New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, JULY 4.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4768, 4 July 1876, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, JULY 4.

Among the documents laid upon the tables of both Houses of Parliament are further papers relating to the South Sea Islands. In some respects they contain matter of considerable interest. On the 9th July, 1875, Earl Carnarvon addressed a despatch to his Excellency the Governor, taking notice of the replies made to a former request from the Colonial that the four Australasian colonies, New Zealand, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, should contribute an annual sum towards an anticipated deficiency in the, revenue of the recently acquired colony of Fiji. The colonies refused ; but it is with the refusal of New Zealand that wo have to do. Our Government, on behalf of the colony, expressed its unwillingness to contribute towards the, expenses of Fiji without a corresponding voice in the administration. Earl Carnarvon , now states that the Imperial Government, has made such provision-as seems necessary for enabling the colony of Eiji to contend with what ho trusts may bo, only a limited period of financial difficulty, and in the despatch under notice he states

that it is not his object to renew the suggestion that any of the colonies should co-operate in the way previously contemplated by him. In noticing the refusals of the colonies, Earl Carnarvon endeavors to show that those refusals were not founded ou a principle of national justice. He considers the proposed joint subsidy of the colonies towards making up the Fiji deficit as a matter where the grace of the action depended upon its being voluntary, and where the amount involved was so small that its acceptance _ would have been mainly valuable as proving the readiness of the great colonies to accept their membership in the common duties of the Empire. The proposal was made, according to Earl Carnarvon, in order to give trial and effect to the principle of joint action among different members of the Empire, and the refusal was practically immaterial, except in connection with such a principle. He points out that, in his opinion, the annexation of Fiji was made in deference to the expressed wishes of the four colonies, to whose Governments the proposals were made; and whilst therefore he no longer presses his request for a joint contribution towards Fiji, he thinks that the time has arrived when New .Zealand, if necessary by herself, hut better if in concert _ with the other governments of Australasia, should adopt some general principle under which each colony more immediately concerned shall bear its reasonable proportion of the expense attending any policy which it may advocate or approve. He maintains that the adoption of such a principle has, in fact, been already tested in Australasia, in the case of the joint contributions towards the settlement at Gape York. In consequence of the absence of Sir J ulius Yogel from New Zealand, some delay in answering Earl Carnarvon’s despatch occurred, but on the 27th. April, 1876, his Excellency the Governor transmitted to him six copies of a memorandum in answer from the Premier (agreed in by the Cabinet), and stated that it appeared to the Marquis of Normanby as most desirable that in future any question of contribution from the revenue of one colony towards the support of any new colony that it is proposed to annex, should be distinctly settled before the annexation takes place, sothatthereshouldbeno subsequent misunderstanding. In the Cabinet memorandum from the Premier it is not too much to say that all the arguments of the Secretary of State for the Colonies are traversed, and the position of this colony as regards the annexation of Fiji, and the subsequent proposal that New Zealand should contribute towards making up the deficiency in her revenue, are placed in a clear light in a statesmanlike manner. The Premier points out that in their refusals the colonies have not been actuated by ail illiberal desire to evade responsibilities they considered to be just. He believes that underlying the replies of all the colonies there were two feelings—First, that the mother country was drifting into an entirely new colonial, or rather anti-colonial, policy ; that in times past she did not hesitate to incur colonial expenditure ; that, assuming possession of Fiji was analagous to many previous cases, to ask contributions from the colonies was a novel proceeding, connected only with the presumed policy of casting the colonies adrift; and that to acquiesce in it, would argue an acceptance by the colonies of the new position it was desired to assign to them. Second, that there was an anomaly in contributing to the cost of a Government in which no control was to bo permitted to the contributors. Sir Julius Yogel now, however, notices with gladness that the policy of disintegrating the Empire is falling into disfavor. The Conservatives never supported it, and, witness the recent important speech of Mr. Forster, an important section of the Liberals have apparently abandoned it. But it was not to be supposed that the soreness which for several years had grown up in the colonies attheideathat they were regarded as burdens on, rather than as valuable parts of, the Empire, should die away in a day. The Premier contends that Lord Carnarvon’s proposal was not altogether viewed in the spirit in which it was made. Besides, it is much better that prospective rather than retrospective arrangements should be made. It is not the business of Governments to be liberal ; on the contrary, they have to consider it, as a rule, highly inexpedient to indulge in any expenditure that can with honor be avoided. Thelmperial Government having annexed Fiji, made it more difficult to entertain the question of contributions than would have been the case had the Colonial. Governments been told that agreement to make such contributions would be considered , necessai-y before her Majesty would be advised to annex those islands.

