The Annexation Question.

Manawatu Times, Volume IX, Issue 397, 30 October 1883, Page 2

The Annexation Question.

: . Special to Press v i Lond6]Di^t)^2B^ Tto Pacific AfEairs,Coi%it^» have, no w ; completed their report^ and iib will shortly be made public. It is understood that it .wiE^racom* mend ; increased, naval inspection of the labor trade, ami tn&ap^pmmn&nfc of five deputy«commi^sionerß resi-^ dentin.the islands whp T ajpn§,f|hj|ll have authority -to issue licenses for recruiting. Agents appbintedi'ibjrrtite 'Imperial Government are .also to mithe Colonial :€k»vennmeat ■agents now employed. Mr "Oommi*» sioner Romilly is r to"be^stationed m 'NewGirneW "'The s CdmMese**ex« .presses, an opinion hostile 1 "tp^ajjtf-w* ing. Queensland io have any over Wew tinjnea, andj.alsOy^pposaa absolute control being given, even to a federation of the Australian^ 66lo« nies, over the destinies of millions of Polynesians.. It^thinks^itjgar^e , sufficient for the present if Imperial authority is asserted to an^ extent sufficient to exclude any foreign Power from "New Guinea; *■ It says the interests of Germany are paramount m New Britain, New; Ireland, and Samoa. .The annexation of^JKji by New South Wales or New they regard as impossible. General M'lvor's , proposed expedition to PortCGonstantine is ; stronglyl com* demned. " ' T^e ! President ; of ? : tUf 'Glasgow Chamber of Commerce has r Deen c requested to convene a meeting td'tfuplpdrc therepresentdrtionsof the B*e^eiM ' Conference m Australia on the sub* jecfcsqfrthe annexation of J^e^jGniii nea. .:■,.:• ■:■..[■.;. ■; ;:/•■; ] o -■> jf^Kfisf ■ * .— Oct. 24. .; In reply to specific question*: from Mr Muiray-Smithj Lordti'Derbyitefc rates the obstacles which^starfd "*& the way of the annexation of certain. islands,- while with^regWd^^hers, annexation is at present inadvisable. He states he is prepared to define the conditions under which. Hie <Go* • vernment would be preparedyrtoljapit prove of annexation if the colonies .would federate or agreed regarding^ annexation, as there would l tn%n i: w less difficulty m the transfer of 'lnj^J perial bu.t it iS| imposa*^ ble irf the absence of ass^rMicea as to vow the .colbmes "wbnM discharge their obligations,; ;to^atate whether the Imperial Government would approve of annexatidnriniany case or not. If the ' proposed con* ference m Australia .should- deci<^B that annexation is desirabie, , Lprd fierby professes "himseiUE^^ilKjag 1 to discuss details, and ascertain^ how far such a course is practicable, but he is unable to suggest even what f he cost would be to "the "cbldnies"; t but the; exercise of further sion by thp. : Imperial Gov.ernmeßt over New Guinea./ and ; Pacific Is* lands, must ,inyoive ; an expenditure of several thousand annually. i l'-..'," : London, Qct.jfl6.j General M'lvor m fiis N"e w (3-uinea,projecjt, . ; and it-isjsta^H. that the expedition will sail before Christmas;;:; >~ ■- ■-' »-, r . Prince Bismarck has been severely criticised m 3erlin for neglecting, to acquire New Guinto . for" th'e^niN pi re « ' ■". '.'r'-.':WX ' V'/fH.'V"^ The Specfetbr cotisicliers^it^ow to be^'impossible for England' t6faH6% frregtjlar expeditions s'nch'as^Ge^eii ral M'lyor's id adveritiire in* Jfe% Guinea^'" 1 "' '-^ "'~ -' : '-- } ■ '*- > 3 *> j i^ A feeling is growing m official circles m favor of a 1 modified annexation of New Guinea^ -and 5 the^ establishment of a British protectorate over the Pacific Islands sufficieu.t to prevent an increase of foreign dni fluence over tlwm. A conf erencet^E th^ Agents-General is .to jba t l»eis shortly for the purpose oJE reporting to the ; -Australasian . conference m Sydney on the latest phases of the Pacifiq Aunexatip n Question.