FEDERATION AND ANNEXATION. (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.) [In Continuation of A.-3, 1887, Session I.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1887 Session II, A-03

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Sess. 11.—1887. NEW ZEALAND.

FEDERATION AND ANNEXATION. (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.) [In Continuation of A.-3, 1887, Session I.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 14th January, 1887. I transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch which is going by this mail from the Secretary of State to His Excellency the Governor, on the subject of appointing an officer at Rarotonga i of consular rank who will act at the same time as Agent for your Government. You will see that just before his death Lord Iddesleigh had decided that such an officer should be a full Consul, with a salary of £500 a year; and that, if New Zealand would undertake to pay that salary for ten years, with an office allowance of £200 a year, and also to provide a consular house if required, the Consul would be appointed. I need not refer to the importance of this step as an indication of the willingness of Her Majesty's Government to entertain the principle of concerted action between the Imperial and colonial authorities in the Eastern Pacific, which was first raised by New Zealand several years ago in the case of Rapa, and which yourself and your predecessors in office have so constantly desired to see affirmed. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

A.-2, 1887, Session 11., No. 15.

No. 2. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 25th January, 1887. After sending my letter of the 11th instant, No. 31, respecting the appointment of an ] officer of consular rank at Rarotonga, it seemed to me desirable for you to have the earliest information on the matter, and I sent you the telegram of which a copy is enclosed. On looking at my letter I see it did not refer to the late Lord Iddesleigh's wish for further information as to the duties that would belong to the Consul if he were allowed to act also in the character of Agent of your Government; I took care, however, to mention it in the telegram. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 1.

Enclosure. To Premier, New Zealand. (Telegram, despatched 15th January, 1887.) Rarotonga. Despatch, Governor. Consul will be appointed provided salary and expenses, seven hundred appropriated ten years, also house built when desired. Secondly, before finally deciding Consul act your Agent further statement proposed duties wanted. F. D. Bell.

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 21st February, 1887. I had the honour to receive in due course your telegram of the 7th instant, in reply to mine of the 15th January, relating to Rarotonga, instructing me that you adhered to the proposal for the appointment of a consular officer there which you had made in the memorandum to the Governor enclosed in your letter to myself of the 7th November, 1885. For the present, therefore,

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I think the matter must be considered at an end, as there is not the least chance of the Imperial Government giving up the nomination of such an officer. I have communicated your decision privately to the Colonial Office, but have thought it advisable not to write officially at this moment, because the position of Rarotonga will be one of the things that will come before the Conference when it takes up the question of Samoa, Tonga, and the other islands of the Eastern Pacific. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

Enclosure. The Premier to the Agent-General, London. Wellington, dated 7 th. Rarotonga Consul. We adhere to proposal in enclosure to my letter of 7th November last (A.-l, 1886, No. 10). ______________________ Robert Stout.

No. 4. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 23rd February, 1887. A fortnight ago there appeared Press telegrams from Wellington, saying that you had asked Admiral Tryon to send a man-of-war to Tonga to inquire into the recent attack upon Mr. Shirley Baker, but that the Admiral had declined to do so. This was followed by telegrams from Melbourne that six natives implicated in the outrage had been executed. On the 21st questions were asked in the House of Commons, in reply to which the Secretary of State, Sir Henry Holland, said the Admiral had reported that the disturbances had subsided. Sir Henry added that Her Majesty's Government would consider, as soon as they were in possession of fuller authentic information, whether the High Commissioner in the Pacific should he ordered to take any action. To-day a further Melbourne telegram has come, that five more natives had been condemned to death at Tonga, and thirty others were awaiting trial; that the British Consul had succeeded in averting further executions, but beyond that had declined to interfere ; that an appeal had been sent to Sir C. Mitchell, Governor of Fiji, to get a man-of-war sent down to the island, as intense excitement prevailed ; and that the Roman Catholics had applied for French protection. The same telegram, referring to affairs in Samoa, stated that the overtures of the Hawaiian Government had failed, the Samoans declining the notion of being annexed to the Sandwich Islands. Another telegram, just received, says that the Admiral had sent H.M.S. " Diamond " to Tonga. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

Enclosures. [Extract from the Times, Friday, 11th February, 1887.] New Zealand. Wellington, 10th February. The Hon. Sir Robert Stout, the Premier, has telegraphed to Rear-Admiral Tryon, Commander-in-Chief on the Australian Station, requesting him to despatch a war-vessel to Tonga Island.

