WHY NEW GUINEA SHOULD BE ANNEXED.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1407, 19 August 1878, Page 3

WHY NEW GUINEA SHOULD BE ANNEXED.

[" Queenslander," 25th July.] As it has been said lately that the formation of new colonies, or the annexation of fresh territory imposes increased burdens on the British taxpayer, and shjuld therefore be discouraged, we think it worth while to direct attention to the progress of the youngest-born of the British colonies—Fiji. The sovereignty of Fiji, a territory consisting of 250 islands, of which some eighty are inhabited, was ceded to Her Majesty by an assemblage of native chiefs held in the presence of Sir Hercules Robinson in October, 1874. The first Governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, arrived at the seat of his Government in 1875, and found tilings there in a most unsatisfactory condition. A new Government could not, in fact, have to face greater difficulties than then faced him. An epidemic of measles was raging throughout all the islands with such virulence that the native population, which, in 1859, was estimated at 200,000, is now decreased to about 120,000. The wild tribes of the interior having attacked the settled coast districts, the new colony may be said to have entered on its existence with a native war upon its hands. Worse than these however, were the difficulties of the land question. Before the annexation of the islands by Great Britain, large tracts of land had been alienated by the native chiefs to Europeans, both to companies and to individuals. In some cases, no doubt, little consideration had been given for valuable lands. In many cases the natives disputed the claims of the purchasers—never in all probability having properly understood the nature of the bargains they had made. An immense area of land was claimed by Europeans, but in many cases their claims were disputed by the original proprietors, and none had any satisfactory title even to that land which they actually occupied. Sir Arthur Gordon had, therefore, when ho appeared upon the scene, to deal with a destructive epidemic, with the accompanying scarcity of food, with a native war, and with the settlement of the disputed land claims. The last business was certainly the most troublesome, as well as probably the most important. Until the titles to land were settled no planter could have any credit, and therefore the development of the natural resources of the country was effectually blocked by the uncertainty of title. The sum of £45,000 was, we believe, advanced by the Imperial Government as a loan to start the new colony*, and from this commencement it has proceeded until it is now able to pay its own way, the revenue for the present year being equal to the estimated expenditure, including payment of interest on the debt.

It will be interesting to notico the increase of the revenue which has taken place since the establishment of a settled Government in those islands:—

In 1875 the revenue was ... £16,433 „ the expenditure ... 42,265 In 1876 the revenue wa6 ... 38,524 „ the expenditure ... 71,715 The accounts for 1877 we have not been able to get i but wo are assured that the revemie of 1878 will cover all expenditure, including interest on loan ; and looking to the extraordinary increase of revenue shown in 1876, at a time when the colony was only recovering from the destruction of its native population by measles, and when it was involved in a native war, we can easily believe it. During the three years which have just elapsed since these islands became British territory about 900 land claims have been investigated and settled, and the title to this land is now as clear and secure as it would be if it were situated in any other part of her Majesty's dominions. About 2 per cent, of the claims put forward have been entirely rejected, and many more have been greatly modified and reduced by the land commission; but, considering the kind of bargains which are sometimes made by white men with ignorant natives, this result is not to be wondered at, and the titles which have been allowed by the commission are now clear, and the land forms a valuable security on which its owners may raise the means to carry on their industry. The total area of the inhabited islands is estimated at 7403 square miles. The population in 1876 was 120,000 natives and 1700 Europeans, and the values of their imports was £112,086, and of their exports £107,464. Since the settlement of the titles to land capital is being invested more freely in Fiji, and the rate of progress of the colony is accelerated. Labor is now in groat requirement, since its resources are chiefly agricultural. Having large areas of the richest soil and a tropical climate, it is particularly suited for the growth of sugar, cotton, coffee, and other valuable tropical produce, and the scarcity of labor is now the only thing which prevents it from rivalling the Mauritius in its export of those articles. Large numbers of Polynesians are, however, already employed on F;jian plantations, and we may be certain that, under a British Governor, the abuses which at one time disgraced the Fijian labor trade will be rendered impossible, and the supply of willing laborers consequently rendered more abundant. Arrangements have, however, been made with the Government of India by which Fiji will now be enabled to import coolies on the samu terms on which

the Mauritius gets them, and we may therefore say that the troubles of the infant oolony are fairly over. The native difficulty and the titles to land are settled, capital is flowing in, cultivation increasing as fast as labor can be introduced, arrangements are made for introducing an amply supply of labor, and the public revenue, in the third year of the colony's existence, is sufficient to meet the expenditure, including interest on the debfc incurred during the first two years. Is this a result which should make the British taxpayer fearful of new annexationsP —opposed to the formation of new colonies, in New Guinea in particular ? We venture to say that the result of the annexation of Fiji is such as to justify us in demanding that no further time shall be lost, but that the British flag shall be hoisted at Port Moresby without further delay. Fiji has not been a drain on the Imperial exchequer, and there can now be no doubt that it will be an exceedingly valuable possession in the future. New Guinea is much more valuable to us than Fiji ever can be however. The area of territory to be occupied is much greater ; it has lands and a climate equal to those of Fiji for the growth of tropical products, and there is little doubt that, in addition to these, it has great mineral wealth. Lastly, the position which it occupies with regard to Australia, commanding the approach from India and China to our northern and eastern coasts, is such that it is extremely undesirable that it should fall into the hands of any Power which may in the future become hostile to us. If New Guinea were now annexed by Great Britain and either made a dependency of Queensland or a separate colony, the worst difficulties which Sir Arthur Gordon had to encounter at Fiji would be avoided. If the annexation be postponed for a few years, the first Governor may take office as he did—with a native war and a mass of disputed land claims on hand.

Those who underestimate the value of our colonies, and are disposed to accept an exaggerated statement of their cost to the Empire, would do well to study the history of our latest acquisition—Fiji. Twenty years ago it was inhabited only by tribes of ferocious cannibals ; six years ago it was the Alsatia of th« Pacific, the haunt of rogues and rowdies who found Australia too hot for them. Now it is on ordcxlj Si'itish colony, paying its own way and already contributing by its trade to support the commerce of the Empire. In ten years more it may, and probably will, be as valuable a possession as the Mauritius, giving employment by its trade to thousands of Australian and British workmen.