162
Enclosure in No. 17.
Prime Minister's Office,
(Confidential.) MEMORANDUM FOR HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,
Wellington, N.Z. REFERRING to his memorandum of 17th December respecting Raiatea, the Prime Minister presents his compliments, and begs respectfully to inform his Excellency that he is in receipt of a despatch from the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth respecting Tahiti, and enclosing copy of a report made to his Excellency the Admiral by Captain Gaunt, of H.M.S." Cambrian," concerning changes in the administration at that island, which correspondence the Prime Minister forwards herewith for his Excellency's information.
Sir Joseph Ward's remarks as to administration by the New Zealand Government should apply to Tahiti as well as Raiatea.
J. G. WARD.
163
2. His Majesty's Government thank your Ministers for their offer to accept the responsibility of administering the islands, if they can be acquired; but it is not anticipated that there will be any opportunity of considering it further. It was ascertained from the French Government in last October that the withdrawal of troops from Tahiti and the administrative reductions there are solely due to motives of economy, and that there is no question whatever of the cession of the group to anyone. I may add that the French naval squadron on the station is to be kept up to its usual strength during this year.
3. As far as His Majesty's Government are aware, similar remarks apply to Raiatea and the adjacent islands, which were formally annexed by France on the 16th March 1888.
4. The wishes of your Ministers will, however, be borne in mind.
I have, &c.,
ELGIN.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O
Reference :-
+885
17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
Admy, to F.O., July 25, 1905. Admy, to F.O., Oct. 15, 1906.
2976.
SIR,
No. 18.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
[Copy to Admiralty, February 4, 1907, Confidential L.F.]
Downing Street,
January 30, 1907.
I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to forward to you a copy of a resolution proposed to be submitted to the Colonial Conference by the Commonwealth of Australia on the subject of the extension of British interests in the Pacific in connection with the opening of the Panama Canal. I am also to enclose copies of correspondence† with the Governor-General respecting the precise meaning of the resolution.
2. In the Foreign Office letter of the 10th of January‡ and previous correspondence reference is made to the rumoured intention of the French Government to cede Tahiti, and I am to enclose a copy of the Governor-General's confidential despatch on the subject,§ mentioned in Lord Elgin's telegram of the 19th of January, from which it will be seen that the Commonwealth Government urge strongly that the matter should be earnestly considered by His Majesty's Government. It does not, however, appear that there is any present prospect of a cession of Tahiti and Sir Edward Grey will no doubt remember that in the correspondence¶ noted in the margin the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty expressed the opinion that the acquisition of the Gambier Islands was of more importance to British interests in connection with the change in the Pacific situation resulting from the completion of the Panama Canal.
3. I am to state that Lord Elgin would be obliged if a Memorandum on the question covered by the resolution could be prepared in the Foreign Office, which, with the concurrence of the Admiralty, might be laid before the Colonial Conference, if necessary confidentially.
I am, &c.
3290.
No. 19.
H. BERTRAM COX.
The SECRETARY OF STATE to the GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.
(Confidential.)
MY LORD,
Downing Street, March 5, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatches of the 18th and 19th December last," ** advocating the acquisition of Tahiti and of Raiatea and the adjacent islands.
•
See page 7 of [Cd. 3337].
No. 12.
| No. 14.
+ Nos. 14 and 15.
↑ No. 13.
Enclosures in Nos. 1 aud 8.
* Nos. 16 and 17.
No. XVIII.
Reservation of Bills for Royal Assent.*
No. 1.
EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS PATENT, ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LAWS RESPECTING RESERVATION OF LEGISLATION IN THE SELF-GOVERNING COLONIES.
NATAL
ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS, July 20, 1893.
(Extract.)
VIII. The Governor shall not, except in the cases hereunder mentioned,
assent in Our name to any Bill of any of the following classes :—
1. Any Bill for the divorce of persons joined together in holy matrimony.
2. Any Bill whereby any grant of land or money, or other donation or
gratuity, may be made to himself.
3. Any Bill affecting the currency of the Colony.
4. Any Bill imposing differential duties.
5. Any Bill, the provisions of which shall appear inconsistent with
obligations imposed upon Us by Treaty.
6. Any Bill interfering with the discipline or control of Our forces in the
Colony by land or sea.
7. Any Bill of an extraordinary nature and importance, whereby Our prerogative, or the rights and property of Our subjects not residing in the Colony, or the trade and shipping of the United Kingdom and its Dependencies, may be prejudiced.
8. Any Bill whereby persons not of European birth or descent may be subjected or made liable to any disabilities or restrictions to which persons of European birth or descent are not also subjected or made liable.
9. Any Bill containing provisions to which Our assent has been once
refused, or which have been disallowed by Us;
Unless he shall have previously obtained Our instructions upon such Bill through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, or unless such Bill shall contain a clause suspending the operation of such Bill until the signification in the Colony of Our pleasure thereupon, or unless the Governor shall have satisfied himself that an urgent necessity exists requiring that such Bill be brought into immediate operation, in which case he is authorised to assent in Our name to such Bill, unless the same shall be repugnant to the law of England, or inconsistent with any obligations imposed on us by Treaty. But he is to transmit to us by the earliest opportunity the Bill so assented to, together with his reasons for assenting thereto.
This subject was not brought up at the Conference.
L 2