Messages from the Governor.

The President: I have to inform the Council that I have received the following message from His Excellency the Governor:—

"The Governor transmits herewith, to the President of the Federal Council, a copy of a telegram which he has received this morning from the Secretary of State for the Colonic:—

"Referring to your telegram of the 26th January, the Queen begs me to express her acknowledgments of loyal address of Federal Council.

Geo. C. Strahan.

Government House, Hobart,

30th January, 1886.

I think it right to mention that a copy of this telegram, almost verbatim, with the exception of one word which is in the singular instead of the plural, and makes some difference in the meaning, appears in one of the papers this morning; and I think it my page 42 duty to inform the Council that I did not communicate that to the Press in any way, as I think it would be disrespectful on my part to give any information until I first lay it before the Council.

The President: I have also received the following message from His Excellency the Governor:—

"The Governor desires to inform the Federal Council that in compliance with the request contained in their address of the 29th ultimo, he forwarded on the 30th ult., the following telegraphic message to the Secretary of State forth Colonies:—I have been requested by Federal Council to forward to Her Majesty by telegraph following resolution:—" That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that further information be obtained from official sources with respect to the present position of affairs in the islands of Raiatea and Samoa.'"