The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and Echo. MONDAY, MAY 25, 1885.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 116, 25 May 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and Echo.

MONDAY, MAY 25, 1885.

for th» <miv» Out Uek* utlituc*, For the wrong that n«ed» rulitane*, for tbt futuio in tht 4iiUnoi, And tb( food Out w* «v dt.

The Mixed Commissions which have been sitting in London for some time past, and have now concluded their labours, will, it may be hoped, conduce to a better understanding between England and Germany on South Pacific affairs. The grievance about German land claims in Fiji is at length removed, and the total rejection of some and the reduction of the three claims that were entertained to comparatively small awards, will modify the impression which appears to have taken possession of Prince Bismarck's mind, that great injustice had been done to German subjects by the Land Commission which sat after annexation. The production by Mr Thurston, Colonial Secretary of Fiji, representing England, of maps showing that these land clairrs, based upon alleged native purchases, overlapped each other again and again; that some claims were made for areas not to be found in the districts where the purchase was said to have been made, and that there was a direct conflict of interests in over 1,000 out of 1,500 claims, would convince the members of the Mixed Commission that the Fiji Land Commission undertook an extremely arduous and delicate duty, and had performed it exceedingly well. Notwithstanding that the German representative on the Commission was deeply interested by association, if not pecuniarily, in obtaining awards in certain cases, Mr Sahl's enormous claim of was reduced to ,£9,000, Mr Pfluger's to ;£i,200, and Mr Gerold's to The other claims were rejected. These results reveal the extraordinary exaggeration that has been employed by those who have magnified this petty dispute into a grievance of grave international importance, and they improve our respect for the decisions of the Commission which, under the direction of Sir Arthur Gordon, was entrusted with the adjustment of contested titles to land.

Pacific affairs generally came under the consideration of the Anglo-German Commission, and an agreement on general principles was arrived at which may lead to joint friendly action between England and Germany in their future operations in the South Pacific Islands. The Commissioners recommend that the two Powers should unite in enforcing a common law for the protection of life and property in connection with the South Sea trade. The Commission consider that the sale of lands in uncivilised islands is inadvisable, a resolution which presses upon some of the most prominent of the English and German houses who have become established in the South Pacific They also report strongly against the introduction of convicts either into Samoa or

Tonga. The opinions of the Commissioners are not necessarily binding upon their respective Governments, but they will undoubtedly carry considerable weight, and will, we may hope, produce a better feeling between two great nations whicli have every reason to cultivate a strong friendship, and none for the harbouring of jealousy, suspicion, or unfriendly rivalries.