H.—29.

1900. NEW ZEALAND.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE RT. HON. THE PREMIER AND THE CHIEF HANSARD REPORTER. RELATIVE TO LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LATTER COMMENTING ON THE DESPATCH OF CONTINGENTS TO THE TRANSVAAL.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Sic,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 6th February, 1900. My attention has been called to an article in the Dunedin Evening Star of the 29th January last, which quotes what purports to be extracts from a letter written by you, dated from Wellington, the 27th October, and published in the New York Times of the 26th November, commenting on the action of this and other Australasian Colonies in connection with the despatch of contingents to the Transvaal. I shall be glad to know if you really are the author of the letter in question. I have, &c, J. Grattan Grey, Esq., Chief Hansard Eeporter. E. J. Seddon.

Sir,— Wellington Terrace, 12th February, 1900. Your letter dated the 6th instant, re the Transvaal War, only reached me to-day. As my files of American papers have not come to hand for several months past—a matter which I intend to inquire into at the Post-office —I am not in possession of a copy of the New York Times nor of the Evening Star mentioned in your letter. If you will kindly supply me with a copy of the Star, in order that I may see the extracts mentioned, I shall have much pleasure in supplying you with the information you desire. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. E. J. Seddon, Premier. J. Gbattan Geey.

Sic,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 13th February, 1900. The Premier has directed me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, and in reply to say that he has not got a copy of the Dunedin Evening Star, but desires me to send you some extracts from that paper which contain what purports to be your letter, or a portion of it. . I have, &c, J. Grattan Grey, Esq., Wellington Terrace. Alex. Willis.

Extract from Dunedin Evening Star, dated 29th January, 1900. [Feom The New York Times, 26th Novembee, 1899.] Wellington, N.Z., 27th October. —Throughout the whole of the British colonies in these latitudes the people have gone wild with excitement over the declaration of war between Great Britain and the little Transvaal Eepublic. There is no limit to their enthusiam, and the whole of these democratic communities have become suddenly infected with Imperialism of the most pronounced type. Nobody—very few, at all events —pauses to inquire whether the war is a just one, or whether England has any right to interfere with the internal affairs of the Transvaal. The only thing that concerns them is that Great Britain has resorted to the arbitrament of superior force, and, the Mother-country having done this, the colonies rush to her assistance in crushing poor old Oom Paul and the comparative handful of people in the Transvaal who consider they have a right to govern themselves without foreign interference or dictation. Everybody feels, of course, that the republic must go under, and the immorality of the principle that might is right is completely disregarded in this wave of Imperialism that has swept over the whole of the British possessions on this side of the globe. No sooner was the news received of the declaration of war than offers of assistance were cabled to the Imperial authorities from all the Governments of Australasia, and these were at once accepted, more, perhaps, on account of the moral effect they