§ MR HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that the New Hebrides are being depopulated of British colonists owing to adverse trade conditions, brought about by the practical closing of the Australian market, owing to the prohibitive taxes on the importation of coffee and maize, and seeing that the French Government are able to maintain a flourishing community in these same islands by securing for French traders on open market in Noumea, and by the grant of subsidies and bounties, His Majesty's Government are taking any steps with a view to safeguarding British interests in the New Hebrides, having in view, not only their commercial potentialities, but also their strategical value as dominating the Australian trade route of the future through the Panama Canel.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe Draft Convention respecting the New Hebrides recently drawn up by an Anglo-French Commission is intended to make an equitable settlement between British and French interests in these islands. His Majesty's Government are now awaiting the observations of the Australian and New Zealand Governments on this proposal. The attention of the Common- 646 wealth Government has been more than once drawn to the effect of their tariff on British interests in the New Hebrides.