A.—2

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If any of the colonies are unwilling to open their mints to the free coinage of silver upon such conditions, then we should be very glad to be informed whether other co-operation, and to what extent, in the direction of a larger use of silver in their currency may be expected of each of them in the event of such an international agreement. We have already brought to the attention of Her Majesty's Government various subjects in respect to which the co-operation of Great Britain would greatly contribute to the success of an international agreement, and, although we have not ourselves been informed of their disposition towards them, yet we venture to hope it may be in your power to assure the colonies at the same time that Her Majesty's Government is favourably disposed towards the present effort to re-establish the use of silver, and desires, so far as it can, to assist it, and will place no obstacle in the way of any action in favour of a larger use of silver as money that any colony may deem for its interest to adopt. As we largely rely for the success of our mission upon the very full co-operation on the part of the British Empire, we feel that the action of the Australasian Colonies is most important, especially as they use a very large proportion of gold in their currency. We are aware of the time needed to communicate with Australasia, and therefore we do not expect to receive a reply to this letter at the time when we are led to expect that Her Majesty's Government will communicate to us their decision upon the other subjects which we have proposed for their consideration. I have, &c, Chas. J. Paine. The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, P.C., M.P., Colonial Secretary of State.

No. 34. (No. 59.) My Loed, — Downing Street, Bth September, 1897. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, a copy of the despatch noted in the margin respecting Japanese immigration into Australia. I have, &c, JOHN BEAMSTON, For the Secretary of State. Governor the Eight Hon, the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure. (Japan : Treaty Revision.) 2ith August. Section 1. Stß,— Foreign Office, 24th August, 1897. I referred to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies the memorandum which you left at this office on the Bth ultimo, expressing the hope that Her Majesty's Government might see their way to obtain the exemption of Japanese immigrants from the operation of the Bills passed by the Legislatures of some of the Australian Colonies for the regulation of alien immigration. Mr. Chamberlain informs me that he brought the question before the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand at the conferences recently held at the Colonial Office. He found that there was a strong determination, which is undoubtedly shared by the people of the colonies which they represented, to preserve unmistakably the European character of Australian colonisation, which a very small part of the enormous surplus population of Asia, lying, as it does, so much nearer than Europe, would be sufficient to swamp entirely, and against this danger they are resolved to protect themselves. The Bills passed by the Legislatures of New South Wales and South Australia, however, exempt " ministers of religion, missionaries, native teachers, tourists, merchants, men of science or students, and the wives and families of such persons, and also their domestic servants, who are bearers of certificates of identity, specifying their occupation and their object in coming into the colony, or of other similar documents issued by the Government whose subjects they are "; and the legislation of all the colonies exempts the crews of vessels trading to the colony. Mr. Chamberlain has pressed on the Governments of New Zealand and Tasmania the desirability of introducing the same exemptions, and has no doubt that they will be agreed to, as the intention is not to restrict trade or commercial intercourse, but to prevent immigration, for the purpose of more or less permanent settlement, of labourers and artisans. If this proposed exemption is accepted by the Governments of New Zealand and Tasmania, the Japanese Government will doubtless recognise that all reasonable cause for complaint has been removed, more especially as it appears from your memorandum that there is no prospect of Japanese subjects emigrating to Australia in large numbers. I have, &c, Mr. Kato. Salisbuey.

No. 35. (No. 60.) My Lobd, — Downing Street, 9th September, 1897. I have the honour to inform you that I have received, through the Earl of Glasgow, an address from the inhabitants of the Chatham Islands for presentation to the Queen on the occasion of the completion of the sixtieth year of Her Majesty's reign.