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No. 30. The Pbemieb to the Agent-General. Sib,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 7th October, 1886. I have not communicated with you in reference to the Now Hebrides since forwarding you the resolutions passed by the Legislative Council on the subject. I gather from the telegrams in the newspapers that there seems to be a desire on the part of France to remain in possession of the New Hebrides and at the same time to keep sending recidivistes to the Isle of Pines. I need not point out to you that such conduct is very distasteful, not only to the Australians but to the New Zealand colonists. The views of the House of Eepresentatives and the Legislative Council you will have learned from the resolutions. What we desiro specially to see is, if possible, that no fresh territory shall be acquired by foreign nations in the Pacific. We are also desirous of seeing none of the criminal offscourings of any European nation being landed near our shores. As far as wre can see at this distance there seems great difficulty in any fair compromise being arrived at between France and England. Some of the colonies, as you are aware, will listen to no compromise, and that no doubt prevents the Imperial Government coining to some earlier arrangement with France. I only write this letter to remind you that we are still anxious to see some proper arrangement come to. Of course what would be pleasing to us would be that the New Hebrides group should not belong to France, but if it cannot be obtained by England it should be internationalized. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., C.8., Agent-General. Eobbkt Stout.

No. 23.

No. 31. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. Feench Government recently renewed assurance will maintain engagements with England as to New Hebrides. Despatch follows by mail. 20th October, 1886. __________________

No. 32. The Agent-Geneeal to the Premier. Sib, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 19th November, 1886. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th October relating to the New Hebrides, and am much obliged by the statement of the views held by the Government. I expected to have been able to send you a letter on the subject by this mail, but am obliged to content myself to-day by merely transmitting copies of two letters I have received from the Colonial Office, as to which I beg leave to call your attention to the paragraph (in the second of the letters) stating that the papers are communicated in confidence, and must not be published. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 30.

Enclosure 1. The Colonial Office to the Agent-General. Sib, — Downing Street, 6th November, 1886. With reference to previous correspondence I am directed by Mr. Secretary Stanhope to transmit to you the accompanying extracts from the Independant da la Nouvclle-CaUdonic of the 24th June last, containing a petition addressed by French residents in New Caledonia to the Governor of the colony in favour of the annexation of the New Hebrides to France. Her Majesty's Government, on learning the existence of this petition, instructed Mr. Bgerton to call the attention of the French Government to the fact that it ignored the obligations of the latter Government with regard to the group of islands in question, and to point out that much injury was likely to be caused by the publication of such a petition without any explanation that it could not be entertained, In reply M. de Freycinet has stated that he has declared, and he repeated the declaration, that he would maintain the engagements made with Her Majesty's Government with respect to these islands, but that he had no control over what the newspapers might say or do. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. John Bramston.

Sub-Enclosure. [Extbacts from L Indcpendant de la Nouvelle-Caledonie of 24th June, 1886.] Nous reproduisons ci-dessous la petition addressee au Gouverneur de la Nouvelle-Caledonie au sujet dcs Nouvelles-Hebrides. Nous faisons appel, a cc sujet, au patriotisme de tous ceux gui desirent la grandeur et la prosperite de la Prance, en leur recotnmandant de dormer leur signature a. cette petition. Nous nous adressons, non seulement aux lecteurs de Vlndependant, mais a tous nos compatriotes, sans distinction de parti. II s'agit ici dune ceuvre nationaler devant laquelle la politique doit s'effacer. Eestons fideles a nos opinions, mais soyons Francais avant tout. II faut que cette petition soit couverte de signatures et devienne, de cette maniere, line manifestation eclatante de la population Oaledonieune. Dcs exemplaires seront expedies dans l'interieur