THE ANNEXATION QUESTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1170, 6 November 1883, Page 1

THE ANNEXATION QUESTION.

The Victorian Parlbunent was prorogued on Saturday. The Governor, in his speech on the occasion, stated that the session now ended hadH been marked by the importance of the legislative measures passed, resulting from harmony prevailing between' the Council and the Assembly. The . importance attached to the question of the annexation of New- Guinea and other Pacific Islands, ; at ( ■ opening of Parliament had been by tha action of France in proposing to deport to the islands the vilest ’arid worst of her criminals, notably those,so far steeped in crime as to be deemed unfit to be retained within her territorial limits.’ "The matter was of vital importance to the Australian Pplonies, .containing, as ihey do, British peop!e ( hUrhb6rihg !i t)ver 3,000,000, and representing the best enterprise of England.'; These lands ahould'hot become the : j{osSesyiof'Dß bf anyfforeignlpower. and a sink of mbrarphllution' thould not be permilted tb exlist at' of Southern Britain, This was why] with a deep feell ingsjof jthreateiied;; wrong, and a strong sense of the national misfortune that would be entailed upon them, all the colonies had remonstrated with the Imperial'authorities on this point. A, Convention, comprising representatives from all the colonies was about to assemble at Sydney' to deal '■“WOT * this matter specially, and also the question of federation. it-was still hoped to induce the Mother!Country,; the duty rests of considering the national character of this portion of, jthej Empire, to take effectual measures,to avert such a calamity as was Whether the object would bh ibhst'ftljttiiffefl by annexation ,or by the establisliipent of a protectorate over the islands was nut material, the end and aim of tlre colohics must be to prevent such occupation as*wo ( nld become a standing menace to their peaceful shores and avert infiltration "Of crimiuaSs.