A.—No. la,

70

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE

2. We are of opinion that " The Parliamentary Privileges Act, 1865," does not confer on the Legislative Council any larger powers in this respect than it would otherwise have possessed. We think that this Act was not intended to affect, and did not affect, the legislative powers of either House of the Legislature in New Zealand. 3. We think that the claims of the House of Representatives, contained in their Message to the Legislative Council, are well founded; subject of course to the limitation that the Legislative Council have a perfect right to reject any Bill passed by the House of Representatives having for its object to vary the management or appropriation of money prescribed by an Act of the previous Session. We have, &c, J. D. COLEEIDGE. The Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley. G-. Jessel.

No. 70. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right. Hon. the Earl of Kimbbrlet to Governor Sir G. ~E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. (Circular.) Sib, — Downing Street, 27th June, 1872. You were made aware, by my Circular Despatch of the 20th of April, 1871, that Her Majesty's Government proposed to introduce a Bill into Parliament with the view to repress, as far as possible, the acts of violence and barbarity committed by British subjects against the inhabitants of various Islands of the Pacific Ocean, and of bringing the offenders to justice, and I have now the honor to transmit to you a copy of the Act which has just received the Royal Assent. During the passing of this measure through the Houses of Parliament, Her Majesty's Government were urged, from various quarters, to put an end to the emigration of native labourers, and to forbid altogether the carrying of natives in British ships. They have not, however, thought it desirable to adopt this course, nor does there appear to them to be any sufficient reason why either the natives or the employers of their labour should be deprived of the benefit accruing to both parties from this emigration, provided that due precautions and safeguards be taken to prevent abuses in the recruitment and employment of native labourers. At present, as you are aware, the only British Colony into which these Islanders are introduced is Queensland, and the Legislature of that Colony has shown a praiseworthy readiness to adopt any measures which are calculated to protect the natives and to secure a thorough understanding on their part of the contracts under which they are engaged for service in the Colony. Her Majesty's Government entertain no doubt that similar enactments would be passed by any other Colony desiring to avail itself of this native labour. It has, however, been thought expedient to provide some additional security with respect to the carrying of natives in British vessels, and you will find, upon referring to the Act, that this is effected by sections 3 to 7 inclusive, while by the Bth section care has been taken to exclude from their operation vessels which have complied with the regulations imposed by Colonial Acts. The remaining provisions of the Act, so far as they affect the Colonies, are substantially the same as those embodied in my Circular Despatch, and it is hoped that the additional facilities for procuring and taking evidence will obviate the difficulties heretofore experienced in conducting criminal proceedings under the Act of 9 Geo. IV. c. 83. With reference to this point, I would direct your attention to the provisions of the 13th section of the Pacific Islands Protection Act, by which the Governor of a Colony, with the concurrence of his responsible Ministers, may procure the attendance of a certain class of witnesses and provide for their remuneration. Her Majesty's Government are fully sensible of the exertions already made by the Governments of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, to check the cruelties practised against the natives, by prosecuting any offenders who came within the jurisdiction of the Colonial Courts ; and they have learnt with much satisfaction, from the answers returned to my Circular Despatch of the 20th of April, that the Colonial Governments most directly interested in this matter, with the exception of Victoria, from which no final answer has yet been received, are prepared to defray the expenses of prosecutions under this Act, if undertaken