[Extract from the Times, Monday, 14th February, 1887.] The Friendly Islands. Wellington, 12th February. Rear-Admiral Tryon, Commander-in-Chief on the Australian Station, in reply to the Hon. Sir Robert Stout, the Premier, requesting him to despatch a war-vessel to Tonga Island, states that he will cause inquiries to be made into the recent attack on the Hon. Shirley W. Baker when a war-vessel proceeds thither, but that he sees no necessity for specially despatching one.

[Extract from the Times, Saturday, 19th February, 1887.] The Friendly Islands. Melbourne, 18th February. Advices received here from Tonga Island state that the six natives recently sentenced to death in connection with the attack on the Hon. Shirley Baker have been executed, in presence of the King's son. It has been proved that many Wesleyan students were implicated in the outrage on Mr. Baker, and that the natives have been plotting to murder the King and his family, with a view to placing the King's nephew on the throne.

Notices op Motions and Orders op the Day.—Monday, 21st February. Mr. Walter James to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether Her Majesty's Government have received any information concerning the recent disturbances in the Island of Tonga : Whether the Hon. Shirley Baker, upon whom the attack was made, was formerly a Wesleyan missionary, and has since organized a Government in Tonga, of which he is the chief member; and whether Mr. Shirley Baker is a British subject; and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government will direct the High Commissioner in the Pacific to institute an inquiry into his conduct and proceedings.

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[Extract from the Times, Tuesday, 22nd February, 1887.] The Government op Tonga. In answer to Mr. W. James, Sir H. Holland said : The last information received as to the attack on Mr. Shirley Baker in Tonga is contained in a telegram from Admiral Tryon of the 11th instant, stating that there had been disturbances in Tongatabu last month, but that, by the last accounts, they had subsided, and the King's orders were being obeyed. Mr. Shirley Baker, to whom reference is made, was formerly a Wesleyan missionary. He is, I believe, styled " the Premier," and controls the government of the islands. He is a British subject, and Her Majesty's Government will consider, as soon as they have full and authentic information respecting the recent transactions, whether the High Commissioner should be instructed to take any action.

[Extract from the Times, Thursday, 24th February, 1887.] The Friendly Islands. Melbourne, 23rd February. Intelligence received here from Tonga Island announces that five more Natives have been condemned to death, and that thisty others are awaiting their trial. The British Consul has succeeded in averting further executions, but has otherwise declined to interfere in the matter. The details of the affair are conflicting. The old Wesleyan party accuse the Hon. Shirley Baker of jury-packing, and of personally conducting the trials of the natives. They have appealed to Sir C. Mitchell, Governor of Fiji, to despatch a war-ship to the island, where intense excitement prevails. The Roman Catholic priests have appealed for French protection. The overtures made by the Hawaiian Embassy at Samoa have failed, the Samoans scouting the idea of annexation to the Sandwich Islands. 4.50 p.m.—Her Majesty's corvette " Diamond " has been despatched to Tonga Island.

No. 5. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 10th March, 1887. A few nights ago Sir Henry Holland, Secretary of State for the Colonies, announced in the House of Commons that the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific (Sir Charles Mitchell) had been directed to go down to Tonga, and would take any measures he might deem necessary for the protection of natives and others in the group. The Tribune, a newspaper in New York, has published the text of the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation negotiated between the United States and the King of Tonga, and signed by Mr. Shirley Baker for Tonga and by Mr. Bates as Special Envoy of the States. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the States Senate had not taken the treaty into their consideration up to a few days ago. I hope soon to send you a copy of it. A long report relating to the recidivistes and the general subject of relegation has just been published in the Journal Official, to which I propose shortly to ask your attention. It shows clearly that the law of relegation can never be made to produce the results that were expected when the question was before the French Chambers. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. . F. D. Bell.

