THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30TH OCTOBER, 1886. 1029
The month of September next has been fixed for the signature of the Convention, and it is indispensable that the necessary legislation should be initiated in Parliament immediately.
Lord Rosebery would, therefore, be glad to be informed, as soon as possible, whether Earl Granville concurs in the course proposed in this letter, and whether he agrees to a Bill being introdu- ced and passed this Session in the terms indicated.
Lord Rosebery cannot anticipate that objection could arise in any British Colony to a proposal so entirely favourable to colonial interests, but in case it should be thought necessary to consult the Government of the Dominion of Canada or any of the Representative Colonies, his Lordship would suggest that the reference should be made by telegraph, pointing out the necessity for immediate action in the matter.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.
No. 5.
Sir,
Sir U. K. Shuttleworth to Sir J. Pauncefote.-(Received March 18.)
India Office, March 17, 1886.
WITH reference to your letter of the 4th instant on the subject of India joining in the proposed International Copyright Union, I am directed by the Earl of Kimberley to state, for the information of the Earl of Rosebery, that on the 10th instant the Government of India were asked by telegram whether they had any objection to India being included in the proposed Convention. Arr early reply by telegraph is expected, and will, on receipt, be at once communicated to Lord Rosebery. In the meantime, a copy of your letter will be forwarded to the Government of India.
I have, &c.
UGHTRED KAY SHUTTLEWORTH.
(Signed)
No. 6.
Sir,
Sir U. K. Shuttleworth to Sir J. Pauncefote.-(Received March 25.)
India Office, March 24, 1886.
IN continuation of my letter dated the 17th instant, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to intimate, for the information of the Earl of Rosebery, that a telegram has been received from the Governor-General of India, stating that there is no objection to the inclusion of India in any Copyright Convention which Her Majesty's Government may join. The Earl of Kim- berley, however, thinks it desirable to defer a final decision in the matter until the Government of India shall have had an opportunity of seeing the Parliamentary Paper, "Switzerland No. 1 of 1886," and of considering the correspondence, a copy of which was dispatched by last week's mail.
The Governor-General will be asked to telegraph, with as little delay as possible, whether the Government, having the correspondence fully before it, consents to India joining in the proposed Convention.
I have, &c.
UGHTRED KAY SHUTTLEWORTH.
(Signed)
No. 7.
(Extract.)
Mr. Adams to the Earl of Rosebery.-(Received March 29.)
Berne, March 26, 1886.
AFTER my return to Berne towards the close of last week I wrote to Federal Councillor Droz (who is this year Vice-President of the Confederation), requesting him to appoint a time when he could receive me to have some conversation on the Copyright question.
I was sorry to learn that he had been exceedingly indisposed, and was on the point of leaving Berne for several days.
Yesterday afternoon, however, I called upon him by appointment.
I began by recounting the progress made whilst I was in England. I said that several conferences had taken place at the Foreign Office, and that on the 16th instant (the day before my departure) there had been an important one, presided over by Mr. Bryce, at which, besides Mr. Bergne and myself, representatives of the Colonial Office and the Board of Trade, Lord Houghton, Sir Charles Tupper on behalf of Canada, and Mr. Jenkyns, the Parliamentary Draftsman, were present. I could arm that, although the clauses of a Bill treating especially the international side of the question were not entirely settled, there seemed good hope that they soon would be, and I trusted that it would be possible to introduce the Bill into Parliament before Easter.