 1892. With reference to the protection of British subjects and their interests in the New Hebrides and the Western Pacific generally, your Excellency is doubtless aware that a question has