PACIFIC ISLAND ANNEXATION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3746, 18 July 1883, Page 4

PACIFIC ISLAND ANNEXATION.

[BY TELEGRAM.] Wellington, This day. Tho folloAving report of tho Pacific Islands Annexation Committee was read in the House: — ... The committee to whom was referred the consideration of tho question of the 1 acitic Islands annexation have the honor to recommend tho House to approve of tho stops taken up to this time by the Government m conjunction with other of the Australian colonies to promote tho establishment of British rulo in certain islands in the Pacific, and consider that it is the duty of tho British Government, under existing circumstances, to take steps for the establishment of its rulo over all islands in tho Pacific which are not already occupied by or under tho protectorate of a foreign Power, and that on annexation of any islands taking place care should bo taken that provision be made for preserving the individual rights of the inhabitants ; also, that iv tho event of the British Government making it one ol tlic conditions of establishing its authority over any islands in the Pacific, it is hereby rocommeudod that New Zealand, jointly with the colonies of Australia, should contribute its fair proportion of the necessary expense, calculated on the basis of the European populationsof the British colonies now comprised in Australasia, provided that the amount of such proportionate expenditure, Avhen ascertained, does not exceed the means at the disposal of New Zealand. Tho committee have also tho honor to recommend that the Confederation and Annexation Bill, Avith the amendment proposed hy the committee, be passed by the House, and that tho papers named in the schedule laid hy the Colonial Treasurer before the committee relating to tho annexation of islands in the Pacific, togother ivith such other papers relating to the subject as the Government can supply, bo printed for tho information of Parliament.