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Enclosure No. 3. Memorandum for His Excellency. With reference to the despatch " General" from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated the 2nd February last, calling attention to a previous circular despatch of the 12th February, 1891, relative to the appointment in New Zealand of Consular Agents for the Chinese Empire, the Premier has the honour to refer His Excellency to the memorandum from Ministers dated the 22nd May, 1891, No. 22/91, setting forth their views upon the subject, upon which His Excellency Lord Onslow was pleased to make a minute. The Premier has now respectfully to state that Ministers still adhere to the views expressed in the memorandum referred to ; but, in reference to the remark made by Lord Onslow, that " Ministers have not stated how, in their opinion, the further immigration of Chinese would be brought about by the appointment of Consular Agents," Ministers would observe that, with regard to the precise manner in which immigration might be encouraged, they are not prepared to measure the ingenuity of the Chinese by any known rule ; their position in the colony is distinct from that of any other race, and special laws have been enacted to prevent their immigration which have not been recognised by China as consistent with treaty rights between Great Britain and that country. How far our legislation may be effectual remains to be seen; but Ministers consider it to be their duty to take every precaution that it may not be weakened in its effect. J. Ballance. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,300 copies), £3.

By Authority: Gkorge Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB92.

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