Enclosures. [Extract from the Times, Wednesday, 2nd March, 1887.] The Disturbances at Tonga. In answer to Mr. W. James, Sir H. Holland said: The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Sir Charles Mitchell, who is an able and judicious officer, has been directed to go to Tonga. Mr. Thurston will not go thither at present, unless Sir Charles Mitchell should be unable to leave Fiji. The High Commissioner, with the assistance of Her Majesty's ships, will no doubt take any measures that he may deem necessary for the protection of natives and others pending the consideration of his report.

[Extract from the Times, Thursday, 3rd March, 1887.] The Tonga Islands. Hobart, March 2. Her Majesty's corvette " Diamond " has sailed hence for the Tonga Islands. New York, March 2. The Tribune to-day publishes the text of a Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation which has been negotiated between the United States and the King of Tonga. The Hon. Shirley Baker signed the treaty on behalf of Tonga, and Mr. Bates, the Special Envoy of the United States, for the latter country. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate has not yet considered the treaty.

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No. 6. The Agent-General to tho Premier. Sir,— 30th March, 1887. In continuation of my letter of the 10th instant, No. 343, I now beg to enclose a copy of the recent Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation between the United States and Tonga, signed at Tonga on the 2nd October, 1886, and communicated to the United States Senate by message from the President on the 14th February, 1887. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 5.

Enclosure. [Extract from the New York Daily Tribune, Wednesday, 2nd March, 1887.] A Treaty with Tonga.—Seeking Control of the Pacific Trade.—Full Text op the Treaty recently negotiated : its probable Fate. [By Telegraph to the Tribune.] Washington, Ist March.—ln November last the Tribune was the first newspaper to announce the conclusion of a treaty between this country and the Tongan Islands. The failure of Mr. Bayard to make mention of this important step in a scheme to secure the control of the Pacific Ocean trade in the President's annual message caused some comment at the time, and many people were led to believe that the information obtained by the Tribune was incorrect. The full text, which is given herewith, shows that the information was based upon trustworthy sources, and that the main features of Mr. Bayard's curious scheme were correctly interpreted. While Mr. Bayard, when he came into office, recalled every commercial treaty negotiated by his predecessor, he was willing that the extension of the Hawaiian Treaty, which had been signed by Mr. Frelinghuysen also, should be ratified by the Senate. Therefore he did not withdraw it, but, on the contrary, let no opportunity escape to impress upon senators in private the importance of preserving the control of the Pacific Ocean trade to this country. When the late Consul Greenebaum, by his conduct at Apia, in the Samoan Islands, came near precipitating an international difficulty, Mr. Bayard sent out a special envoy, Mr. George H. Bates, of Delaware, to settle the difficulty. Mr. Bates received at the same time instructions to proceed, upon the conclusion of his task at the Samoan Islands, to Tonga, and there negotiate a commercial treaty with King George. Mr. Bates proceeded to the islands in the " Mohican," and it was on board of this vessel that the treaty was signed on the 2nd October of last year. Precisely what Mr. Bayard hopes to accomplish by the conclusion of a treaty with so savage a race as the Tongans it is difficult to see. The products of the soil there are meagre, and consist for the most part of tropical fruit. On the other hand the inhabitants are so poor that their imports from the United States must necessarily be small. The Tongan group, which is five hundred or six hundred miles south-west of the Samoan Islands, is one of the few groups in the Pacific Ocean which has not yet been absorbed by any European Power. There has been a strong desire at times on the part of New Zealand to annex these islands, but they have had an independent government, the leading spirit of which is Mr. Baker, a Wesleyan missionary, who is called " the Premier," and who also is the signatory on the part of the Tongan Government to the present treaty. King George is an old Malay, with snowy white hair and a strong countenance. He is over eighty years old. He speaks no language except his native tongue, but he lives to a certain extent according to European customs. Nukualofa is the capital of the group. The Government has built a fine wharf, with houses, and there is a regular system of communication with Auckland and Fiji. The treaty has been referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, which has not yet reported upon it, and is not likely to take any action at this session. The treaty, and the letters which accompanied its transmission to the Senate, are given in full below : — " To the Senate of the United States. " I transmit herewith, with a view to its ratification, a Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, concluded 2nd October, 1886, in the Harbour of Nukualofa, Tongatabu, between the United States of America and the King of Tonga. I also transmit for your information a report from the Secretary of State, enclosing copies of the treaties of friendship concluded between the Kingdom of Tonga and Germany and Great Britain. " Grover Cleveland. " Executive Mansion, Washington, 14th February, 1887."

