ANNEXATIONS IN THE PACIFIC.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 413, 23 October 1889, Page 5

ANNEXATIONS IN THE PACIFIC.

The following communication appeared in the " London Morning Post" of Che 10th of August : — Sir, — V We have read with much interest the leading article in your issue of to-day which refers to the recent British annexation in she Pacific, and having considerable knowledge of the islands referred to, would venbu.l3 to correct a v few inaccuracies, though the writer of the article is evidently conversant with the subject ' and appreciates its importance. It is stated with regard to Christmas Island that 'an English firm is or has been making an attempt to develop the island, and not without some amount of success.' This island, then uninhabited, \ras taken possession of in April, 1882, by Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane, of Auckland, New Zealand, and has since been continuously occupied by an agent of that firm, who, with the assistance of natives imported from Penrhyn Island, has prosecuted the pearl shell fishery, and. planted a large number of cocoanut trees. In compliance with the regulations of the Colonial Office, notice of possession was given by Messrs Henderson and Macfarj lane, in May, 1882, to the nearest British Consul, viz., at Samoa, and recorded in the archives of the consulate. The Smvarrow group was taken possession of by the same firm in 1875, and notice of possession given and registered at the British Consulate in Samoa in 1877. They have maintained an a^renfc there &ince, and expended a considerable sum of money in the erection of buildings and the planting of cocoanut trees, and otherwise developing the islands. The statement that , we have just picked up what others disdained to own, is also maccmate. On the contrary, great cr.edit is due to Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane for their foresight in so early recognising the importance of these islands, and practically by their action securing them to the British Crown, for had this firm not been already in possession of them thei*e is little doubt they would have fallen into the hands of a foreign Power. Besides Christmas and Suwarrow, Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane have had stations for many years in the Penhyrn, Union, Phoenix, and nearly all the principal groups of the Pacific, and it is largely due to them that, independently of any a&sistance from the Government, if not actually discouraged by them till recently, British interests have been upheld in these seas against foreign competitors, strongly encouraged and backed up by their respective Governments. As our excuse for troubling you we may state that we 'have acted for many years a3 Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane's agents in England, and are greatly interested in this matter, so much so that a member of our firm has recently been visiting the islands you refei to, and only returned to Auckland a few days since, as we ha\ r e learnt by cable. — We are, yours, etc., James Morrison and Co."

A letter has been received this week (says the " Hauraki Tribune ") from Mr Thomas M. Ritchie, one of " our boys " who, it will be recollected, left Olrineinuri some bwo years ago for the South African goldfields. Mr Ritchie says that things have entirely changed ; there are great numbers of men coming in, and little mining to do. There are two of the writer's brothers now on their way to him ; but his advice to all is, not to come. Jimmy Stevenson, — one of those who made a rise in the Britannia at Waihi, — ia at Johnnesburg. Jack Houston, who left with Tommy Ritchie, has been to Zoustpansberg, some hundreds ot miles away from Johnnesburg, but has returned, having met with nothing worth staying for. Jimmy Stevenson is sorry he went, and so ia every Australian there. The climate is bad. There is, however, good news for some one, if we have any stock of the sorb left. Tommy says : A smart man, with testimonials and recommendations as mine manager, would do right enough. He adds :— " When I wrote you last, things were looking pretty bright — the boom was on : but, since then, there has been a big rush of men into the country. Things will rush again here shortly ; but unless a man has good health and no ties, ho had better stay away from here." : > •