21

A.—l

Enclosure. Referring to telegram 15th January, Samoan Chiefs state that German despatches were shipped in sailing-vessel 31st December in ordinary course, meeting steamer sixty miles distant from Apia. Occurrences reported took place subsequently same day. Chiefs, leaving Apia Ist January in consequence of German action, in special vessel, unknown to Germans, succeeded in catching same steamer. British Consul sent report same opportunity.

No. 27. (No. 11.) Sn_, — Government House, Wellington, 21st January, 18S6. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt this day of a telegram from you, of which a copy is enclosed herewith. I have, &c, Wm. E. DEUMMOND JEEVOIS. The Eight Hon. Colonel Stanley, M.E.

Enclosure. Referring to your telegram of the 6th January, Hutton will be gazetted. Should proceed to England as soon as possible.

No. 28. (No. 12.) Sir, — Christchurch, 28th January, 1886. With reference to the intelligence which has been already communicated to: Her Majesty's Government by telegraph concerning recent occurrences in Samoa, I have the honour to inform you that on the 14th instant I arrived at Wellington from Christchurch, in order to see personally two chiefs, members of the Government of Samoa, Tuiletufuga Upalu (who speaks English well) and Seu Manutafa, who were deputed by King Malietoa to lay before myself and my Ministers the present situation of affairs there. 2. I held an interview with them on the 15th instant, when they laid before me a letter from the King, a translation of which is enclosed, requesting that Her Majesty's Government might be informed of the " great distress " of Samoa, " on " account of the things now being done by the German Consul" there, and that if Her Majesty's Government could not take any action in their favour the Government of New Zealand would help them. 3. They apologized for the brevity of the King's communication, accounting for it by the haste in which they were obliged to leave Apia in order to catch the mail-steamer bound from San Eranoisco to Auckland the day after the action of the German Consul on the 31st ultimo, which was duly telegraphed to the Eoreign Office by Her Eritannic Majesty's Consul at Samoa. 4. After my interviews with the chiefs, I sent my two telegrams of the 15th instant, one stating that the deputation urged, on behalf of the King and Government of Samoa, that Great Britain should undertake the government of their country; the other showing, in reference to a message from the Eoreign Office to the British Consul at Samoa, that the reason why the Imperial German Government had then received no intelligence respecting the proceedings reported by him was that they took place after the despatch of the last German mail. 5. In a further interview with the chiefs, I gathered more detailed information on this matter, and embodied it in my telegram of the 18th instant. 6. I subsequently received from them the accompanying letter, dated the 18th instant, relating to the state of affairs in Samoa, giving particulars of recent occurrences there, and expressing an earnest desire for the annexation of their country to New Zealand. 7. I enclose newspaper extracts referring to the subject of this despatch. I have, &c, ~Wm. E. DEUMMOND JEEVOIS. The Eight Hon, Colonel Stanley, M.P.

Nos. 24, 25, 2Q >swPra'