ANNEXATION OF MACQUARIE ISLANDS (PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1890 Session I, A-05

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1890. NEW ZEALAND.

ANNEXATION OF MACQUARIE ISLANDS (PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Message from His Excellency the Governor..

Onslow, Governor. The Governor forwards herewith, for the consideration of the Legislative Council and the House of Eepresentatives, copy of correspondence respecting the proposed annexation of Macquarie Island, and the adjacent islets to New Zealand. Wellington, 10th September, 1890.

No. 1. Sir W. P. D. Jeevois to the Eight Hon. Lord Knutsfoed. My Loed Government House, Wellington, 24th January, 1889. I have the honour to enclose herewith a copy of a memorandum which I have received from my Government urging that, for the sake of the conservation of the seal-fisheries of the colony, 'Macquarie Island and the islands adjacent thereto should bo annexed to New Zealand. This small group lies to the south of New Zealand, between the latitude of 54° and 56° S., and longitude 159° and 160° E. The other islands in that region—namely, the Campbell, Antipodes, and bAuckland Island, already form part of this colony, and I think it desirable that Macquarie Island, with its adjacent islets, should also be included. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c. W. F. Deummond Jeevois.

Enclosure. Memoeandum for His Excellency. It being desirable, in connection with the conservation of the seal-fisheries belonging to the colony, that Macquarie Island and the islands adjacent thereto should form part of this colony. His Excellency the Governor is respectfully advised to move the Secretary of State for the Colonies to cause the necessary steps to be taken to have the British flag hoisted and the Queen's sovereignty proclaimed over these islands, with a view of their being annexed to New Zealand. H. A. Atkinson, Government Buildings, Wellington, 16th January, 1889. Premier.

No. 2. The Eight Hon. Lord Knutsfokd to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow. My Loud — Downing Street, 7th May, 1889. * In reply to Sir William Jervois's Despatch No. 2, of the 24th of January last, respecting the proposed annexation of the Macquarie Islands, I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a copy of a letter which I caused to be addressed to the Admiralty on the subject, and of their Lordships' reply. Her Maiestv's Government are willing that the annexation should be effected ; and the most convenient mode of carrying out this object would probably be for the Colonial Government to despatch a vessel with one of their officers on board to hoist the British flag at the islands, and to proclaim Her Majesty's sovereignty over them; and on your report that this has been done and when the New Zealand Parliament has adopted a joint address praying for the annexation of the islands to the colony, steps shall be taken for issuing the necessary letters patent, for the Impose. I accordingly authorise you to propose this course to your Government and, when adopted by them to "ive instructions to.some suitable officer of the Government to declare Her Majesty s sovereignty over the islands inquestion, subject to the condition that no evidence- ls'-found on the spot of the islands being claimed by any foreign Power. ~,.,« A~n « Zou should cause a notification of the annexation to be inserted in the-Government Gazette; and I enclose for your guidance a description of the islands with which I have been furnished by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. I have, &c, Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c. Kntjtbfobd.

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Enclosure 1. -» The Colonial Office to the Admiralty. Sib, — Downing Street, 23rd March, 1889. -I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a despatch, with its enclosure, which has been received from the Governor of New Zealand, recommending that the Macquarie Islands should be annexed to the colony, and I am to request to be informed whether their Lordships are aware of any objection to the proposal, which may possibly be intended to include Emerald Island, which lies to the southeast of the Macquarie Islands, and whether the records of the Admiralty contain any information respecting these islands which would be of use in considering the application. A similar letter has been addressed to the Foreign Office. I have, Ac, The Secretary to the Admiralty. John Beamston.

Enclosure 2. The Admiralty to the Colonial Office. ■Sib,— Admiralty, 30th March, 1889. With reference to your letter of the 23rd instant, respecting the proposed annexation of the Macquarie Island and Emerald Island to New Zealand, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request that you will state to Lord Knutsford that Macquarie Island has never been inhabited, nor, so far as any records go in this department, has it ever been taken formal possession of by any nation. 2. The United States ship " Peacock " visited it in 1841—the only record of a man-of-war's visit—but, beyond landing to examine the island (a work of great difficulty), nothing was done. Should it be deemed necessary that a vessel should visit this desolate spot for the purpose of annexation, the summer —December to February—is the most likely to permit a landing to be effected. 3. Emerald Island finds a place on the chart merely from a report from a ship in the year 1821 that she saw high land at a distance. The probability is that it has no existence. I am, &c, The IJnder-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Evan MacGeegob.

