PERIOD FROM 1905 TO 1909. 999 



the people to defy and ignore law. My responsible advisers hare 

 sent Inspector of Fisheries to examine position and report, so that 

 proper steps to preserve peace may be taken. 



Governor MacGregor to Lord Elgin. 



[Telegram.] 



(Received 8 a. m., October IS, 1906.} 



I am desired by my Responsible Advisers to transmit following 

 message : 



Begins: The Committee of Council have had under consideration 

 a telegram received by His Excellency the Governor from the Right 

 Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies announcing the 

 conclusion of a Modus Vivendi with the Government of the United 

 States. They desire to record their profound regret that His Majesty's 

 Government have seen fit to ignore their representations and en- 

 treaties, and to conclude an arrangement which is, they submit, sub- 

 versive of the Colony's constitutional rights and calculated to work 

 severe injury to the fisheries of the Colony. The Committee also 

 regard with alarm the Cabinet's consent to an arrangement which is 

 apparently intended to over-ride statutes that have received the 

 Royal Assent. They earnestly hope that the arrangement is not 

 beyond reconsideration by His Majesty's Government, and that by 

 annulling the arrangement the Colony may be saved from the humil- 

 iation and danger that threatens it. Minute ends. MACGREGOK. 



Lord Elgin to Governor MacGregor. 



[Telegram.] 



(Sent 11.40 a. m., October 2S, 1906.} 



Your telegram of the 12th October. His Majesty's Government 

 deeply regret that modus vivendi which has been concluded with the 

 United States Government is not acceptable to your Ministers, but 

 they do not understand grounds on which they base their complaint 

 of subversion of constitutional rights and over-riding of statutes, and 

 they submit that in the circumstances the correctness of their action 

 cannot reasonably be called into question. In any case it is now too 

 late for them to attempt to withdraw from the arrangement and they 

 trust that your Ministers will do what lies in their power to see that 

 it is properly observed. ELGIN. 



o Received 13th October. 



