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impossibility of severing the interests of the Empire into those which could be allotted to the United Kingdom and those which should be allotted to its Dominions beyond the Seas. As a matter of fact, we have all but one interest, though this may be modified by the claims and interests of the several parts. But no gain is possible to the flag in the Pacific which is not of great moment to Great Britain as well as to Australasia. Ido not pretend to apportion the relative values of gains or losses, that would be an idle task. But we may fairly assume at least an equality of interest in matters affecting the Pacific. Owing partly to the dominance of a certain school of political thought in the United Kingclom, which so far as appearances go has much diminished in authority, there was a time when the anxiety of public men in this country was to avoid under any circumstances the assumption of more responsibilities and a great willingness to part with any that they possessed. Ido not know how far that school is still represented, nor does it matter; but there never was a time when a similar school of thought existed in our new countries. From the very first, the earliest settlers even when they were few in number, were large in their ambitions, not for themselves but for the country to which tney belonged, and for those who were to come after them. That was the original cause of difference of policy. Thus the opposite points of view of those who live by the Pacific Ocean, as is our case, and those on this side whose shores are washed by the North Sea, have been the chief ground for difference. But what is sometimes forgotten is that in the very earliest periods, when the British flag was first carried into these seas, there were British statesmen who entertained the largest ideas of the scope of our authority in the Pacific. I think it was when Governor Philip was sent out to the Colony of New South Wales that his Letters Patent not only included Australia, but what were termed the adjacent islands, and although these were the days before steam, at least one of his successors held that " adjacent islands " extended to Tahiti, naturally including all the group between. At all events, the New Hebrides were distinctly included within New Zealand in the earliest days of that Colony, and our title to them was only abandoned in 1840. The prevailing attitude of mind here is fairly expressed in a despatch published in a Blue Book relating to the New Hebrides this year, relating to the Convention with France. Tt appears on page 64, where a despatch of Mr. Alfred Lyttelton, of October 31st, 1903, is quoted. In reply to a paragraph in a letter which I had written, commenting on what I termed " the inaction of the Imperial Government,'' I was directed to this document, as expressing the views which are still held. In this despatch it is pointed out that a vast extent of territory in the Pacific Ocean has been definitely brought under British control during the last 30 years. It must not be forgotten, as I have already said, that it was indefinitely under British authority before that;' but the statements here made show what parts were definitely brought under British control during the last 30 years. Reference is made to Fiji, part of New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert and the Ellis Islands, and the Cook Group, most of those acquisitions having been made as is admitted mainly (sometimes entirely) of the interests and sentiments of Australia and New Zealand. Now that is perfectly true. But for the action of Australia and New Zealand, there would not be an island to-day in the Pacific under the British flag. lam old enough to remember the longagitation which led to the annexation of Fiji which was very nearly allowed to slip through our fingers. I remember only too well the warnings transmitted to the Imperial Government with reference to New Guinea when we were assured by the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Derby, that there was no intention on the part of Germany to annex any part of that island. It was in this faith that the flag hoisted without authority by the Governor of Queensland, the British flag, was hauled down.

Fourteenth Day. 9 May 1907.

British Interests in the Pacific. (Mr. Deakin.)

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