Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 1884. GERMAN COLONIZATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 229, 25 August 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 1884. GERMAN COLONIZATION.

Prince Bismahok has enunciated a colonial policy, 'which, though somewhat vague m its definitions, has occupied the serious attention of most of the Powers, emanating as it does from so able a statesman.

The London Times states that the old politician had not attended a sitting of any committee for thirteen years, until a few weeks ago when the matter of colonization was under consideration. Recognizing the importance of the subject the veteran Chancellor, by that time almost a stranger to Committees, put m an appearance. The scheme is, as we stated, rather vague, and contains a savoring of foreign policy, but the Tinws briefly sets it forth as embracing Imperial protection for private enterprise whenever German subjects appropriate or acquire •' ownerless land " m the wide world, but no State colonization m the style of France, England, and other countries. That is to say, the work of establishing colonies will be left entirely m the hands of the people themselves, the State merely protecting them from their enemies as it would any other of its countrymen. Similar attempts have been made under the British rule. The East India Company was probably an undertaking very like those that Prince Bismabck proposes to encourage. Indeed it is implied that the East India Company is to be a model for German action. It has perhaps not occurred to the foreign Government that had the English Companies which acted as pioneers to future colonies been altogether successful, they would never have been merged under the original Government rule again. That is to say, had there been no fault to find m the administration of these companies, the people would never have wished to be replaced under the original State rule, nor would the State have increased its responsibilities by taking them back. If English dependencies could not live under these conditions, there must have been a deficiency somewhere which it is more than probable will be found to exist when Germany makes the same experiment. Prince Bismarck refers m the course of his address to the acquisition of the Fiji Islands. These he lays claim to, maintaining that Germany had acquisitions there before their appropriation by the English. He also remonstrates against the claim that the Australian Government have recently made to islands m the South Sea, and objects to them holding the doctrine "that all territorial acquisitions made thereabouts before their annexation by England would be null and void." Altogether, the arrival m Committee of the old Gerrmin Chancellor, after has non-appearance for thirteen years, is marked by the enunciation of a policy that is of very vast importance, and one which, if it proves successful, may yet be universally adopted.