ANNEXATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1014, 6 August 1883, Page 4

ANNEXATION.

The Tasmanian Parliament is evidently prepared to support the action of the other colonies on the annexation question. >i, In the course of the debate on the Address-ih-Reply strong proannexation; sentiments were uttered by the majority of the speakers, and Mr Watchorn, M.L.C., gave utterance to the" rather original remark that of all the islands,., in the Australian group Tasmania Had the best right to speak out qn < tl)e subject, because of her experience in reference to prison population. A scheme should be promptly adopted to prevent.the introduction of such an. objectionable population, not only from England but also from every other country. The Tasmanian Government should have spoken out boldly on that question as the other colonies had done. He remembered the difficultv experienced in getting rid qf’tf£niportatipn, and the fight between the'Ti'ansportation League and the Government. Public feeling ran very high then^and;,when Sir William Denison said that the abolition of transportation' to this colony would entail a loss of a day : the people said, in a very unmistakeable manner, “ Never mind; we -are< prepared to sacrifice everywe ‘ have to promote the morality the social standing of the' 5 rising generation.” The Government should have co-operated with the Governments of the other colonies and said: “ Wfe must have an expression'of opinion from the Home Government one way or the other, either Will annex the islands themselves or prevent any other nation from.doing, so.” The Tasmanian Government should at once take action and endeavor to secure New Guinea against any other nation. The Colonial Secretary said that the question of annexation by Great Britain of New Guinea'and the Pacific Islands must be looked at from an Imperial as well as from..- a; colonial standpoint. They could hardly expect England to annex those.islands unless the colonies were prepared to pay a large proportion of the OOst. It was their duty to look into, v thje future with a statesmanlike eye," to endeavor to make provisions beneficial to those coming after them. The-annexation question would come more and more to the front as years rolled I 'byand population increased. If the colonies decided to bear the expense Of annexing those islands, it was computed that her yearly share of the maintenance would be something like Li,500, if the total cost were Ljo.ooo, or a : maximum amount of L 3,000 if it cost twice that sum to maintain the islands.