CO885-(2-3) — Page 431

THE

CONFIDENTIAL.

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office.

Rough Notes on C'olonial Relations with Reference to Mr. Torreus' Motion.

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference

TTC.O.885

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

THERE are three complaints:

1. The Colonial Conference and other Writers in England who desire some form of Council in London in order to inform and guide the Secretary of State.

The answers to these are (1) that in regard to great Colonies deep or minute information is really not necessary for the so-called Government of self-governing Colonies. On certain points accurate information is from time to time required. But this is best obtained from Colonial Governments pro re nata, supplemented by a Report from the Governor; (2) that (as seen by the accompanying Parliamentary paper) the Colonists not only disclaim such proposals, but reject them with insult.

11. The Victorian Legislative Assembly. The Assembly (not the Council or the Government) propose :—

1. That Victoria should defend itself.

2. That the Governor should not receive instructions from home, except in cases of reserved Bills.

3. That the inability of Parliament to legislate for Victoria, except at the instance of

The Colony, should be recognized.

4. That Victoria should remain part of the British Empire.

5. A leading politician demands that the Home Minister should correspond with the

Colonial Ministers, not through the Governor, but directly; and,

6. A feeling is expressed that when England is at war her Colonies should have the choice of being neutrals.

Copies of the Resolutions are annexed.

III. Mr. Torrens, whose motion is to the effect that the mode of communicating with

the Colonies should be considered by a Select Committee.

The relations of different States to each other may be of four kinds-

1. That between foreign Powers.

2. Federation.

3. Protectorate.

4. Dependency.

The first, it may be worth observing, is consistent with that offensive and defensive alliance which the Colonists are beginning (not unwisely) to repudiate; and it may be also consistent with an arrangement by which the citizens of one State should have all the rights of citizenship while within the limits of another.

Federation can hardly be practicable without neighbourhood which maximizes its good and minimizes its evil. In particular, the proposal of a Federal Union between England and her colonies is disposed of by the question, "Are the powers of the Central Government to extend to foreign or to internal affairs?" Obviously to neither.

The matters to be treated between England and a colony are rarely matters of general Government, either internal or external, but individual matters of arrangement in hich England and one particular colony are concerned. The internal atlairs of Brisbane are wholly beyond the wholesome cognizance of a body sitting in London; and with

• On Colonial Conference.

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