§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government are taking steps to conclude a Treaty with China on the subject of Chinese emigration to Australia, in accordance with the expressed views of the Australian people on the question?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONHer Majesty's Government are in communication, on the subject of Chinese emigration to Australia, with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, and they hope shortly to be in a position to renew the negotiations with the Chinese Government which were commenced last year.
§ MR. W. REDMONDHave the communications which were going on last year on the subject been broken off; and, if so, what was the reason?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONNo, Sir, they were not broken off at all, but they had arrived at a stage when it was necessary to refer to the Colonial Governments, and the answers are only now beginning to come in.