1994 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. [No. 93

at Berlin and Brussels to denounce the treaties of com-
merce between Her Majesty and the Zollverein of 1865, and
Her Majesty and the King of the Belgians of 1862.

I may add that, in accordance with these instructions, Her
Majesty's Ambassador at Berlin announced the decision of
Her Majesty's Government to the German Government in
a note dated the 30th of July, and Her Majesty's Minister
at Brussels announced it to the Belgian Government in a
note dated the 29th of July.

The treaty with Germany will therefore terminate on
the 30th July, 1898, and that with Belgium on the 29th July,
1898.
I have, &c.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
The Officer administering the Government
of New Zealand.
———
(No. 68, Commercial.) Foreign Office, 28th July, 1897.
Sir,—I have to request that your Excellency will at once
give notice of the intention of Her Majesty's Government to
terminate the treaty of commerce between Great Britain
and the Zollverein signed on the 30th May, 1865.

In virtue of the stipulations contained in Article VIII.,
the treaty will accordingly terminate upon the expiration of
a year dating from the day upon which you give the notice.
I am, &c.,
SALISBURY.
His Excellency the Right Honourable
Sir F. Lascelles, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., &c.

(No. 69, Commercial.) Foreign Office, 28th July, 1897.
Sir,—With reference to my preceding despatch in this
series, I have to request you to address a note to the Ger-
man Government informing them, in the sense of the pre-
sent despatch, of the reasons which have decided Her
Majesty's Government to give notice of termination of the
treaty of commerce of the 30th May, 1865.

The general stipulations of the treaty in question, being
based on the principle of most-favoured-nation treatment,
are in accordance with the present views of Her Majesty's
Government, but Article VII. is in the following terms:—

"Article VII. The stipulations of the preceding articles
shall also be applied to the colonies and foreign possessions
of Her Britannic Majesty. In those colonies and possessions
the produce of the State of the Zollverein shall not be subject
to any higher or other import duties than the produce of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or of
any other country of the like kind; nor shall the exporta-
tion from those colonies or possessions to the Zollverein be
subject to any other or higher duties than the exportation
to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland."

Stipulations to this effect are entirely unusual in com-
mercial treaties. No record exists in the archives of this
department of the circumstances under which this article
was adopted, or of the reasons which induced Her Majesty's
Government at the time to enter into an engagement of
such a nature, and it would appear probable that the insertion
of these words must have been due to oversight, or to a want
of adequate consideration of the exact consequences which
would flow from them. The German Government are
aware that for many years past the British self-governing
Colonies have enjoyed complete tariff autonomy, and that in
all recent commercial treaties concluded by Great Britain it
has been customary to insert an article empowering the
self-governing Colonies to adhere or not, at will. No such
article is contained in the treaty of 1865 between Great
Britain and the Zollverein, and the consequence is that cer-
tain of the British Colonies, which are all comprised within
its operation, find themselves committed by treaty to a com-
mercial policy which is not in accordance with the views of
the Responsible Colonial Ministers, nor adequate to the
requirements of the people.

Beyond this, the provisions of Article VII. of the treaty
of 1865, quoted above, constitute a barrier against the internal
fiscal arrangements of the British Empire which is incon-
sistent with the close ties of commercial intercourse which
subsist and should be consolidated between the Mother-
country and the Colonies.

Under these circumstances Her Majesty's Government
find themselves compelled to terminate a treaty which is no
longer compatible with the general interests of the British
Empire. They are, however, anxious at once to commence
negotiations for the conclusion of a new treaty, from which
the stipulations of Article VII. shall be omitted, and which,
whilst containing a clause providing for the facultative
adhesion of the British self-governing Colonies, shall in other
respects be similar to the treaty now denounced.

