The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1887. NEW GUINEA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1535, 4 January 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1887. NEW GUINEA.

There is a stroDg agitation going on at present, having for its object the annexation of New Guinea. England at present excercises a Protectorate over such portions of that country as Germany has not secured, and therefore these portions are virtually annexed already. The portion of it which Germany claims cannot be annexed unless we bay out German interests in it or obtain it by means of war. We do not think it is worth going to war about. Germany owns only the northern portions of it, and it is said that the German share is not worth macb. It is very hot, very unhealthy, and not fit for Europeans to live in. But it is not its intrinsic value that is so much to be considered. The British portion of New Guinea will doubtless be yet settled on, and if Germans settle their share of it we shall not find it pleasant to bars them as frontier neighbors. So

far as we can remember the German authorities some time ago signified their willingness to sell their share of New Guinea, and it would probably be as well that England should purchase it. To do so would prevent future complications, and give us such a footing in the Pacific, as would secure to us everlasting peace. But the principal question at present under discussion is the annexation of the British portion of Now Guinea. nf the colonies are urging the Iji.i.bU Government to annex it, but as it is at present nnder British protection we think that sufficient. No other nation will think of annexing land under the protection of England, and it appears to us this is sufficient for the present. The great question involved is the question of cost. It would oost a large annual sum to govern New Guinea, and the British Government insist that the Colonial Governments ought to bear a share of this expense. We must admit that this is j reasonable. If any good can be got from New Guinea the Australian Colonies must get the lion's share of it eventually, and consequently it is only right that they should bear a share of the expense. There is a way in which this could be done. Such sums of money as shall be necessary for the proper colonisation of New Guinea could be advanced by the various colonies in the 6hape of loans. For instance, supposing New Zealand's share came to £20,000 a year, she could advance this as a loan, charging no interest for the present, and in 10 or 20 years, when New Guinea began to be settled, these advances would become a debt due by New Guinea to New Zealand, This would be mutually beneficial, but otherwise we doubt whether it would pay New Zealand to spend money on such an enterprise as New Guine*. But though we admit the reasonableBess of England asking the colonies to pay a share cf the expense of governing New Guinea, still we think she ought to undertake the lion's share of the responsibility herself. Her population has outgrown her resources; she is looking out for fresh fields in which to settle them, and she has in band at present several schemes of State-aided emigration. Why does she not direct her attention towards New Guinea? There is virgin soil; these is room for her surplus population, and there, by expending a little money, she might implant a new colony, The Australian colonies have no such interests as these to servs : they want all the population they have, and as much more, as they can secure for the next 100 years, and consequently need no extension of territory. The interest the colonies have in the settlement of New Guinea is to extend their trade, and to prevent disagreeable neighbors getting a footing there. England has therefore a greater immediate interest in settling New Guinea than the colonies, and ought not to be over exacting as regards colonial contributions to the cost. If she decides on expending money on State emigration it should be directed towards Guinea, where there is room for thousands.