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A.—2

No. 141. New Zealand, No. 49. My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th March, 1910. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the papers noted helow on the subject of German protectorates in the Pacific. I have, &c., CREWE.

The Officer administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosures. No. 39. (5989.) Sir, — Berlin, 17th February, I Wo. I have the honour to transmit, herewith copies of the memoranda recently presented to the Reichstag on the subject of the development of the protectorates of German New Guinea (Old Protectorate), German New Guinea (Island Territory), and Samoa, in the year 1908 9, together with a pricis nf each memorandum. I have, (fee, Sir Edward Grey, Bart, &c. W. E. Gosohkn. Precis oi Mkmoranduw oh thk Development of German \i;w Guinba (Old Photkctoratb : BISMABOE AUCHIPBJLAGO, SOLOMON Islands, imi KaIHER-WiT,HHLMES-LiAND). UriiiNi; the year there were no disturbances among the Natives or other events worthy of mention. Native taxation (Kopfsteuer) was introduced in all the organized communes. The population in these districts was counted, and found to Iμ , 6,950, of whom there were 2,175 men Liable to I" , I a xed. The European population on the Ist January, 1909, amounted to 671, as against (54 7 in the previous year. Of this number, r>os are malts and 1(16 females. The various nationalities are represented as follows: 549 Germans, 1!> English, 26 colonial English, '.• Austriane, !!• Dutch. '1 Diincs. and 8 Swedes. The non-Native coloured population amounted to 689 on the Isi January, 1909, an increase of 116. Among these were 476 Chinese (7 of whom were women), 128 Malays or Japanese (•'!! of whom were women). The general health of the Europeans was, on the whole, good, except in the Gazelle PeniiiHuln. The principal disease among Europeans »;is malaria. r>uriHμ the year fourteen new commercial undertakings were started. The expori of sea-products —mother-of-pearl, tortoise-shell, and trepang —decreased in value. An area of 18,235 hectares was under cultivation in plantations, showing an increase of 1.107 hectares over last year. In 1908 the trade of the protectorate amounted to 1,815,075 M.. which represented a decrease of 581,196 M. Ihe export of copra from the protectorate rose from 5,694 tons in li) 07 to tons in 1908, while the value fell from 1, f<07,000 M. to 1,549,000 M. The total trade was divided among the various countries as follows: German, 2,123,352 M.: Kngland, 199.013 M.; Australia. 1,740,605 M. ; Asia, 592,622 M. ; America. 104.980 M.; and Other countries, 54,500 M. England anil Australia were the only two countries with which the trade increased. The shipping- in Simpsonhaven increased I>\ seventy-eighi steamers, with a tonnage of fi£,2so. The revenue of the protectorate will probably exceed the estimates by 150,000 M., a surplus which is due to the introduction of Xative taxation and of the 10-per-cent. Customs duty. The memorandum contains the following annexes: — (1.) Criminal Statistics. (2.) Population Statistics. (3.) Trade Statistics. (4.) List of Commercial. Agricultural, and Industrial Undertakings. (5.) Plantations and Experimental Gardens. (6.) Report of (lovernment Schools in Simpsonhaven. (7.) Shipping. (8.) Posts and Telegraphs.

Date. Descript ion. 1910. February 17 ... From H.M. Ambassador, Berlin.