SIR GEORGE GREY’S LETTER TO THE KING OF SAMOA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1536, 9 May 1885, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY’S LETTER TO THE KING OF SAMOA.

Auckland, Last Night.

An interesting and instructive letter

has just been written by Sir G. Grey to the King of Samoa, in reply to a recent communication sent to Sir George by the King asking for advice and assistance in the present crisis at Samoa. After alluding to his own action in introducing the

Confederation and Annexation Act in the New Zealand Parliament in 1883, Sir George goes on to reply to Maliotoa’s letter. The following are the most important passages • “ Why great nations, each having many millions of subjects and vast possessions in many parts of the world, should prevent two groups of islands in the remote Pacific from uniting to work out in their own way their common welfare and happiness is difficult to understand. Mutual jealousies of those nations are the probable cause ; but if they definitely refuse to allow the union of New Zealand and

Samoa, then in their mutual jealoucies lies Samoa’s best hope of safety. Let me venture to add a few words of advics tp one whose letter of frankness touched me,

who ts placed in a position of exceeding difficulty, and whom X sincerely desire to aid and benefit. Much of the future of your people depends on you. For their sake you must dare, bear and suffer all things which your position requires you to enter upon, or endure. Be in all things an open and sincere man, even to secret negotiations or arrangements. If any come to you with any proposals to do this, refuse. Say that the mere fact of their

coming in this guise is unfair to you, as it will inevitably cast suspicion on your conduct, and involve you in difficulties which may even risk the loss of the independence of Samoa. If you act in this open manner, and at the same time give no just cause of complaint, I do not think that any statesman, however powerful, would venture to commit the great crime of seizing on or oppressing a weak and inoffensive nation such as Samoa is. In this weakness, in the inoffensiveness of your harbor, in the fer-

tiiity of your soil, in the value of your position, your security consists. Mutual jealousies would make all great nations look with displeasure on any Power that wrongfully seized Samoa, and if this act was a cruel and inexcusable breach of international law, general indignation would be excited in all civilised countries. If such a crime is about to be committed, or if it has been committed, and you are seeking redress, you had better rsst your arguments against it on your natural rights. All good men, learned or unlearned, can understand and feel these things, and sympathise with you. Do not rely on legal arguments, or European precedents. Thera would be no likeness between such cases a-.d that of Samoa. Your case is a very simple one, easily understood. Let it remain so, and embarrass it with nothing that may distract attention from the cruel selfishness of the Act' I have written to you in the same spirit of friendlv frankness with which you addressed me. I will take care when the question of Samoa comesabefore the New Zealand Parliament, as it shortly will do, that your interests are fairly represented. If England does not sanction our union, you may rest assured that New Zealand will long, with pleasure, remember the offer made by yourself, your Government and Parliament, to be annexed to this country. Some day it may have an opportunity of repaying an act which is the greatest proof that could be given of entire confidence. If all goes well with yourself and the people of Samoa, let me know, as one who will rejoice to hear such good news. If Samoa is involved in any further difficulty, let me know, as one who may be useful and who will aid you, to the beat of his ability, in all things right.”