FIJI AND SAMOA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1445, 2 February 1885, Page 2

FIJI AND SAMOA.

Auckland, Saturday

Sic William des Voeux, before leaving Auckland for Dunedin, stated he had no knowledge of the truth of the recent telegram reporting that Her Majesty’s Government had expressed to the Government of this colony its willingness to entertain a proposal for the annexation of Fiji to New Zealand. Sir William is of opinion, leavingout altogeiherthequestion of benefit to Fiji, that such annexation would be a serious mistake on the part of New Zealand, and is satisfied that, within two or three years of its Jaocomplishment, the great majority of all parties in this colony would come to regard it in that light. He deems it impossible that the interests of 120,000 natives and colored laborers can ever be on all fours with those of 200 or 300 whites, but if the latter were not principally regarded they would, through their friends, be able to cause no inconsiderable embarrassment to the Government of a protecting colony ; while, if they were so regarded, a considerable garrison of troops would be required, which would absorb so much of the revenue of Fiji as to render absolutely necessary a large subsidy on the part of New Zealand. So far, whatever may be the defects of the present Government of Fiji, an overwhelming population of natives has been kept so completely under control by mural force alone, that life and property are as safe as in any other part of the world—a fact he believed to be without precedent in history. Without venturing to express doubt that New Zealand might in equal circumstances be equally successful in this respect with the Mother Country Sir William is satisfied that the conditions under which the former would undertake the task would be much more difficult, notwithstanding the advantage of proximity, and would inevitably make exceedingly costly a dependency which has for the last four years bean entirely aelfsupporting. With regard to Samoa, Sir William believes annexation would be an even greatr r mistake.than in the case of Fiji. German land claims cover so very large a portion of the group, that the embarrassment caused by them would be infinite, unless they were bought out at the outset, and this would cost a very large sum, far more, indeed, than the economical value of the acquisiton. The Germans have not yet found it convenient to take possession oi any but an extremely small proportion of the area claimed, and the attempt'

to do so would probably meat with resist.ancs to the death, and would, if successful, involve the extermination of the Natives with but very little prospect of replacing them by other inhabitants, or, failing this, the protection of whites by a large force, and its heavy accompanying expenses. But as soon as annexation took place

claimants would demand Government titles for their lands, to grant or refuse which would be equally embarrassing, for the latter would involve complications between England and Germany, as has recently been the case in connection with far smaller claims in Fiji, while the former would render the greater part of the Natives landless, or transform them into serfs occupying the soil on the owner’s terms. Either would meet with stubborn resistance involving endless expense and difficulty, besides forfeiting for ever the

British name for justice. Regarding the matter from the point of view of an out. aider, and admitting hia very incomplete knowledge of the requirements of New Zealand, Sir William is strong y inclined to think that the best policy of the Colony

iajto concentrate its capital and energies upon the development of its own vast resources, and he believes that, in this way, it will obtain far greater benefit from the islands of the Western Pacific than if the whole of them were subject to its control.