Germans in the Pacific.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 284, 5 December 1904, Page 4

Germans in the Pacific.

COLONISATION METHODS CONTRASTED. The Rev. J. A. Crump, formerly a farmer in Martborouwli, but for the past 11 years a Jlethodisl missionary in New Britain, has returned to New Zealand. Interviewed by a reporter ill Wellington, Mr Crump said he Sid not share the general opinion that the British are better colonisers than the Germans. "At all events, as compared with our efforts in New Guinea," he say.?, "the Germans in Now Britain have 'licked' us ' very badly. In the 11 .veal's of my sojourn in the archipelago there have been enormous developments. Both in New Britain and German New Guinea! are thousands of acres of plantations which are returning groat profits to the people and the Government. The authorities arc encouraging lati/3 settlement, and allow the purchase of land from tiho natives. This land, as good as any an the world, can be had very cheaply, and the climate is all that can be desired yet when young men go to British New Guinea to take up land, they meet with the very smallest encouragement." Mr Crump went on to say that British New Guinea to-day shows no improvement-•on'iWToß-ditjii 11 'years' ago. It is still stagnant, with thousands of valuable acres lying waste, and nothing lias ijeen done to develop its vast resources, both agricultural and mineral. As an instance of the productive/ness of the soil, Mr Crump mentioned that he took £l2O worth of yams from 2J acres. It is urgently necessary that the Commonwealth should set about development in real earnest. A man who took up land with £SOO would be rich in 10 years. Mr Crump thinks that the Cook Islands have not been a brilliant success. Our Government, he thinks.has its bands full in looking after the colony itself. In New Britain the mission work is progressing very favourably, and the German authorities give the missionairies every assistance. There arc live whity Methodist missionaries and j the past 11 years' work has quadru-i pled the number of adherents-. The only other denomination engaged in missionary work in New Britain is the Roman Catholic Church. It was in this group that the massacre of Roman Catholic missfional'ies took place some months ago. There is no danger now, says Mr Crump. The massacre was the outcome of personal anger on the part of a few natives.