" To the President. "I have the honour to enclose, for transmission to the Senate, if deemed proper, a Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation between the United States of America and the King of Tonga, concluded in the Harbour of Nukualofa, Tongatabu, 2nd October, 1886. I further enclose, for the information of the Senate, copies of the Treaty of Friendship concluded between the German Empire and the Kingdom of Tonga, Ist November, 1876, and of the Treaty of Friendship concluded between Great Britain and Tonga, 29th November, 1879. " Respectfully submitted, " Department of State, Washington, February 3, 1887." "T. F. Bayard.

" Full Text op the Treaty. " Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation between the United States of America and the King of Tonga. " The United States of America and the King of Tonga, naturally desirous of maintaining and strengthening their relations and interests, have resolved to conclude a treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, and to this end have empowered as their representatives, the President of the United States—George H. Bates, Special Commissioner of the United States to Tonga; and His

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Majesty the King of Tonga —the Rev. Shirley Waldemar Baker, Premier of the Kingdom of Tonga; who, after producing to each other their respective powers, have agreed upon the following articles :— "Article I.—There shall be perpetual peace and amity between the United States of America and the King of Tonga, his heirs and his successors. "Article ll.—The citizens of the United States shall always enjoy, in the dominions of the King of Tonga, and Tongan subjects shall always enjoy in the United States, whatever rights, privileges, and immunities are now accorded to citizens or subjects of the most favoured nation; and no rights, privileges, or immunities shall be granted hereafter to any foreign State, or to the citizens or subjects of any foreign State, by either of the high contracting parties which shall not be also equally and unconditionally granted by the same to the other high contracting party, its citizens or subjects ; it being understood that the parties hereto affirm the principle of the law of nations —that no privilege granted for equivalent or on account of propinquity or other special conditions comes under the stipulations herein contained as to favoured nations. " Article lll.—Citizens of the United States in Tonga, and Tongans in the United States, may visit, sojourn, and trade in any part of the respective jurisdictions, and rent, occupy, and improve lands, and erect dwellings, offices, and warehouses thereon, subject to the laws and regulations of the country, which shall, however, in no case, except in respect of employment as labourers, be more restrictive than those imposed upon the citizens or subjects of the respective country or upon the citizens or subjects of the most favoured nation. " Article IV. —There shall be reciprocal liberty of commerce and navigation between the United States and the Tonga Islands, and no duty of Customs or other impost shall be charged upon any goods being the produce or manufacture of one country, when imported therefrom into the other country, other or higher than is charged upon the same the produce or manufacture of or imported from any other country. " Article V. —No other or higher duties or charges on account of harbour dues, pilotage, quarantine, salvage in case of damage or shipwreck, or other shipping charges shall be imposed in the dominions of the King of Tonga on vessels of the United States, or in the United States on Tongan vessels, than are imposed on vessels belonging to the most favoured nation. " Article Vl.—The ships of war of either of the high contracting parties may enter all ports, places, and waters within the jurisdiction oil the other, to anchor and remain, take in stores, refit, and repair, subject to the laws and regulations of the country. To enable this privilege to be carried out in his dominions the King of Tonga agrees to secure to the Government of the United States, by lease at nominal rent, with covenants of renewal, all rights of free use of necessary ground in any harbour of the Tonga Islands which shall be mutually agreed upon, for the purpose of establishing a permanent coaling and repair station, the rights of Tongan sovereignty therein being fully reserved and admitted ; and in selecting a station for this purpose due regard shall be had for any similar concession which the King of Tonga may have granted by treaty to any other. Government. " Article VII. —All steam vessels which may be employed by the Government of the United States in the carrying of their mails in or across the Pacific Ocean shall have free access to all parts of the Tonga Islands, and shall be there subject to no harbour or pilotage dues : Provided that no vesselbe entitled to such exemption except upon condition of carrying free of charge the Tongan mails to ports of destination and call of such vessels. " Article VIII.—The whaling or fishing vessels of the United States shall have free .access to the ports and harbours of Tonga, and in the ports of entry thereof shall be permitted to barter and trade their supplies or goods for provisions for the use of their own vessels and crews, without being subject to the law relative to trading license, and shall be subject to no port or harbour dues or pilotage whatever ; but this privilege of barter or trade shall not include the supplying of spirituous liquors and arms or ammunition to the Tongans. And such whaling or fishing vessels shall, after having entered any port of entry in the Tonga Islands, be at liberty to anchor off any island or reef thereof for the purpose of whaling or boiling down; provided such vessels do not anchor within the distance of three nautical miles from any inhabited town ; but nothing in this clause shall be so construed as to permit infringement of the quarantine laws of the dominion of the King of Tonga. " Article IX.—All citizens of the United States residing in the Tonga Islands, and Tongan subjects residing in the United States, shall be exempted from all compulsory military service, whether by sea or land, and from-all forced loans, military requisitions and quartering of troops. They shall, moreover, not be compelled to pay any other or higher taxes, or license-fees, or personal dues of any kind than are, or may be, paid by the citizens or subjects of the higher contracting party levying the same. "Article X. —Should any member of the ship's company desert from a vessel of war or merchant vessel of either of the high contracting parties while such vessel is within the territory or jurisdiction of the other, the local authorities shall render all lawful assistance for the apprehension of such deserter, on application to that effect made by the consul of the high contracting party concerned ; or if there be no consul, then by the master of the vessel. " Article XL—Each of- the high contracting parties may appoint consuls, vice-consuls, commercial agents, and_ vice-commercial agents for the protection of trade, to reside in the territory of the other high contracting party ; but before any consular officer so appointed shall act as such he shall, in the usual form, be approved of and admitted by the Government of the country to which he is sent; and all such consular officers shall enjoy the same privileges and powers with those of the most favoured nation. " Article Xll.—Consuls and consular representatives of the United States in Tonga shall have all jurisdictional rights over civil and criminal matters concerning their own citizens and vessels, in conformity with the statutes of the United States and the law of nations, and they may call upon the authoiities of Tonga for aid in making arrests or enforcing judgments ; and citizens of the United

