A.—4c*

18

as the United States, with fifty-seven millions ; and that while Germany takes 9s. 3d. worth of our goods per head of the population, South Africa takes £2 worth. Mr. Bansome's conclusions with regard to the colonies may be stated in his own words ; and similar arguments, with others based on even more important and higher considerations, are given with regard to India : " I should conclude, therefore," he says, " (1) that the colonies and India, in the aggregate, take more than one-third of the goods we manufacture for exportation; (2) that man for man they consume an amount out of all proportion to foreigners ; (3) that their importance relatively to the rest of the world is increasing at a very great rate ; (4) that if Protection is to be the rule in the large States of the future, the advantage to us and to the colonies of trade within the British Empire is likely to be still further enhanced ; and (5) that sentiment has much to do with the matter, and therefore the conduct, not only of the English Government, but of the English people, both to the colonies as a whole and to the colonists as individuals, is of the greatest possible moment."

No. 125. The Peemibe, New Zealand, to the Peemiee, Hobart. Sie, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 20th June, 1885. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, informing me that your Government generally approve of the opinion expressed in the letter of the Hon. the Premier of Victoria, addressed to me on the 20th May last. As the matter will no doubt be fully discussed by our Parliament, now sitting, I refrain from saying anything further respecting it for the present. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Hobart. Eobeet Stout.

No. 121. A.-4c, No. 105.

No. 126. The Peemiee, Victoria, to the Peemiee, New Zealand. Sib,— Premier's Office, Melbourne, 25th June, 1885. With reference to previous correspondence respecting the contributions by the Australasian Colonies towards the expenses of British New Guinea, I beg to forward herewith, for your information, a copy of a memorandum which I have addressed to His Excellency the Governor of this colony in reference to the memorandum submitted by His Excellency the Special Commissioner, for the consideration of the Governments of Australasia. I have, &c, James Seevice, The Hon. the Premier of New Zealand. Premier.

Enclosure. Memorandum for His Excellency the Goveenoe. Premier's Office, Melbourne, 4th June, 1885. The Premier has the honour to advert to your Excellency's memorandum of the 15th April ultimo covering two letters from His Excellency Major-General Scratchley, Special Commissioner for New G u i nea — one respecting the payment of this colony's quota of the £15,000 promised to be contributed by the Australasian Colonies towards the Government of New Guinea for the year ending Ist June, 1885 ; and the other on the subject of the cost of governing British New Guinea for five years further. 2. With regard to the former, your Excellency was apprised on the 12th ultimo of the payment of Victoria's proportion of the £15,000. This proportion was calculated on the basis of the populations of the several colonies at the date of the last census —viz., the 3rd April, 1881. This mode of apportioning the expense was suggested by Mr. Service in the absence of any other proposal. No objection to it has been made by any colony excepting Queensland, the Government of which proposes that the population at 31st December last should be the basis of calculation instead of that at date of last census. It is not a matter of much moment which method is adopted ; the population at last census, however, is an ascertained quantity, while any statement of population at 31st December last can only be an estimate. As a matter of fact, however, this colony, and it is believed other colonies, have paid their contributions on the basis proposed by Mr. Service. 3. The following table shows the populations at date of last census and the proportions of the subsidy due by each colony under this scheme, viz. : —