Strange to say, Sir H. Nelson was willing to let France have the islands rather than have any more trouble about them. Sir Henry Wrixon voiced the opinion of the Council and the colonies more accurately when he said Australians ought not to let it go abroad that they were willing on any terms to allow of the extension of a foreign convict settlement on their borders. But there is really no question of French annexation just now. The immediate matter to which the Address to the Queen draws the attention of the Imperial Government is the inequality in the conditions under which British and foreign traders in the New Hebrides carry on their business. The British are prohibited under severe penalties from supplying the natives with arms and ammunition.
French traders have a free hand.
The Federal Council agrees with us that the restriction is a benevolent one if it can be made universal, but it is useless to restrain the Britisher whilst leaving his foreign rivals free. It may be expected that the result of the Council's Address will be that a further effort will be made to induce France to fall into line with Great Britain on this question, and, failing this, that the restriction on the British trader will be removed. Although we have always advocated the enlargement of the Federal Council's functions rather than their belittlement, we cannot but think that the movement indicated by Mr. Byrnes's motion placing it on a direct electoral basis, is mistimed. It may be taken as a hostile demonstration against the movement now progressing for an efficient form of federation which may include all the colonies. Should the labors of the forthcoming Convention be fruitless it will be time enough to fall back upon the Federal Council.