A Parliamentary Paper was issued on Tuesday dealing with the
Constitutional position of the self-governing Dominions and Colonies in the negotiation of Commercial and other Treaties with foreign Powers. In a despatch of Jnne, 1895, the position of the Foreign Office is defined by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Negotiations, it is there laid down, being between her Majesty and the Sovereign of the foreign State, must be conducted by her Majesty's representative at the Court of the foreign Power, who would keep her Majesty's Govern- ment informed of the progress of the discussion, and seek instructions from them as occasion arose. But the despatch adds that it is generally desirable that the British representa- tive should have the assistance, either as second Plenipoten- tiary or in a subordinate capacity, of a delegate appointed by the Colonial Government; adding that any arrangement thus arrived at "must be approved by her Majesty's Govern- ment and the Colonial Government, and also by the Colonial Legislatures, if it involves legislative action, before the ratifications can be exchanged."
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