§ MR. MACONOCHIE (Aberdeenshire, E.)To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government are aware of the dissatisfaction in Australia at the delay in the appointment of the Joint Commission for the settlement of land disputes in the New Hebrides; whether His Majesty's Government will represent the matter to the French Government with a view to an early agreement on the basis of the convention entered into between the two Governments in April, 1904; and whether, in view of the interests held by Australia in the New Hebrides, His Majesty's Government will give the Commonwealth Government a voice in the constitution of such Commission.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) His Majesty's Government are aware that the Commonwealth Government are anxious for the early appointment of a Commission for the settlement of land claims in the New Hebrides. They have for some time past been in communication 347 with the French Government on the subject, and are doing their utmost to expedite the negotiations. The Commonwealth Government have already been informed that their wishes in regard to the constitution of the Commission will be borne in mind.