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States charged with committing offences against Tongans shall be amenable only to the consular jurisdiction, and shall be punished according to the law of the United States; and Tongans charged with committing offences against citizens of the United States shall be tried by Tongan Courts and punished according to Tongan law. Claims of a civil nature against citizens of the United States shall be cognizable only in the consular jurisdiction, and Tongan Courts shall be open to citizens of the United States to prosecute such claims against Tongans according to law; provided that citizens of the United States charged with violations of laws and regulations of Tonga relating to Customs, taxation, public health, and local police not cognizable as such under the laws of the United States shall be amenable to the jurisdiction of the Tongan Courts, upon notice to the nearest United States Consul or commercial agent, if there be one, resident in Tonga; who shall have the right to be present at the trial and to direct or provide for the defence of the accused. The proceedings at all such trials shall be public, and the records thereof shall be public and accessible. " Article Xlll.—Perfect and entire freedom of conscience and worship, with right of sepulture, according to their creed, shall be enjoyed by the citizens or subjects of either of the high contracting parties within the jurisdiction of the other. " Article XIV. —This treaty shall become effective upon promulgation, and shall continue in force for ten years, and thereafter .until one year after notice shall have been given by one of the high contracting parties to the other of its desire to terminate the same ; save and accept as to Article Vi. (relating to the establishment of a coaling-station), which shall be terminable only by mutual consent. " Article XV. —This treaty shall be ratified and the ratifications exchanged at Nukualofa as soon as possible. This treaty is executed in duplicate, one copy being in English and the other in Tongan, both versions having the same meaning and intention ; but the English version shall be considered the original and shall control in case of any variance. " In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this treaty and thereunto affixed their respective seals. " Done in the harbour of Nukualofa, in Tongatabu, on board the United States steamer " Mohican," this second day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty-six. " (1.5.) Geo. H. Bates. " (1.5.) Shirley W. Baker." Note.—Here follows the text of two treaties, between the King of Tonga and Great Britain and Germany respectively, both similar in character to that concluded between Mr. Bates and Mr. Baker. The treaty with England differs from the others only in that it names four crimes upon which the extradition of criminals can be demanded by either party.

