A.—s

12

if any such person from any foreign State shall allege that the offence for which he has been sentenced or found guilty was of a political nature, the proof thereof shall lie upon him. Appeal. 13. Any person who shall feel himself aggrieved by the judgment of the Justices adjudicating under this Act may, on entering into such recognizances as are hereinafter mentioned, appeal from their order or adjudication to the next District Court which shall be held nearest to the place where such order or adjudication shall have been given or made; and the execution of every such order or adjudication so appealed from, and the forfeiture and sale of any property as aforesaid, may at the discretion of such Justices be suspended. No appeal under the last preceding section shall be allowed unless the person intending to appeal shall, with one or more sufficient surety or sureties, before the Justices hearing the case enter into a recognizance to Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, in such sum as to such Justices shall seem fit, which recognizance such Justices are hereby authorized to take, conditioned to prosecute such appeal with effect, and to be forthcoming to abide the determination of such District Court, and pay such costs as the said Court shall award, and such Court is hereby authorized finally to hear and determine the matter of such appeal. 14. Nothing in this Act shall be taken or construed to take away or curtail any powers vested in the Governor under any Extradition Act or Extradition Treaty. Duration of Act. 15. This Act shall continue, in force for one year from the passing thereof, and thence to the end of the then next session of the Legislative Council of Queensland. Short Title. 16. This Act may be cited as " The Criminal Expulsion Act of 1879."

No. 4. The Peemiee to the Colonial Seceetaet, Queensland. Sic — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, New Zealand, April 15, 1880. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 80-35, of the 26th of February last, enclosing the copy of a Bill which had been introduced by your Government into the Queensland Parliament during the last session, and which had been framed specially to provide against the influx of criminals from a foreign State. You also enclose copies of two papers presented to Parliament, containing correspondence between the Governments of England and France upon the subject. For the valuable information thus conveyed I desire to offer you the thanks of this Government. I now beg to forward to you the copy of a Ministerial memorandum addressed to Ilia Excellency Sir Hercules Sobinson on the same subject, which states fully the facts with respect to the liberated criminals and political offenders who were passengers by the " Griffin" fromNNcr Caledonia. His Excellency has forwarded a copy of this document to the Secretary of State, and has likewise telegraphed to Sir Michael Hicks Beach as requested in the memorandum. A reply has been received, to the effect that Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris has been instructed to urge the French Government to prohibit assistance being given to liberated convicts in emigrating from New Caledonia to the Australasian Colonies. Since the arrival of the " Griffin," another vessel has also reached Auckland, having on board a further number of amnestied political and time-expired criminal offenders. With regard to the possibility of a further influx of a similar character, I am addressing you separately in a confidential letter of this day's date. I have, &c, The Colonial Secretary, Brisbane. J. Hall.

No. 2, of this series.

No. 5. The Agent-Geneeal to the Pbemiee. Sib, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, February 26, 1880. I have the honor to inform you that on the receipt of your telegram (copy herewith) of the 21st instant, respecting the arrival at Auckland from New Caledonia of certain persons discharged as conditionally-freed Communists and convicts, I lost no time in placing myself in communication with the Colonial Office ; and thereupon Sir Michael Hicks Beach requested the Foreign Office to instruct Lord Lyons, the English Ambassador at Paris, to make immediate representations to the French Government. On receipt of your telegram (copy herewith) of the 24th instant, I at once sent a copy of the same to the Colonial Office, and received in reply a communication from Mr. Herbert, the TTnder-Secretary for the Colonies, to the effect that a telegram had been sent to Lord Lyons requesting him to intimate to the French Government that any action may be suspended for the present, pending the receipt of further advices from New Zealand. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Agent-General.