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Evening Star, Issue 3834, 8 June 1875, Page 2

Sib Arthur Gordon, on his arrival at his destination, will find ample work out out for him. His experience in Mauritius and other tropical regions will stand him in good stead in ma arduous duties, and his appointment by the Lnglish Government is understood to be a most judicious one. He appears to have been entrusted powers ar beyond the mere government of Fiji, as may be inferred from the following paragraph from the ‘Times’ of the 17th March last, in its report of various deputations to him at his residence in London. Replying to the deputation from the Aborigines Protect tion Society, he is reported to have said ; “ He trusted in the exercise of his powers as hei Majesty’s High Commissioner for Western Polynesia, be might be enabled to check, if not wholly suppress, those acts of piratical violence which had excited such just and general reprobation throughout the civilised world. ” “Her Majesty s High Commissioner for Western Polynesia”is somewhat vague and, at the same tune, reminds us of the titles conferred by the western nations of Europe about three hundred years ago on those who were sent out to the two Americas to undertake the duties of government, &o. ; and in some respects Polynesia is similar to what the Americans were then. It is probable this vague title is the first step by the English Government towards the annexation of the whole of Polynesia. _ This view is also supported by a statement in a recent English journal that the Government had such a measure in contemplakj°D> and was actually in treaty with the French Government for the transfer of New Caledonia and Tahiti. Mr Disraeli has publicly stated that the policy of his Government was the extension and consolidation of the empire, whilst it is well known that Mr Gladstone’s tendencies were in an opposite direction. Certainly no more favorable opportunity could have offered itself to Mr Disraeli than that now presented in Polynesia. If ever annexation was justifiable it is in this case, aud it is difficult to see how the British Government can stop short at Fiji or even at New Guinea. Mr Vogel’s favorite Polynesian scheme of last session has probably had a considerable influence with the Home Government by showing it that the matter was not any longer to be evaded; if so, Mr Vogel’s scheme may have done good service for the Colony, as there can be no question that if we make use of our own position our interests will be mere largely interwoven with the South Sea Islands than those of any of the Australian Colonies. Our products will, of course, be more essentially those of the temperate zone than will those of the other Colonies; the products of the Sou hj Sea Islands will always be of a different character—such as sugar, cotton, coffee, rice, spices, &c. The imports of tropical produce into the Colony already amount in the aggregate to about L 500,000 per annum, nearly a third of which is entered at this port. These products have now to be paid for in hard cash to distant countries, but if we had a direct trade with tropical countries the payments would be effected in our own produce. This is so self-evident that it seems almost unnecessary to mention it; yet it is useless to close our eyes to the fact that as a community we have sadly neglected our trade relations with other countries. Roads, bridges, railways, harbors, and other local means of communication appear to have absorbed our attention, and we seem to have been oblivious of the fact

that the value of these must, after all, depend mainly on our trade relations with other countries. With larger markets for our products our lands will show a proportionate tendency to increase in value, as the only real test of land value is the worth of what can be annually extracted from it; and unless grain and other products can be raised more profitably than wool, people must give way to sheep by the inexorable laws of supply and demand notwithstanding “ deferred payments” or any other system—as is now occurring in Victoria. There can be no doubt that British power and influence are about to receive a new development in Polynesia. The field of action presented there is sufficiently attrative to any statesman, even to one less far-seeing than Mr Disraeli. The cannibalism and the atrocities that have been committed there by Europeans have so aroused public indignation in England and the civilised world, that any Government at Home would be earnestly supported in a measure of general annexation. It is i robable, too, that lip will be selected as the capital and official centre of the whole At all events it is evident that the British Government means to put forth its strength in that direction. Already the manne survey of the Pijis is in the hands of naval officers, and a large detachment of Koyal Engineers under Major Piurr, selected specially for their proficiency in survey opera* tions, is under orders for embarkation at Horn* l • whilst Governor Gordon has been with almost irresponsible power practically unlimited ’ f and he ha ? money of the ImperK ° f “'Vv' 1 back The Pol’- y .* C ‘ l Government sat his will "doubtle*- . ■>’ n , t eßlw * .^ ra^e the future effort ah - °^, vva t importance, and every tha - v dbe made . to divert it to our port in i earhest stages of its development. It must not be forgotten that we already have competi tors for this trade, not only in Australian ports, but also m the other ports of the Colony. A hberal subsidy to a line of steamships direct to vi rom or J Palmers, would be more prontably expended in the interests of the Province than many of the items now on the Estimates. We commend this subject to the earnest consideration of our legislators*