Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, 28th JANUARY, 1918. THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, 28th JANUARY, 1918. THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

Onk of the hones of contention when peace term s come to be considered will be the disposition of the enemy in the Pacific. Events are disclosing that the German colonial possessions are more important than was generally believed. A writer who knows his subject contributes a long article to a Sydney paper on the question, and as the isles of the Pacific are so neighbourly to New Zealand, this country is deeply interested, and all information about the possessions is usefnl in forming public opinion as to the future of the Pacific. The writer opens his article by saying: There is no portion of the wide world that must assuredly he thrust into a greater prominence by the final issues of this war than the far spreading insular empire of the sweep- , ing South Pacific Ocean. The fact that Australia is neighboured by many groups of rich islands, points quite naturally to the probability that one day here will be created an Australian Empire within the great British Empire. Tn ten years’ time these Pacific islands, in the most generous promises that they now give, will, by the magnitude of their commercial prospects, he the magnet of an extensive trade, and their zone one of wonderful commercial activity. The question of the future of the Pacific, with its great potentialities, which will undoubtedly he the feature of interest to many peoples of the world, is, will there he one paramount exclusive Power, or many Powers ? Is there to be one flag over these scattered territories, meaning peace, harmony, and security, or many flags, meaning war, strife and insecurity? And what people is to he the dominant power, is the particular issue to ho impatienly awaited at the conclusion of this struggle of nations. Is it to he a people for right or might, for fair possession or brutal dispossession ? The decision of this question is urgently - of most importance —or should he—to Axis tralians. The building up of a new world and its new map will reveal many changes of names, of ownership, and of the colours which denote nationality. Are the maps of the future to show these attraeive islands of the Pacific coloured red for British, or black for Germany or, possibly is there some new tint to mark some new’ unexpected Power emerging victorious and paramount out of this cauldron of human strife? The asking of these questions but too evidently discloses the fact that clouds, banging low,

sombre, and murky, obscure this Alton' of tbe Pacific at the present juncture, and never in all the days of the war more so than in those of the new year of 1918. This means that by every tie of close relationship, geographically and otherwise, there i s a moral force of national pride demanding that Australia strike for that future now, forcing at least a rift in the murky clouds, that she may see something of her destiny, and its connection with the future of the great island world of the Pacific in Ihe Southern Hemisphere. The development of the last twenty years that has gone on in these fertile islands—“dreams of fertility,” as a recent writer has described them—has been little heeded by the world around. Tt has been silent, hut none the less tremendous, amazingly extensive, and wonderful. And no eye

has been bent upon the progress more shrewdly, or lias gloated more gluttonously, than the greedy and ambitious eye of Germany. Out of that greed and ambition has been born the last child of German aspirations a grand German colonial Empire in the Pacific. with Australia as the crowning ter-

r-itorial Jewel. There are already other competitors for the control of the magnificent commercial offerings that now lie in tho lap of fortune in this Pacific world. But the chief succcess of these islands and their administration is due to one Power, one flag, one weal. Now is the time most opportune to secure a decision for the future That will assure tho destinies of this insular world running sympathetically with the destinies of Australia.