THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16341, 12 October 1918, Page 4

THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

SOME EARLY HISTORY. Some correspondence has teen going on in the "Wairarapa Standard" about tho future and the past of the Pacific Islands. Mr Coleman Phillips, in the course of some letters, maintained that it was a complete mistake to give Sir George Grey any credit for a British policy in the Pacific. What is known.as "The Polynesian Scheme" of 1873 was, Mr Phillips claims, his own. The correspondence was sent to the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, by Mr Phillips, and Sir Robert sent the following interesting reply, dated August 4th:— "Many thanks for your letter with enclosures. I know your past efforts for the control of tho Pacific being vested in Britain. The fact is, Sir George Grey did not understand its importance. In 1884 I tried to get 'Rapa,' but he did everything possible to block me. I believe we might have agreed with France for its acquisition, and we might agree yet. It I 3 the finest harbour in tho Southern Pacific, and! right in the line of voyage between NewZealand and Panama; "I sent a dispatch, as Acting-Gov-ernor,, in 1887 about Samoa to the Colonial Office, hut the Office marked it 'confidential and it was never published. "I may add, when in office in 188487, I urged the Colonial Office to buy out the German Company, and in 1899 opposed, as strongly as I could, the seizure of Samoa by the Germans."