With regard to prospective contribution as a consequence of advising farther annexation, the Premier says that the question is one of great interest to New Zealand, because this colony is no doubt much concerned in the annexation of the Navigator Islands. But as he expresses it (and we give the remainder of the memorandum in its exact words) —The case now to be considered is that of prospective contribution as a consequence of advising further annexation; The question is one of great interest to New Zealand, because this colony is no doubt much concerned in the annexation of the Navigator Islands. It is a new feature for a colony by pecuniary contributions to aid the mother country to enlarge the colonial possessions. The Secretary of State gives no analagous instance, excepting one of a joint contribution to a harbor of refuge at Somerset. Humanitarian rather than commercial reasons led to this arrangement, and it is very little in point. But a great deal of weight may be attached to the view, that the Imperial Government have the right to consider advice volunteered by the colonies, unsupported by any assistance, as, to say the least, not much entitled to consideration if it be made on the ground only of Imperial concern. On the ground of the interests of the whole Empire, a request to extend the colonial possessions made " by 300,000 people" in New. Zealand is entitled to no more weight than a similar request from 300,000 British subjects in a British town. To them, the answer would be “Why do you want to cast an additional cost on the country? Our colonial possessions arc sufficiently large.” But the request from New Zealand would really not mean advice volunteered in the general interests only of the Empire : it would mean that it was volunteered, also, in the special interest of -the portion of the Empire making the request. And here another fact obtrudes itself. Tile English Government, before Fiji was annexed, had commenced a crusade against labor traffic amongst the islands. Nothing could have been more satisfactory than this determination to stattip out a.system of'slavery; but the feeling was very strong, that the attempt to do it would bo comparatively futile until the Government acquired a more substantial right to.protect the islanders' than they possessed. Whilst they did not hold, and were not directly interested ir ruling, a single

island between Sydney and Sari Francisco, their efforts were regarded as spasmodic and temporary, and had the effect of rather stimulating the ; labor trade, by making it more profitably, It is impossible to overstate the moral effects of annexing Fiji; but before the annexation, the colonies felt that their own interest in its annexation was trifling as compared with the interest ’which’ the mother country had in it, in aid of the determination to repress South Sea slavery. The Premier, when he despaired of anything like a comprehensive South Sea Islands policy being pursued by the Imperial Government, proposed that New Zealand should take the task in hand by means of a chartered company. It is his duty to admit that there is no longer need of Now Zealand volunteering in this way; for he recognises that, as far as the Empire is concerned, the steps being taken are in a wise and excellent direction., Not only has Fiji been annexed, but, by an Act of last year", her Majesty, without possession, has asserted in a novel form a right of exercising considerable authority in those of the islands which do not possess civilised governments. _ Sir Arthur Gordon, the High Commissioner appointed under the provisions of the Pacific Islanders Protection Act, 1875, is certainly not likely to undervalue the responsibilities of the powerful position assigned to him. Under these circumstances, it seems to the Premier reasonable that any recommendations for further annexation which New Zealand makes should, unless those recommendations are wholly free from considerations specially affecting itself, be accompanied by a statement of the pecuniary aid it is prepared to render. No doubt such pecuniary aid would be very peculiar; but the recommendations would also be peculiar, for they would be made in New Zealand interests. It is unquestionably important to New Zealand that a foreign Power should not own the Navigator Islands. But in this case the Imperial Government has a large direct interest. The islands are excellent, both in resources and position ; they are outside the hurricane track; and for maritiine purposes are, it is believed, much more valuable than Fiji, with its dangerous approaches. It is, perhaps, inexpedient to urge annexation just now, but it may be desirable at some future time to do so ; and, in the face of th£ despatch under consideration, it would be impossible to make the recommendation without knowing the views of the Assembly as to a money contribution. The Premier therefore thinks that when it is considered desirable to take further steps, the Government should submit to both Houses a resolution to the effect that the Assembly recognises that if the colony urges the Imperial Government to further annexation, because of the interests of New Zealand partly or wholly requiring the annexation, a statement should also be made of the amount the colony is prepared to contribute ; and the Assembly is also of opinion that if the Government at any time deem it necessary to recommend the annexation of the Navigator group, such recommendation should be accompanied by an undertaking to submit to the Legislature a stated contribution. Lord Carnarvon intimates that he would prefer that the colony should come to a conclusion in concert with the other colonies. On behalf of New Zealand, the Premier would be glad to aid the result, but he does not see much prospect of it. New South Wales and New Zealand frequently act in concert, and their interests are identical with regard to some of the islands. The other colonies have less direct interests at stake.