CO885-5 — Page 349

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

CO. 885 /

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

25.1

WESTERN PACIFIC.-HIGH COMMISSION.

CLAIMS TO LAND.

BRITISH subjects desiring to register claims to land purchased in the Western Pacific. may forward for registration a statement of such clain to the Secretary to the High Commissioner, Suva, Fiji.

The statement should set forth the name by which the land claimed is known, together with a description of its boundaries; also the name of the group, island, and place therein, in which such land is situated. Whenever possible the statement should be accompanied by a sketch or plan of the land and locality. Such plan should not be larger than 14 x 8 inches.

The Registry will only record the particulars of the clain of the party registering; and such registration will not be regarded as the record of a warranted title, under which Her Majesty's Government guarantee to protect the holder.

A record will be kept of any statement the claimant may desire to make with reference to the title under which he claims.

If desired, copies will be filed in the High Commissioner's Office of all deeds and documents in support of claims to land, on production of the originals, or of copies certified to be correct by one of Her Majesty's Judicial or Deputy Commissioners for the Western Pacific, or by an officer in command of one of Her Majesty's ships, or by any British Consular Officer in the Western Pacific.

Search will be made at the instance of any person requesting it, and copies supplied of all entries in the Register of Claims, as also of the registry of deeds and other documents filed.

Registry of claim

SCALE OF FEES.

Registry of original deeds, or certified copies thereof, and all documents

filed:-

For the first 100 words

For every additional 100 words or fraction thereof

For every plan attached to deed or other document :-

Not exceeding 6 inches square

Over 6 inches square

Searching Register

Certified copies of entries in Register of Claims, or of documents :-

For the first 100 words

For every additional 100 words or fraction thereof

For every plan:

-

Not exceeding 6 inches square

Over 6 inches square

s. d.

Nil.

13

OO

-

5

0

0

5

10

t ྂ༑

009

2 6

5 0 1 0

5 0

10 0

By Command,

WILFRED COLLET,

Secretary to the High Commissioner.

High Commissioner's Office, Western Pacific. Suva, Fiji, 8th November, 1886.

1

255

SECTION VII.—Dejences.

A. Australasian Defences.

No. 62.

COLONIAL OFFICE MEMORANDUM on the PROPOSED SCHEME for the INCREASE of the Imperial Squadron in AustralasIAN WATERS. (With Appendices.)

Par.

CONTENTS.

1. Reference to the subject at the Intercolonial

Conference, 1881.

2. The first Admiralty scheme.

3. The revised scheme.

4. Cost of construction and maintenance.

5. Conference on board H.M.S. "Nelson." 6. Subsequent negotiations.

Par.

7-8. The position of New Zealand.

9. The amount of the Colonial annual payment.

10. Admiralty instructions to Rear-Admiral Fairfax 11. The financial concession.

12. Modification of the scheme as to the vessels. 13. Engagement by Her Majesty's Government.

•

1. THE movement having for its object an increase in the strength of the Australian Squadron may be regarded as having first taken definite shape at the Intercolonial Conference at Sydney of 1881, at which a resolution was passed to the effect that while all legitimate endeavours should be made to “procure the efficient fortification and land "defence of the several ports of the Australian Colonies at the cost of the several "Colonies interested," the naval defence of these Colonies, considering the large Imperial interests involved, "should continue to be at the exclusive charge of the Imperial Government, and that the strength of the Australian Squadron should be increased."

The Secretary of State for the Colonies, commenting on this resolution, observed that he could not express satisfaction at the suggestion that the "naval defence of the "Australian Colonies should be increased, and at the same time that it should continue

66

to be an exclusive charge upon the Imperial Treasury;" and it may be remarked that the delegates from South Australia had, at the suggestion of Sir W. F. D. Jervois, then Governor of that Colony, proposed that the squadron should be doubled and that the Colonies should pay the increased cost.

2. After the conference of 1881 considerable development was given in the Australasian Colonies to measures for the protection of their ports, and defensive naval forces of import- ance were established. These efforts to guard more effectually against the danger of foreign attacks led to the revival of the proposals for an increase in the strength of the Australian Squadron. After certain semi-official correspondence on this subject the views of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were embodied in a paper drawn up by Admiral Sir Cooper Key, which was placed in the hands of Rear-Admira! Tryon when he left England as Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Squadron. It is unnecessary to set out the particulars of these proposals, as subsequently a revised plan was substituted; it is sufficient to observe that it was proposed that the vessels organised by the Colonies for local harbour defence should be brought under the orders of the Commander-in- Chief, and that the Colonies should defray the cost of the construction and maintenance of such vessels, it being understood that they should be specially appropriated to the defence of the ports to which they respectively belonged. On the basis of these suggestions, and before the revised scheme was sent out, Rear-Admiral Tryon opened negotiations with the Colonial Governments and submitted a memorandum on the subject, dated the 27th of March 1885, which is printed in the Appendix and marked

PP

A 50431.