The Waikato Times. AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1760, 16 October 1883, Page 2

The Waikato Times. AND THAMES VALLE Y GAZETTE.

Equal and ts.irt jiibtn v to .ill men, (Jt wli itsoc\ct st.au 01 persuasion, religious or politic .lI Here shall tin 1 Press the I'coplc's liffh'- maintain, Unawcd by lnthiciicc and unbribcd by gain.

TUESDAY, OCT. 16, 1880.

The deplorable result of the Argus exploring expedition to New Guinea will focus attention on a subject which lui-j already evoked a considerable amount ot public interest. The train of events connected with the great island continent lying oil' the" .shores of Australia, has doubtless been carefully noted by the majority of our readers. Queensland has long had an eye on New Guinea Whether as a field for emigration or a labour preserve, need not now bo discussed, but seeing that she has no teeming millions crowding her territory, it was probably not the former consideration that influenced, her. Be that as it may, some months ago a police magistrate "was despatched to annex the island in the name of the Queen. The Crown, through its re sponsiblo advisers, repudiated the transaction, and, as Queensland was not prepared to undertake the task herself, we suppose the magistrate hauled down his flag, and returned home. Then commenced that agitation on the part of the Australian colonies of which we have heard so much, which has by no means died out, and concerning which we are yet to hear a great deal. Lord Derby has apparently closed his ears to all the appeals of the colonists, and road unmoved the eloquent petition presented to him by the Agents-General of New South Wales, New Zealand, Victoria, and Queensland. But though the head of the Colonial Office may keep his ground for a time, it is not very likely that he will be able to withstand the extreme pressure which the combined Australasian Governments will bring to bear upon him so soon as they can agree upon some common course of action. A decision upon this latter point will probably be formed at the forthcoming Conference, and the advocates of annexation can, we think, afford to wait patiently the result of that meeting of delegates. We may conclude that there the united political talent of the colonies will meet and mingle, and the conclusions there arrived at may safely, govern our future action in regard to the extension of the Empire in the Pacific. Meantime, 'perhaps it; will be welt to pjofljfy famfflhfoui

exaggerated ideas we have permitted ourselves to form as to the capabilities of New Guinea as a field for settlement. While this mysterious island may have been all that Captain Armit's fancy painted it, the death of poor Professor Denton confirms much that we have heard in its dispraise. Science, ever advancing, ever bringing to light new forces, may, it is true, ultimately point out a way whereby the influence of the miasmatic regions on the sea-coast of New Guinea may be counteracted, and the land be rendered a fit habitation for the white man. But all this is not going to happen in a day, or a year. When Australia and New Zealand are no longer able to absorb the stream of immigration from Europe, then possibly we shall turn to New Guinea. In those days the white population of this colony will have become somewhat inured to the inconvenience of life in a warm climate, and will not mind going a degree or two nearer the Equator. Nevertheless, we are bound, in self-defence, to take such steps as will prevent the foundation, upon a large scale, of penal settlements on the islands lying near to us ; and for this purpose it is of the first importance that some distinct understanding should be come to between England and her continental neighbours. It would also be well to take measures for rogulatinc the labour traffic, not so iuticn tor the protection of the employers as — if vro may accept as true certain extraordinary statements which have lately gained currency — in the interests of the nativo labourers themselves.