§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government have agreed to the annexation by Germany of certain portions of the island of New Guinea, and whether the Colony of Queensland was anxious to obtain possession of these same portions of that island; and, whether Her Majesty's Government, in the negotiations with Germany about this matter, consulted the wishes and views of the Government of Queensland?
MR. GLADSTONEThe Question of the hon. Member invites some verbal criticism. There has been no annexations by Germany in New Guinea, and Germany has not declared its intention of proceeding in that method. They have proceeded rather by the proclamation of a Protectorate. The Question assumes that the Colony of Queensland has indicated, in some particular manner, a desire to obtain those portions of New Guinea which have been made the subject of a Protectorate by Germany. But Queensland did not indicate any such intention. What has happened is this—that the Government authorities did contemplate and did what lay in them to proclaim the annexation of the whole of the non-Dutch portion of New Guinea, without distinguishing between one part and another. Then the hon. Member asks whether, in their negotiations with Germany, Her Majesty's Government consulted the wishes and views of the Government of Queensland? My answer is that there have been communications between the Colonial Office and the authorities connected with the different Colonies, and not with the Government of Queensland exclusively, 58 which has no peculiar or exclusive title to be heard in the matter. But it is impossible, as the hon. Member will perceive, to do more than consult the wishes of these Governments. In our transactions with foreign countries we must endeavour to act for the best, securing the interests of the Colonies as well as we can, and with regard to New Guinea we have endeavoured to secure every fair consideration for them.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked whether, before further annexations by Germany, the Government would undertake to consult the views of the Governments of the interested Australian Colonies?
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDgave Notice, that in consequence of the extreme dissatisfaction that existed in many parts of Australia in consequence of the action of Her Majesty's Government, he should on the first opportunity call the attention of the House to the extreme injustice that had been done to the Australian Colonies by the Government in allowing Germany to hoist her flag over a portion of New Guinea, to which Queensland had made previous claim.