50

1.—6

11. That if the said Sir Julius Vogel had allowed your petitioner to carry out his original plan of floating a private company in England, instead of proposing the scheme as a Government measure, and burdening it with a heavy monoply, whereby the minds of many persons became prejudiced, it is most probable that the idea would, long ere this, have been carried into effect; whereby New Zealand and the Islands would have been greatly benefited, and your petitioner rewarded for his labours. 12. That your petitioner can now only look to your honorable House for redress. Wherefore your petitioner, feeling aggrieved that the original draft of the Polynesian scheme has not yet been incorporated in the papers laid before you, and for losses suffered in other respects, humbly prays that your honorable House will take this petition into consideration, and afford him such relief as to your wisdom may seem to meet. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c, &c. ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE POLYNESIAN SCHEME. Proposed Scheme eoe a Trading Company cor Polynesia. (I touch lightly upon everything.) Objects. —1. The supply of native labour in the Polynesian group and to the Australian colonies. 2. To take advantage of the dormant labour resident in the islands, by exchanging trade for island productions. 3. To acquire ultimate dominion. Groups of Islands. —New Caledonia, Loyalty, Fiji, Tonga, Solomou, New Hebrides, Banks, Navigators, Society (or Tahiti), Paamutu, Marquesas, Ellice, Phoenix, Tukuteau, Marshal, &c, &c.; also, Eastern New Guinea. Political and Social Status. —New Caledonia, Tahiti, Paamutu, and the Marquesas are under French protection, but France always loses her colonies. Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa are gradually forming themselves into petty kingdoms. I consider representative government quite unsuitable to them; besides, they have in themselves the seeds of early decay. The black cannot rule the white. The remaining groups are to be had for the taking. No census of the population is to be relied upon. I should consider that Polynesia contained two million natives. It is stated that Eastern New Guinea contains that number. Throughout all reigns the missionary influence; next in importance is the British, then the German. America is not in the field. France I avoid. Mission (Wesleyan). —This influence must be courted and gained; I fancy that it can he gained. They cannot expect always to rule these islands. It will be better for them to work with a company than the adventurers who will only vilify them. British Residents are the real and proper colonizers, having Manchester at their back, and the Australias to rely upon. German Influence is gradually gaining ground. Large Hamburg houses (business firms) are establishing agencies to carry out, in a small way, the scheme which I am proposing, each working in opposition to the other. lam fully convinced that the scheme cannot be carried out in a small way (witness the numerous failures), and I feel sure.that these agencies will fail. Generally. —No matter what influence may prevail, a powerful English company would carve out its own dominion —a company sufficiently powerful to protect its own agencies. I mean by this that the company should bo able to plant an agency upon any island, with instructions to obey the laws and trade, but sufficiently powerful to protect that agency under any circumstance. Native consent should be taken, in no case asked for. Native Population. —Cut up into petty tribes. Physically they do not approach the white; morally they are perfect cowards, and ever will be so. 250,000,000 Indians are ruled by very few whites ; much easier will it be to rule Polynesia. A few (say three) well-armed schooners would keep the islands in subjection. 500 Maoris would put a Fijian army to flight. I strongly advised that Government to get down some Maoris. Object No. 1. —To supply native labour in the Polynesian group, and to the Australian colonies. (I may here state that object No. 1 or No. 2 can be worked by itself with a large profit, but in my opinion the three objects should be worked together.) A native will not work on his own island, so, for the present, it is necessary to exchange them. The labour supply is being carried on in a wretched manner. Men and vessels are engaged in it, utterly unfitted for the trade. England is protecting the natives by prohibiting her subjects from doing any wrongful act. It would be better if England granted a charter to a powerful company to supply all labour, and held that company responsible. English (Australian) vessels are principally used ; therefore Germany could not object, but would likely consent to join in this charter until her subjects should have vessels to put in the trade. The charter should apply to all English bottoms, and any opposition need not be feared. 'In this we have a great advantage, for the carriage supply rests in our hands. Auckland, if not too lavish of her timber, will have, some day, a large ship-building trade. For the future the native is gradually being educated to work on his own island. The education I refer to is, firstly, one of decency (covering part of the body with calico), aud, secondly, a desire to own European productions (Birmingham and Sheffield), for which payment must be made. The labour supply will always be a large branch of trade. Mode of Procedure. —Plant stations on different islands. Let small vessels call at regular intervals. Contract with the natives for a three or five years' service, and particularly see that the native is returned punctually at the expiration of his time. Supply easily regulated, according to demand. Here the Mission influence would assist the company. Object No. 2. —To take advantage of the labour resident in the Islands, by exchanging trade for Island productions. With a labour charter the course is easy. Each labour station of course would be a trading station, and there is ample room for a hundred trading stations. There are many islands