No. 3. Telegram from His Excellency the Goveenor to the Secbetahy of State, 21st December, 1889. Eeferring to your Despatch No. 8, of the 7th May, Governor of Tasmania advises by telegraph that Macquarie Island included in letters patent creating office of Governor of Tasmania. What is the correct version ? Is it necessary to proceed with proposed annexation ?

No. 4. Telegram from the Seckjbtaby of State to His Excellency the Governob, 28th December, 1889. Eefeebing to your telegram of 21st December, do not proceed with proposed annexation. Will wait for your despatch. Governor of Tasmania quite right.

No. 5. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow to the Eight Hon. Lord Knutsfokd. My Lord, —■ Government House, Dunedin, New Zealand, Ist January, 1890. In accordance with your Lordship's Despatch No. 8, of the 7th May, 1889, the Colonial Government steamship " Hinernoa " was prepared to start, with provisions, and a wooden house for the accommodation' of any persons who might land on the Macquarie Islands, having on board Mr. S. Percy Smith, the Surveyor-General, to whom I was about to issue a warrant directing him to make a Proclamation declaring her Majesty's sovereignty over the islands in question, when I received a telegram from the Governor of Tasmania stating that he had read of my intention in the newspapers, and informing me that the Macquarie Islands were included in the letters patent constituting the office of Governor of Tasmania. I accordingly transmitted my telegram of the 21st December to your Lordship, arßl in reply received your Lordship's telegram of the 28th December. Under the circumstances, I have directed the captain of the "Hinemoa" to refrain from exercising any act which may be deemed to denote an intention on the part of the Government of this colony to assume any rights over those islands, until I hear further from your Lordship. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c. Onslow.

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No. 6. The Hon. the Pbemieb., Tasmania, to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow. My Lobd, — Premier's Office, Hobart, 7th January, 1890. "I have the honour to address your Lordship, by direction of His Excellency Sir Eobert Hamilton, Governor of this colony, in reference to a New Zealand press cablegram published here (Mercury, 21st December, 1889), to the effect "that the Government steamer ' Hineinoa' is to be despatched to Macquarie Island for the purpose of hoisting the British flag there." By the letters patent constituting the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the ■Colony of Tasmania and its dependencies, Macquarie Island is specially mentioned as being attached to this colony ; and, in the event of the action referred to being contemplated by the New Zealand Government, Sir Eobert Hamilton will be glad if your Lordship will bring this circumstance under notice. I enclose copy of ihe Ilobart Gazette (26th October, 1880), in which the letters patent above •quoted were published. I have, &c, A. Inglis Clabk, For the Premier, absent. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 7. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow to the Hon. A. I. Clack, Tasmania. Sib, — Government House, Auckland, 11th February, 1890. In reply to your letter of the 7th January, I, am directed by His Excellency the Governor to say that, in consequence of a telegram from the Governor of Tasmania informing him that Her Majesty had been pleased to appoint him to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief over the Macquarie Islands, and that it was so set forth in the letters patent constituting the office of ■Governor of Tasmania, he directed that the Government steamship " Hinemoa " should not proceed to the Macquaries. His Excellency has, in accordance with the request contained in your letter, brought the matter under the notice of this Government. I have, &c, The Hon. A. Inglis Clark, M.P. Onslow.

No. 8. The Eight Hon. Lord Knutsfoed to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow. My Lord, Downing Street, 28th February, 1890. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's Despatch No. 1, of the Ist ultimo, reporting the steps which your Government was about to take with the view of ■declaring the Queen's sovereignty over the Macquarie Island previous to the receipt of a telegram from the Governor of Tasmania. I regret that in the previous correspondence the fact of the inclusion of the Macquarie Island in the letters patent of the Governor of Tasmania of 1880 should have been overlooked in this department. Should the Government of New Zealand wish to come to any arrangement with that of Tasmania for the transfer of this island, or group of islands, no objection would be raised on the part of Her Majesty's Government to such a course. I have, &c, Knutsfobd. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 9. The Hon. E. Mitchelson to the Hon. the Peemiee, Tasmania. ■g IEj Premier's Office, Wellington, 2nd June, 1890. Eeferring to the recent action of this Government, which led to the discovery that the Macquarie Islands belonged to Tasmania, I have now the honour to inform you that in a despatch from the Eight Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated the 28th February last, it is stated that, " should the Government of New Zealand wish to come to any arrangement with that of Tasmania for the transfer of this island or group of islands, no objection would be raised on the part of Her Majesty's Government to such a course." The reason which induced this Government to apply for the annexation of these islands to New Zealand was in the interest of the seal-fisheries, to prevent their being used as a centre for poaching on the Auckland and other islands now under our jurisdiction, which is known to have happened on more than one occasion. I am not aware of the circumstances under which these islands were included in the letters patent of the Governor of Tasmania in 1880, or whether the Tasmanian Government have #ny predilection in favour of retaining them; but if not, and they were added to this colony, this Government would at once be in a position to take the necessary steps to put a stop to the poaching now carried on. I shall be glad to receive your views on the subject, and to learn that they are favourably disposed to the transfer. I have, &c, E. Mitchelson, The Hon. the Premier, Hobart, Tasmania. For the Premier.

