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the material which will be most useful in the early stages of the occupation of New Guinea; the island inhabitants of the Straits may also be made largely to contribute to this end. My proposition is that the islands of Torres Straits, including the Prince of Wales Group, should be transferred to the New Guinea Protectorate. If this suggestion should be adopted it will be nothing more than a readjustment of administrative responsibility, by which the inhabitants on both sides of the Straits would benefit, and by which their interests in common will be advanced. I feel sure that I shall not appeal to you in vain for a correct estimate of the position ; and, if you are disposed to deal with it, either in the form in which it presents itself to me or in any other, I hope that you will, at your early convenience, address Her Majesty's Government on the subject. I have, &c, Thursday Island, Ist July, 1880. John Douglas.

No. 4. The Premier, Queensland to the Premier, New Zealand. g IRj Colonial Secretary's Office, Brisbane, 30th March, 1886. I have the honour to enclose for the consideration of your Government a memorandum, in which my colleagues concur upon the question of the future administration of the affairs of British New Guinea. In the event of the proposals now made commending themselves to the Governments ot the other colonies, with or without modification, it will be necessary to submit the scheme for the consideration of Her Majesty's Government, when, if it meet with their approval also, the sanction of the Legislature of this colony must be sought for the Permanent Appropriation Act, which forms an essential part of the proposal. . Having regard to the time that has already elapsed, and to the extreme desirability ot bringing this question of the future administration of the territory to some definite issue_ without further delay, I venture to ask from you the favour of a reply at your earliest convenience, in order that the necessary preliminary negotiations may be completed in time to enable the Government of this colony to deal with the matter during the ensuing session of Parliament. In order to facilitate future negotiations, and to enable them to be conducted, if necessary, by telegraph, I propose to send a copy of the memorandum to the Agent-General for Queensland in I have addressed a similar communication to the Governments of each of the other Australasian Colonies. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier of New Zealand. S. W. Griffith,

Enclosure. (Memorandum.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Brisbane, 30th March, 1886. There can be no doubt that the present position of affairs with reference to the British Protectorate in New Guinea is eminently unsatisfactory, and, having regard to the time that has elapsed since the proclamation of the Protectorate, and to the action already taken by the German Government with respect to the German territory in that island, some definite proposal seems to be called for on the part of the Australasian Colonies. 2. Lord Derby's despatch of the 9th May, 1884, after referring to the resolutions adopted by the Sydney Convention of 1883, proceeded to state that Her Majesty's Government were disposed to think that there should be a High Commissioner or a Deputy-Commissioner, with large powers of independent action stationed in or near the eastern coasts of New Guinea, and that he should be furnished with a steamship and with a staff sufficient to enable him to exercise protection in the name of the Queen over those shores ; that the cost of this arrangement could not be accurately estimated ; but that if one or more colonies would secure to Her Majesty's Government the payment of the sum of £15,000 during the year ending June, 1885, they would be prepared to take immediate steps for establishing the High Commissioner's jurisdiction. Very shortly after the receipt of this despatch the required guarantee was given by all the colonies, and the Legislature of Queensland passed an Act making permanent appropriation of the proportion to be borne by that colony. 3. On the 15th October, 1884, Lord Agustus Loftus was informed by telegram that Her Majesty's Government had decided to assume the Protectorate over a portion of the southern shores of New Guinea and some of the adjacent islands, and shortly afterwards Commodore Erskine was instructed to take, and did take, the necessary steps to give effect to this decision. In a circular despatch of the same date Lord Derby stated that he hoped very shortly to address to the Governors of the colonies a further communication in regard to the measures which would have to be taken to render the Protectorate effective. 4. On the 31st October, 1884, a further telegram was despatched to Lord Agustus Loftus Stating that Her Majesty had approved of the appointment of the late General Sir Peter Scratchley as Special Commissioner for the Protectorate; that Her Majesty's Government thought it desirable that the contributing colonies should appoint members of a Couucil of Advice in Australia to assist him; that the Admiralty recommended the purchase of a steamer in England for the Commissioner, at an estimated cost of £16,000 or £18,000 ; and that the £15,000 guarantee would apparently have to be considerably increased : and the colonies were asked to say whether they would agree to be represented in the proposed Council, and whether they would double their contribution for the purposes indicated. 5. The colonies, however, deferred any definite expression of opinion upon these proposals until the receipt of further information as to the intentions of Her Majesty's Government.