53

A.-2

2. It will be within your recollection that your Government were not able to concur in the proposals for the reasons given in your memorandum|ofjthe 26th of August, 1910, a copy of which is enclosed. The treaty, however, was subsequently amended to remove the objection which was felt by your Government by confining its operations to seals taken in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean. 3. A conference has just been held at Washington between the Governments of Great Britain, the United States, Japan, and Russia, to which the United States have submitted the proposals an extract from which I am to enclose. 4. The conference has agreed upon a treaty, and Mr. Bryce has telegraphed to say that in this treaty Article 1 embodies the American propositions 1 and 2 verbatim, except that the area is extended to the 30th parallel of north latitude, and the sea of Japan is included at the request of Japan : Article 2 is the 3rd American proposition, and Article 3is as follows: " Each of the high contracting parties further agrees that no seal-skins taken in waters of North Pacific Ocean within protected area mentioned in Article 1, and no seal-skins identified as species known as Callorhinus alaskanus, Callorhinus ursinus, and Callorhinus kuoralensis, and belonging to American, Russian, or Japanese herds, except such as are all under authority of respective Powers to which breeding-grounds of such herds belong, and officially marked and certified as having been so taken, shall be permitted to be imported or brought into territory of any of the parties who have signed this convention." 4. His Majesty's Government would have preferred that in Article 3 the words "and no seal-skins identified as species known as Callorhinus alaskanus, Callorhinus ursinus, and Callorhinus kuoralensis " should have been omitted, but the United States Government and the Government of Russia are not prepared to consent to this alteration. The experts who have been consulted in the question declare that the seals in question are confined to the North Pacific, and are unlike the seals of the Southern Hemisphere, and that the skins could easily be distinguished from the skins of seals from the Southern Hemisphere by experts. The Canadian Government, which has been represented at the conference, is extremely anxious that the treaty should be signed at once, as very considerable concessions have been obtained from the United States, Japan, and Russia, and it is feared that these may be lost unless the treaty is promptly signed. 5. Hi these circumstances Mr. Harcourt trusts that you will find it possible to concur in the signature ft the treaty forthwith. I am, &c, The Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, Bart., K.C.M.G. C. P. Lucas. Sir Joseph Ward to the Colonial Office. (Telegram.) Pelagic sealing. If I have your assurance that it does not apply to the sealing-grounds within jurisdiction of New Zealand lam prepared to join in the ratification. As we have had a close season for so many years, considerable difficulty would arise if any doubt were raised hereafter to an open season being declared by New Zealand Government. Many representations have been made to have an open season. J. G. Ward.

No. 60. New Zealand, No. 237. My Lord, — Downing Street, 17th July, 1911. With reference to my predecessor's despatch, No. 207, of the 9th September last, I have the honour to request that you will inform your Ministers that I have received, through the High Commissioner for New Zealand, a letter enclosing lists of colours now carried by units of the Military Forces of the dominions (a copy of which I enclose for convenience of reference), and requesting that submission to His Majesty the King may be made for all New Zealand regiments and battalions to carry guidons and King's and regimental colours according to the regulations on the subject applicable to the units of the Imperial Forces. 2. I observe that in this list the various units are stated to carry " King's colours " for service in South Africa, and I desire to point out that there appears to be a misunderstanding as to the exact nature of these " colours." As a matter of fact, the " colours " which are referred to, and which were granted for service in the South African War, are not " King's colours "in the technical sense of the word. They are really " banners," which are granted as a mark of distinction, and which should be preserved as honourable insignia in the headquarters of the units possessing them, and be treated in like manner with insignia of a similar character which have from time to time been presented to British regiments of the Army for service in the field. I observe that the " King's colours " in the case of the third battalion of the Wellington Infantry are deposited in Napier Cathedral, and this appears to be a proper arrangement if it is in accord with the wishes of the regiment. 3. There remains the distinct question of the carrying of guidons and King's and regimental colours by units of the New Zealand Forces. It will be seen from Lord Crewe's despatch of the 9th September, 1910, that, under applicable to British units, regiments of Dragoons carry guidons, and Infantry