No. 7. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir,— 16th May, 1887. I have received a letter from the Colonial Office informing me that the Secretary of State has received a telegram from His Excellency the Governor, in reply to one from that department respecting the proposed Consulate at Rarotonga, in which the Governor states that "his Ministers decline" the proposal made. I mentioned in my letter of the 21st February, No. 259, that I expected the position of Rarotonga to be taken up during the sittings of the Conference; but the course taken by Her Majesty's Government respecting Samoa, and the postponement of the Tongan question, prevented this being done. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. „ F. D. Bell.

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No. 8. The Agent-General to the Premier. . Sir,— 18th May, 1887. I beg to enclose the Times' report of statements by the Secretary of State in the House of Commons respecting Tonga. Sir Henry Holland read to the House a telegram, dated the 30th April, which he had received from the High Commissioner, Sir Charles Mitchell, on his return from Tonga that day, stating that all was quiet in the island. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

Enclosures., [Extract from the Times, Saturday, 14th May, 1887.] Tonga. Mr. W. James asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether any intelligence had been received at the Colonial Office confirming the report sent Home, appearing in the Melbourne Argus to the effect that previously to the arrival of Sir Charles Mitchell in Tonga peace had been established, by the whole of the Wesleyan body having been exterminated ? Sir H. Holland : We have not got that information ; but we have received a more satisfactory telegram, from which it appears that at least some Wesleyans are left. A telegram was received, yesterday from Sir C. Mitchell in the following words : " April 30.—Returned from Tonga to-day. Send report by next mail. Full inquiry showed report of religious persecution true to considerable extent. King promises make chiefs observe Constitution as regards religious freedom in future, and generally protect Wesleyans. All quiet now. Europeans in no case interfered with."

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[Extract from the Times, Tuesday, 17th May, 1887.] Civil Service Estimates. Mr. W. H. James rose for the purpose of asking whether Her Majesty's Government had received any information with regard to the religious persecutions that were taking place in the Island of Tonga. The island was under the nominal sovereignty of its King, who was more than eighty years of age, but the real government of the island was in the hands of a Mr. Shirley Baker, a gentleman of considerable wealth and ability, but who had absolutely no scruples. The consequence was that the religious persecutions in the island were deplorable, outrageous, disgraceful, and horrible. He trusted to have an assurance from the right honourable gentleman, the Secretary for the Colonies, that, when Sir C. Mitchell's report arrived, it would be considered upon its own merits. Sir H. Holland said that, in the present circumstances, he was not disposed to dispute the accuracy of the facts stated by the honourable member, the information that he had received being almost identical with that which had been given to the honourable member. He, however, should like to show that Her Majesty's Government had been fully alive to the importance of this question. The moment that the Government heard of these outrages they telegraphed to Sir C. Mitchell to go to Tonga for the purpose of inquiring into the matter. Sir C. Mitchell arrived at Tonga on the 27th March, and he reported that the King had afforded him every facility for inquiry, and that all was then quiet on the island. Sir C. Mitchell further reported that he had made searching inquiries, and that all legal questions would be thoroughly discussed, he having taken with him Mr. Clark, the Chief Judicial Commissioner under the Pacific Islanders Protection Act. On the 30th April a telegram had been received, which had been already read to the House, and which confirmed the truth of these persecutions. He need hardly say that it would not have been right for Her Majesty's Government, when they instructed Sir C. Mitchell to go out to Tonga, to order him, without a full knowledge of the facts, to deport or remove Mr. Baker. He might also say that experience with regard to acting on the powers of deportation was hardly encouraging to a High Commissioner, because in the time of Sir A. Gordon a man named Hunt brought an action for deportation against the High Commissioner in one of the New Zealand Courts, and sustained it. He had been asked whether the report of Sir C. Mitchell should be considered on its own merits, and he could assure the House that that would be the case. It was not likely, as far as he knew, that any foreign Power would interfere with the discretion of the Government in the matter, and the report would be carefully considered. The Government were fully alive to the importance of the question, and they would take such steps with regard to it as might appear to them to be advisable.

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