A.—3d

6

There is the slight exception that Western Australia refrained from adopting the two resolutions deprecating further acquisition of dominion in the Western Pacific, south of the equator, by any Foreign Power, probably because, in a Crown colony, the Government deemed it unadvisable to pronounce on a point affecting foreign relations. 3. I believe Fiji may bo added to the preceding list of colonies indorsing the Convention's programme. The Governor of Fiji heartily coincides, and the resolutions are morally certain to be adopted by the Legislative Council there, if they have not been already. 4. Practically, it may bo set down that six Australasian Colonies, out of the eight represented at the Convention, have givSh their adhesion to the Convention's policy. In the other two —your own colony and New South Wales—the matter has not yet been placed before the Legislature, and I earnestly hope that, with so large a measure of unanimity already attained, your Government may see its way to join in the general agreement. lam glad to say that the matter has been very generally recognized as fairly outside the sphere of party politics—as being, indeed, of such a national character that Governments and Oppositions have combined to further it. 5. I transmit herewith a copy of the resolutions submitted to and passed by the Queensland Parliament. This colony adopted the Queensland resolutions for the sake of uniformity, and I believe the same course was taken in the other colonies. G. Foremost among the matters dealt with by the Convention stands that of Federation. The scheme of the Convention was that the Imperial Parliament should pass an enabling Act on the basis of the sketch Bill approved by the Convention, which provided that, on four of the colonies approving, by Act of the local Parliaments, of this Imperial Act, the Federal Council should be constituted. Thus, each colony is left entirely free to join or to refrain from joining. 7. So many of the colonies having already expressed concurrence with this scheme, it is presumed that the requisite enabling Act will be granted by the Imperial Parliament. I am, however, extremely desirous that these colonies should be all united in this first step towards the establishment of an Australasian Dominion ; and I hope to learn that, under the guidance of your Cabinet, the important Colony of New Zealand will take its place with those whose union in this matter will constitute the foundation of Australasian Federation. I have, &c. James Service, The Hon. Eobert Stout, M.H.E., Chairman of Convention's Committee. Premier of New Zealand, Wellington.

Enclosures. Extract from " Votes and Proceedings op Queensland Legislative Assembly," 26th February, 1884. Me. Griffith moved, pursuant to notice, — 1. That this House, having had under consideration the following resolutions adopted at the Intercolonial Convention held in Sydney in November and December, 1883, namely, — (1.) That further acquisition of dominion in the Pacific, south of the equator, by any Foreign Power, would be highly detrimental to the safety and well-being of the British possessions in Australasia, and injurious to the interests of the Empire ; (2.) That this Convention refrains from suggesting the action by which effect can best be given to the foregoing resolution, in the confident belief that the Imperial Government will promptly adopt the wisest and most effectual measures for securing the safety and contentment of this portion of Her Majesty's dominions ; (3.) That, having regard to the geographical position of the Island of New Guinea, the rapid extension of British trade and enterprise in Torres Straits, the certainty that the island will shortly be the resort of many adventurous subjects of Great Britain and other nations, and the absence or inadequacy of any existing laws for regulating their relations with the native tribes, this Convention, while fully recognizing that the responsibility of extending the boundaries of the Empire belongs to the Imperial Government, is emphatically of opinion that such steps should be immediately taken as will most conveniently and effectively secure the incorporation with the British Empire of so much of New Guinea, and the small islands adjacent thereto, as is not claimed by the Government of the Netherlands; (4.) That, although the understanding arrived at in 1878 between Great Britain and France, recognizing the independence of the New Hebrides, appears to preclude this Convention from making any recommendation inconsistent with that understanding, the Convention urges upon Her Majesty's Government that it is extremely desirable that such understanding should give place to some more definite engagement, which shall secure those islands from falling under any foreign dominion ; at the same time the Convention trusts that Her Majesty's Government will avail itself of any opportunity that may arise for negotiating with the Government of France, with the object of obtaining the control of those islands in the interests of Australasia ; (5.) That the Governments represented at this Convention undertake to submit and recommend to their respective Legislatures measures of permanent appropriation for defraying, in proportion to population, such share of the cost incurred in giving effect to the foregoing resolutions as Her Majesty's Government, having regard to the relative importance of Imperial and Australasian interests, may deem" fair and reasonable ; (6.) That the Convention protests in the strongest manner against the declared intention of the Government of France to transport large numbers of relapsed criminals to the French possessions in the Pacific, and urges Her Maiesty's Government to use every means in its power to prevent the adoption of a course so disastrous to the interests of Australasia ' and the Pacific Islands;