The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, MAY 17th, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, MAY 17th, 1921.

ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC. I hk Fijian Legislative Council recently assisted to the following motion • - “That the interests of the Empire in the Pacific would l>est be served by a voiifedcratiou of the British Islands oi the Western Pacific, governed ami controlled from a common centre.” The ‘resolution will he transmitted to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with a request for his approval. Mr 11. M. Scott, K.C., in moving the motion, said that the next step would be to invite the co-operation of various representatives from the islands concerned. There wore three aspects for consideration, namely, administration, labour, and trade and commerce. There was greatly diversity in the forms of goveranmont of the various groups, and while he would like to see the Gilbert and Ellice Colony, Ocean and Nauru Islands, Solonlons, and the New Hebrides in time included in the federation, * ho thought a start might be made with iFiji. Tonga, and Western Samoa. Those islands had the same problems to face, the same labour-difficulties, and similar products, and they all belonged to the British Empire. A few years ago an interstate trade commissioner had reported that the Government of the islands lacked cohesion mid system, and that if no great change in government took place there should be greater supervisioan and greater co-ordination in the Islands. This commission recommended that the centre of government should be Sydney, but political, geographical, and economical considerations all suggested Fiji as the centre of government. As a federation, the colony would command greater attention. To-day the. trade of Fiji was worth £1,590,090 per annum. If a confederacy were brought about this trade would very greatly increase as greater sliipping'faeilitiei became available. He referred to the increasing activity of Japan in the Pacific, and Germany’s desire to recover her lost possessions there, which shpuld cause island communities seriously Jo reflect. In framing a Constitution more freedom must be given to the European residents, who had already proved by experience that they were capable of taking a very active part in their own government. Tliere should he one Governor aud Government hv bodies or Parliaments, with a Federal Council at the centre, which should he Suva. Although they had had elective representation since 1905, no elected member under the Standing Orders had power to move any vote in the House for the expenditure of public money no matter how small. If the confederacy were inaugurated a new integral part of thf Empire would he brought into being, based on a free and democratic system of life and government.