Matanra Ensign GORE, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 28, 1884.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 413, 28 November 1884, Page 2

Matanra Ensign GORE, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 28, 1884.

NEW GUINEA. New Guinea is probably the most annexed country in the universe. Queensland annexed it some time ago ; and i& is said that that was the third time the process had been gone through. There is certainly nothing like perseverance. The disowning by Loid Derby of the third annexation led to a fourth and a fi th. The Imperial Government like a certain judge of whom we read, because the colonies troubled and badgered, did what it would not do from fear of GrOD oclove of man. As soon as the determination to annex was arrived at, a telegram was sent to Commodore Erskine at Sydney to proceed to Port Moresby and perform the ceremony. At the same time another telegram was sent to Cooktown in Queensland to Mr Eomillt, a sort oil Deputy-High Commissioner, directing Mm to notify that settlement and purchase of iand were forbidden. He took this as an order to annex, and at once proceeded to Port Moresby, gathered some chiefs together, made a speech, hoisted a flag and fired a volley. By this time the chiefs were settling into the conviction that the chief industries followed by white men were hoisting flags and burning blank cartridges roui d them. They were looking forward to the jolly times when white men would be thicker and annexations daily occurrences. In the meantime the Commodore was leaving Sydney. He was mobbed by all t^e leading newspapers in Australia, each wishing to send its man. But he said he did not carry reporters, and yet with a spice of unfairness he took with him as a . friend and guest the ' Herald's man.' But the others heard of a trad ing steamer leaving Brisbane for Port, Moresby, and engaging a hand or two by wire, had them on the spot before the Commodore arrived. It must have surprised the Commodore and the f Herald's man ' to see, where they expected nothing but naked blacks, the, reporter come up smiling notebook in 1 hand. Such is modern journalism. In due course (Sunday, Nov. 2) the Nelson, with the Commodore, from Sydney, arrived at Port Moresby, followed by the Espiegle, and found H.M. shipa Raven, Swinger and Harrier in harbor. The first news was that the Protectorate was already proclaimed. This must have nonplussed the gallanb tar more than the appearance of the reporters. Bui he was not to be done ; he would have his innings, and such an innings as no deputy Commissioner or Colonial Magistrate could attempt to rival. He sent word to the delighted natives that all the other? were only preliminaries — the thing itself had now arrived. He collected natives from far and wide. On Wednesday, November 5, he invited the chiefs on board. He addirssed them through a missionary. He fed them with rice sweetened with brown sugar. He took photographs of them feeding. He appointed a head chief to be the medium of com. munication, giving him an ebony wand of office, with a silver band on it and a florin let in on the top so as to show the Queen's head. Then he invited tbe chiefs below. Tbey filed through the Commodore's cabin, starting before the pierglass, shaking hands and receiving with delight a tomahawk, a butcher's knife, a roll of red rag, or a colored shirt. They were then given a hint as to the power of the white man's guns. They saw tho effects of GratUngs, Xordenfvldts, .sheila, and of an 18-ton gun at 40J0 yards. On Wednesday night they saw from the shore the vessel .* of war brilliantly illuminated with blue lights and electric light?, and emitting- rockets and fire works, and were lulled to slepp by the unearthly yells and ,shri;ks of the steam fog horn, rij.? Commodore was having his innings ; but all this whs preliminary. Early on Thutsdiy, November G, the landing o£ r fibers, seunen, and marines, with brass bands, took place. Etch class was arrayed in its most ■striking and peculiar costume, and tho. ether they made a pretty show. They formed in hollow square; the Commodore read the proclamation ; the fl.ii* ro«e solemnly and slowly to the strains of the .National Anthem. On reatjhintr the lop of the staff it vas greeted with a royal salute from the &lel«on ; while the natives gazed .it the .smoke #f the iwenty first gun the five „ ,ips of war f(Ud ieja'y gashed out, fay with lui-itifi}; from stein to stern, w! i ! j8 the ivyal standard rolled o,ut its niajp^tic fo'Js froiQ the main mast of ifo '• NVls n. r J hen ca ne three volley from lije ui&noe^ e.uh fp!!ows4 I>F &

bar or two of the National Anthem, i Thus the Commodore had his innings, j and : a^tonisHed the natives.. He . re- . turned to hia ship, feeling that JS T ew Guinea had never been annexed in that style before, and that this was positively the last time. . So much for the pageantry of annexation. Bat life isn't all beer and skittles, and protecting and colonising isn't all bunting and blank cartridge. Tomahawks aDd knives given in token of friendship may fulfil the old superstition and cut friendship yet. There was lots of high falutin' in the proclamation, and in the Commodore's speech about "evil disposed men," about being friends and avengers, about nob buying guns, and about carrying every trouble to the Queen's officers. But protectors are always masters and often chastisers and sometinibs plun . derers. The fair words of November 6th, IBBi<, will read as a cruel jest in ; November, 1984. With what fair > promises did Governor Hobson — we ' think — set out in Australia. He pub | lishfd a proclamation to the blacks. It was a series of pictures. It showed j the white soldiers landing and greeting ' tht) noble savage ) then the savage : spearing the soldier ; then the savage ' hanging by the neck from a tree; then the soldier shooting the savage ; then the soldier hanging from the tree ; and then both the soldier and savage living lovingly together. But how like a joke that is now ! How many a black has been shot like a kangaroo — unavenged; how many a dozen natives have been butchered for a single murder in the hope that the guilty one might be amongst the slain J We have as sumed throughout that the pro^ec- j torate is the same as annexation. Certainly not many years can elapse before the actual as well as the virtual annexing takes places. Then the squatter with his herds will appear and then the planter But in the mean- i time the explorer and the prospector ' will be there, and perhaps a great rush might take place that will build a ' city in a year. Then white men will woo the daughters of the land and be speared by jealous husbands and lovers, or natives will steal sheep and cattle ; and be sfockwhipped or shot by white men. In either case war and strife will arise. There will ba a " native difficulty," there will be confiscation | there will be Native Land Bills ! there will be m.tive prophets, there I will be a forsaking of Ohristianitv, > there will be a prohibition of powder, j there will be no prohibition of rum, j and there will b'i philosophic theories I about expiring races. We do not whh to' bo understood as joining in the bray of Exeter Hall. We are clearly of opinion that it is inevitable for savages to die out before the white men. We only say that the inevitable is melancholy and gives rise to sober reflection. Against the clear law of Providence and nature we are not in rebellion, Bnt though we think the lands where man, however numerous, is only a human weed are wastelands, and that waste lands are only waiting till the strong and cultured want them, we can heartily wish that the savage may be treated with mercy and consideration. There are frequent reports about slavery and murder in the regions in question. It is inevitable that the scum will be on the top, and that the worst of men will be on the frontier of civilisation, no that murder and cruelty will not be wholly preventible, though vigilant officers will at lease be a considerable check on these horrors. But slavery and kidnapping can only exist with the connivance of some recognised colony, or some known settlement of white men. It is to be hoped for the honor of the Greater Britain of the South that this will not be allowed to grow into a national crime and a national curse. We hope the officers of the Queen will brave unpopularity and put tliis incipient evil down with a resolute hand.