New Guinea Annexation.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 4993, 13 January 1885, Page 2

New Guinea Annexation.

Major-General Scratchley, R.E., the first Special Commissioner of New Guinea, was entertained at a banquet at the St. Stephen's Club, London, on the 18tb

November last. The fol'owing gentlemen were present :•—The Right Hon. Lord George Hamilton, M.P., Sir Arthur Blyth (Agent General for South Australia), Sir Charles Tupper (High Commissioner for Canada), General Sir Collingwood Dickson, K.C.B , V.C , Major General Lowry, C.8., Sir Hu R h Low, "E.C.M.G. (British Resident, Perak), Hon. R. Murray Smith (Agent-General for Victoria). Sir James Anderson (manager Eastern Telegrapii Company), "James Corry, Esq (M.P. for Belfast), Hon. John Douglas (Queeensland), Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. Edward Legge, Mr W. Newzam Nicholson, M.P., Sir Francis Smith (Chief Justice of Tasmania), Sir Eardley Wilmot, M.P., Hon. J. P. Garrick, QC, (Agent General for Queensland), Hons. William Wilson, Howard Spensley, and Mr Simon Fraser (Victoria), Mr Edward Wuitley, M.P., Mr W. P. Cowlishaw, j Mr R. Seymour Guinness, Captain Tully, Mr James Corry, M.P., Mr C. H. Bromby (Tasmania), Mr W. H. Topham (New South Wales), and Sir Patrick de Colquhoun, QC. Lord George Hamilton, in i proposing the health of General Scratch ley, expressed the pleasure he felt at the success which had followed the act of annexation performed some time ago by Queensland, one of the youngest and most flourishing of the British colonies. It was most satisfactory to find that act had resulted in the declaration of a British protectorate over an island four times as large as France. General Scratchley had been entrusted with the very important duty of laying the foundations of law and order in a barbarous country, and everyone must wish him ail success in the inauguration of the new system. It was to be borne by the colonies themselves. It must be ad* mitted that General Scratchley had an exceedingly difficult task before him, but all would indulge the hope tint he

would suceted in adding another flourishing colony to those already possessed by the KmpTP. General Scratchley in replying remarked that he only hoped he would succeed in fulfilling the expectations of h;i friends, but, as all his work lay before him, it would be becoming in him to be brief in his reply. He had been connected with the colonies of Australia for 24 years, and he felt cheered by the thought that he could count on the friendship and aym* pathy of the colonists in seeking to give effect to an Imperial policy. He knew that Australasia had wide interests in the Pacific, and he should do what he could to conserve and strengthen them, and thus help up the Dominion of the future. "