9

A.—6

September, 1872.—The Directors of the Bank of New Zealand agreed to lend King Cakobau's Government, in Fiji, a sum of £45,000, in order to enable the king to establish his authority over the whole of Fiji and the chief Maafu, who represented German influence. This sum of money consolidated the king's power, and enabled him subsequently to cede the group to Great Britain. It was afterwards repaid by the British Government. June 7, 1873.—Departure of the s.s. " Star of the South," from Auckland to Fiji, thus establishing the first regular steam communication between the Australian Colonies and the Islands. December, 1873. —Establishment of the Auckland and Fiji Bank, the first bank in the Islands. This bank was subsequently replaced, by the Bank of New Zealand extending its own charter so as to include the South Sea Islands. [The loan to King Cakobau, the establishment of this bank, and the institution of regular steam traffic I had the honour of suggesting, for the further progress and civilisation of the Islands.] September 16, 1874. —Colonel Steinberger, as Commissioner for the United States of America, entered into an agreement with Cassar Godeffroy and Sons re the Harbour of Apia, Upolu, Samoa. October 10, 1874.—Fiji ceded unconditionally to the British Crown. August 12, 1875. —Commodore Goodenough shot by a poisoned arrow off Carlisle Bay, Santa Cruz. The same island where Bishop Patteson lost his life. April, 1876. —Engagement of H.M.S. " Barracouta " with the Samoans, fourteen of our men were killed, and thirty-five wounded. Deportation of Colonel Steinberger to Levuka. July, 1876.—The mission schooner " Wesley " opened a new mission to the Duke of York, New Britain, and New Ireland group of islands. November 12, 1876. —The Tainui and Faipule of Samoa appoint Mr. G. W. Griffin, United States Consul, to cede the Islands to the United States of America. February, 1877. —Germany denies the cession of territory by the King of Tonga. The use of one of the ports only is ceded as a coaling-station. May 24, 1877. —Mr. Griffin hoists the American flag at the king's house, Point Mulinuu, on the west side of Apia Harbour, Samoa. October 31, 1877.—Germany enters into a treaty with Tonga. August 28, 1879.—Sir Arthur Gordon signs a treaty of ten Articles between Her Majesty and King Malietoa and the Samoan Government. June 29, 1880. —France annexes Tahiti, in preparation of Prince Bismarck establishing a naval station in Samoa; King Pomare V. ceding his independency to the French Commandant. October, 1881.—The French flag hoisted at Baiatea, which the French Government afterwards repudiated. March 17, 1882. —The House of Commons approves the charter granted by the Government of the day to the North Borneo Trading Company. March 31, 1882. —The Marquis De Bay, with the surviving Italian colonists, abandon the settlement in New Ireland. December, 1882.—The Governor-General of the Philippines takes possession of the Island of Tavitavi, situate north-east of Borneo. February 1, 1883.—Death of King Cakobau of Fiji. April 4, 1883. —The Queensland Government takes formal possession of Eastern New Guinea, and hoists the Union Jack. Both Mr. Gladstone and Lord Derby disapprove the action. June 2, 1883. —Presbyterian Ministers waited upon the Premier of Victoria urging him to call upon the Imperial Government to annex the New Hebrides, the Solomons, and New Britain. July 10, 1883. —The Paris Temps urges the French Government to grant a charter to a French company to acquire the New Hebrides, with concessions similar to those granted to the North Borneo Trading Company. November 19, 1883.—Dread of Germany taking possession of Samoa causes King Malietoa to write the following letter : — " Capital of Samoa, Molinuu, November 19th, 1883. "To Her Most Gracious Majesty, Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. "Youe Majesty,— "I write this letter to your Majesty, the Queen of Great Britain, because I wish to bring my petition to your notice. I know well that you have a regard for me, because you are in the habit of sending visitors to me—great chiefs of your Government —year after year, and they always tell me of the good wishes of your Majesty. Your Majesty, I write this letter, being certain of your regard for me, and love of right; and, because I have seen and heard that other nations, both white and black, which are under your Majesty's Government, have happiness in this world, and have no more trouble nor fear, but have peace in their lives, therefore I wish to be under your arm. I wish to tell you my mind to be under the flag of your Government. I, and three-quarters of the chiefs and people of Samoa, wish to see put up the flag of Great Britain at once. I should be very glad and thankful to your Majesty if you would send me one or two chiefs of your Government, that we can talk face to face, and that we can tell them our wishes for the British flag to be put up in our kingdom, the same as" you have done in Fiji. Your Majesty, I hope that I shall have an answer according to my wishes. I hope God will take care of you and your people. " I am, &c, " Malietoa, King of Samoa."

December 7th, 1883.—The Parliament of Samoa unanimously agree to petition the Parliament of New Zealand for annexation to that colony. ' February, 1884.—The claims of Spain to the Sulu Islands are likely to be recognised if Spain abandons its claim in Borneo. March, 1884.—The final report of the Western Pacific Commission is laid before Parliament. It condemns the supervision of the labour traffic by colonial agents, and urges that the latter

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