Mr Ballance and the Samoa Scheme.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 40, 17 January 1885, Page 2

Mr Ballance and the Samoa Scheme.

■ ■ ♦ In his speech at the banquet given to him at Woodville on Tuesday, the Hon. Mr Ballance said the extension of their possessions was one of the important duties of the Government, and all would admit that their action m this direction was bold and enterprising. They were , castigated m some papers because they had sent a vessel away to annex an island of the Pacific. They would admit that Loi-d Derby was too timid a statesman, and altogether too slow and tardy . to study the interests of colonists, and 1 seeing top little of the future. They wanted a' statesman who would exhibit more energy and enterprise, and grasp the great future of the Australasian colonies. They had, appealed m vain to Lord Derby to step m, but he had done nothing, and they were called upon to do it themselves. It was said they had done it m the wrong way. They had been exceedingly circumspect : m the matter. Before doing anything they had taken the Governor into their confidence, and had telegraphed to Lord Derby informing, him of the course it was intended to take. The reply was, as they anticipated, that he would take no steps, ; but they had taken steps to throw the responsibility on the Colonial Office, so that, should Germany step m, 1 they could not say that New Zealand did : not understand its duty. He would ask tEem, was there anything m the shape of fih'bustry m. their action? They knew 'that an act had been passed m 1882 giving the chiefs of these powers to annex themselves to New Zealand, and that Act was sent Home for Her Majesty's assent, but thatj had not been given. What was the fact ? The Government of Samoa and a number of chiefs sent a petition to the people of this colony, asking to be annexed, and that petition was now before Lord Derby. They expected that Lord De»by would advise the Queon to receive the petition j and allow the islands to be annexed. He asked them whether they had not, therefore, taken a constitutional course ? That was one of the greatest crimes the Government had done since taking office.