THE LATE INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2268, 9 July 1881, Page 3

THE LATE INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE.

[FEOiI THE OWN COBEESPOKBBFT OF THE “TBBBS.”J WELLINGTON', tly 8. Despatches have been laid on tho table from the Secretary of State for the Colonies relative to the proceedings of the Sydney Intercolonial Conference. The princinal portion is as follows :—“ The Secretary of State for the Colonies to his Excellency the Governor. —Downing street, 11th May, 1881 : Sir, —I have had under my consideration the resolutions agreed to by the Intercolonial Conference held at Sydney in January last with reference to the relations of British subjects with the natives of the Western Pacific Islands, and to the office and functions of the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. His Majesty’s Government highly appreciate the ability and earnestness with which Sir A. Gordon has discharged the responsible duties devolving on him as the first High Commissioner. They are, nevertheless, sensible of the importance of the points raised in the resolutions, as to several of which I have for some paet been conferring with the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and the views of the Conference will receive full and careful consideration. I have before me the representation of the Conference on the subject of the introduction of Chinese Immigration by the Government of Western Australia at the public expense. I am well aware of tho strong objections which are entertained generally in tho Australian colonies to an extensive immigration, but in the peculiar case of Western Australis, which comprises an enormous tract of country, more than a third of which lies within the tropics, strong evidence of injury already sustained, or likely to be sustained, by the neighboring colonies would be necessary to justify Her] Majesty’s Government in interfering with the arrangements sanctioned by tho Legislature (two-thirds of which is elective) for the very limited immigration now proposed. It does not appear to be alleged that any of the Chinese hitherto introduced into Western Australia have passed into the other colonies, while on the other hand each of those colonies already contains a much greater number of Chinese than Western Australia will have after the new immigrants have arrived. I should not of course desire to see a large Chinese population introduced into Western Australia, and I shall carefully watch the results of the small immigration towhioh my attenhas been called by tho Conference, but under the circumstances as at present known to me, 1 am not prepared to interfere with the action of the Western Australian Legislature. In the minutes of the conference, I observe a resolution on the subject of tho naval and military defences of the Australian colonies and New Zealand. Her Majesty’s Government have noticed with mnch satisfaction that part of the resolution which pledges the members of the Conference to use all legitimate endeavors to procure the efficient fortification and land defence of the Australian ports at the cost of the colonies interested. They are, however, unable to express similar satisfaction at the suggestion that the outlay for the naval defence of the Australian colonies should be increased, and at the same time that it should continue to be exclusively a charge upon the Imperial Treasury. On this point I am glad to see that the representatives of South Australia placed on record their opinion that the colonies ought to contribute to the coat of maintaining the Australian squadron.—l have, &0., Kimberlt."