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No. 10. The Hon. the Pbemieb, Tasmania, to the Hon. the Pbemiee, New Zealand. Sir, — Premier's Office, Hobart, 19th June, 1890. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant on th& subject of Macquarie Island, and its use as a base of operations for poachers on the seal-fisheries of the Auckland and other islands. This Government will be happy to meet your wishes as to the transfer of this island to New Zealand; indeed, your request anticipated my intention to address you with that object. I have referred the matter to the law officers of the Crown for their opinion as to the best course to pursue in arranging for the transfer of this island to your Government. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier of New Zealand. . P. O. Fysh.

No. 11. The Hon. E. Mitchelson to the Hon. the Pbemier, Tasmania. Sib,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 4th July, 1890. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th June, in reply to mine of the 2nd, on the subject of the Macquarie Islands. I thank you for your courtesy, and shall wait with interest for the opinion of your legal advisers as to the best course to pursue for arranging the transfer. I have, &c, E. Mitchelson, The Hon. the Premier, Tasmania. for the Premier.

No. 12. The Hon. the Pebmieb, Tasmania, to the Hon. the Premier, New Zealand. Sir, — Premier's Office, Hobart, 7th August, 1890. In reference to our recent correspondence on the subject of the transfer of Macquarie Island, I have the honour to enclose herewith a copy of a printed paper which has been prepared for the information of Parliament in connection with an address to Her Majesty, the adoption of which I propose to move this evening in the Legislative Council, praying that the necessary steps may be taken by the Imperial authorities to effect such transfer. I will keep you informed of the progress of this matter. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier of New Zealand. P. O. Fysh.

Enclosure. Me. Fysh to move that the following address be presented to Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, praying that the necessary steps may be taken to cause Macquarie Island, now a dependency of Tasmania, to be transferred to and become part of the Colony of New Zealand, viz.: — Most Gbacious Sovereign,— We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the members of the Legislative Council of the Colony of Tasmania, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to approach your Majesty with feelings of the deepest loyalty and attachment. Whereas by letters patent made the 17th day of June, in the 43rd year of your Majesty's reign, and constituting the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Tasmania and its dependencies,'your Majesty did constitute, order, and declare that there should be a Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over your Colony of Tasmania and its dependencies, comprising, among other islands and territories, "Macquarie Island, lying to the south east of the said Island of Tasmania:" And whereas the said Macquarie Island still is a dependency of the Colony of Tasmania : And whereas it is deemed expedient that the said Macquarie Island should no longer be a dependency of the said colony, but that the same should be annexed to and form portion of the Colony of New Zealand : Now, therefore, we, the members of the Legislative Council of the Colony of Tasmania, in Parliament assembled, do humbly pray that your Majesty will be pleased to take such steps as to your Majesty shall seem meet in order that the said Macquarie Island may be annexed to and be made to form portion of the said Colony of New Zealand. And on the same being agreed to, to move, That the foregoing address be transmitted to the House of Assembly for its concurrence.

No. 13. Telegbam from the Pbemieb, New Zealand, to the Pbemieb, Tasmania, 6th September, 1889. Has your Parliament adopted resolution re Macquario Islands ?

No. 14. Telegram from the Pbemiee, Tasmania, to the Pbemieb, New Zealand, 6th September, 1889. Consideration of resolution is with Plouse of Assembly. Council adopted it. Will report whenpassed. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,300 copies), £2 9s.

Authority : Geokge Didsbubt, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9o.