Her Majesty's Government feel confident that the Im-
perial German Government will share their wish for the
conclusion of a new and mutually satisfactory treaty, in the
negotiation of which Her Majesty's Government will be
happy to consider any suggestions for improved stipulations
which may be suggested by the experience gained during
the period of over thirty years for which the treaty of 1865
has subsisted.
I am, &c.,
SALISBURY.
His Excellency the Right Honourable
Sir F. Lascelles, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., &c.
(No. 43, Commercial.) Foreign Office, 28th July, 1897.
Sir,—I have to request that you will at once give notice of
the intention of Her Majesty's Government to terminate
the treaty of commerce and navigation between Great
Britain and Belgium signed on the 23rd July, 1862.

In virtue of the stipulations contained in Article XXV.,
the treaty will accordingly terminate upon the expiration of
a year dating from the day upon which you give the notice.
I am, &c.,
SALISBURY.
The Honourable Sir F. Plunkett, G.C.M.G., &c.

(No. 44, Commercial.) Foreign Office, 28th July, 1897.
Sir,—With reference to my preceding despatch in this
series, I have to request you to address a note to the Belgian
Government informing them, in the sense of the present
despatch, of the reasons which have decided Her Majesty's
Government to give notice of termination of the treaty of
commerce and navigation of the 22nd July, 1862.

The general stipulations of the treaty in question, being
based on the principle of most-favoured-nation treatment,
are in accordance with the present views of Her Majesty's
Government, but Article XV. is in the following terms:—

"Article XV. Articles the produce or manufacture of
Belgium shall not be subject in the British Colonies to
other or higher duties than those which are or may be
imposed upon similar articles of British origin."

A stipulation to such effect is entirely unusual in com-
mercial treaties. No record exists in the archives of this
department of the circumstances under which this article
was adopted, or of the reasons which induced Her Majesty's
Government at the time to enter into an engagement of
such a nature, and it would appear probable that the in-
sertion of those words must have been due to oversight, or
to a want of adequate consideration of the exact conse-
quences which would flow from them.

The Belgian Government are aware that for many years
past the British self-governing Colonies have enjoyed com-
plete tariff autonomy, and that in all recent commercial
treaties concluded by Great Britain it has been customary
to insert an article empowering the self-governing Colonies
to adhere or not, at will. No such article is contained in
the Anglo-Belgian Treaty of 1862, and the consequence is
that certain of the British Colonies, which are all comprised
within its operation, find themselves committed by treaty to
a commercial policy which is not in accordance with the
views of the Responsible Colonial Ministers, nor adequate to
the requirements of the people.

Beyond this, the provisions of Article XV. of the treaty
of 1862, quoted above, constitute a barrier against the
internal fiscal arrangements of the British Empire which is
inconsistent with the close ties of commercial intercourse
which subsist and should be consolidated between the
Mother-country and the Colonies.

Under these circumstances Her Majesty's Government
find themselves compelled to terminate a treaty which is no
longer compatible with the general interests of the British
Empire. They are, however, anxious at once to commence
negotiations for the conclusion of a new treaty, from which
the stipulations of Article XV. shall be excluded, and which,
whilst containing a clause providing for the facultative ad-
hesion of the British self-governing Colonies, shall in other
respects be similar to the treaty now denounced.

Her Majesty's Government feel confident that the Belgian
Government will share their wish for the speedy conclusion
of a new and mutually satisfactory treaty, in the negotia-
tion of which Her Majesty's Government will be happy to
consider any suggestions for improved stipulations which
may be suggested by the experience gained during the
thirty-five years' continuance of the treaty of 1862.
I am, &c.,
SALISBURY.
The Honourable Sir F. Plunkett, G.C.M.G., &c.
———
Notice to Mariners, No. 20 of 1897.
———
Position of Buoy off Tory Shoal, Kaipara Harbour, North
Island, New Zealand.
Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 1st November, 1897.
NOTICE is hereby given that a buoy, painted red, has
been placed in 5 fathoms of water at low tide on the
western edge of Tory Shoal, for the purpose of marking