The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1885. The Hinemoa Mystery

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 91, 15 January 1885, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1885. The Hinemoa Mystery

■■ — ♦ The question of the annexation of Samoa by the Government of New Zealand without the direct authority of the Imperial Government appears to have excited a considerable amount of feeling in the newspapers of the colony.-. It is left aside, in most of the articles wo have read on the subject, that the Government never for one , moment intended to _act without the direct sanction of tho Colonial Office, and the very fact of the pressure brought to bear on Lord Derby ought to be sufficient proof of this view of the subject. The Canterbury Press says, in an article severely priticising th* New Zealand Government : ''■ There are two points which have to be determined, even were Lord Derby to agree to the wild demands of the New Zealand Ministry. Is it expedient that this colony should have anything whatever to do with foreign territory ? Is it desirable that we should attempt to get ourselves involved in complications which would necessarily ariso were: we administering the Government of a native race situated some 1500 miles distant from New Zealand, and numbering some 30,000 or 40,000. We certainly are of opinion that the colony should undertake no such responsibility. We have had quite enough experience in the governing of Natives to make us pause before we enter upon new engagements of a similar character, and wo believe the vast majority of New Zealand colonists will be of the same opinion. The other point which has to bo settled is whether Great Britain or Germany has the greatest claim upon Samoa. A calm. consideration of the question will probably convince any candid mind that it is by no means established that we are justified in excluding the rival" power from the inlands. A treaty between Germany .and Samoa was communicated by Prince Bismarck to tho Reichstag in 1879, and there is also a treaty between the United States and the same islands. If proper representations are made, it may bo possible to secure the continued iudopendance of the little State, and if that can be brought about Now Zealand shoidd be satisfied." This is plain sensible writing, but the balderdash which has been written on "filibustering expeditions," and so on, is not a little contemptible.'