New Zealand and Samoan Annexation. Wellington, January 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 85, 17 January 1885, Page 6

New Zealand and Samoan Annexation. Wellington, January 12.

The " Post " of Saturday night says :—: — The idea of the New Zealand Government determining to act in opposition to the wishes of the Imperial Government, and on its own responsibility sending the Hinemoa down to annex Samoa is so supremely ridiculous that we cannot believe the Government ever seriously contemplated such a proceeding. That they are perfectly right in doing all in their power to urge the Imperial Government to move in the matter must at once be admitted. The importance of Samoa boing preserved from the giasp of any foreign power is very great to this colony, and no efiort should be spared to induce the Imperial Government to secure those rich islands. If, instead of affecting a foolish and useless mystery. Ministers had taken the people of the colony into their confidence "when the question first arose, their hands might have ere this been a good deal strengthened by a demonstration of public feeling in the chief centres of population, and the Goeernmont might have been enabled to assure Lord Derby that the people of New Zealand were thoroughly in earnest, and in entire accord with the Ministry in the motter. Ministers, however, were apparently disinclined to seek the support of public opinion, and preferred to act on their own personal responsibility. We hope that by so doing they have not prejudiced the object they have in view. However earnestly they may feel the urgent necessity for the annexation of Samoa, they are quite powerless of themselves to do anything more than urge the Imperial Government to action. Unless they have Imperial authority, they can do nothing effectively. If, in despite of Lord Derby's decision, they send the Hinemoa down to Samoa to hoist the British flag, the action would have no more effect or significance than if they hoisted all the tlal's of Maryatts or the commercial code. No annexation in defiance of Imperial oader would be recognised by any foreign power, and the expedition would simply be a filibustering one. The New Zealand Government has no more power or authority to annex Samoa than any country. Even the celebrated Lone Star Society, formed in Aladama in IS4B to "extend the power, influence, and commerce of the United States over the whole of the western hemisphere and the islands of the atlantic and pacific oceans," had to send an armed expedition to annex Cuba to the State. The result of the first and subsequent expedition despatched under General Lopez in defiance of the proclamation of President Taylor are well known Fifty of the invaders were shot in Kavanah by sentence of Court-martial, and the leader, General Lopez, was garotted. If the Hinemoa wont down to Samoa without Imperial warrant those on board would certainly render themselves liable to be treated in a somewhat similar manner, and if there ,was a German man-o-war about, it is quite possible that the invaders might speedily find themselves in irons. The law of nations would afford no protection to such an expedition, but would, in fact, justify its being treated as a political one. The Hinemoa has no commission on board to legalise her presence ! in Samoan waters, and she might not improbably bo seized as a lawful prize. England could scarcely resent any punishment whicn might be inflicted by the at present recognised Government of Samoa probably at German suggestion and with German assistance. There is generally a German man-o-war about Samoa, and the Hinemoa, on such a mission bent, would almost certainly meet with a very warm reception of a decidedly unpleasant character. Ministers will scarcely be so foolish as to authorise an absurd, and very risky expedition of the kind.