The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1899. NEW ZEALAND TROOPS FOR SAMOA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 4

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

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1899. NEW ZEALAND TROOPS FOR SAMOA.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the -wrong that needs resistance, For the futuro in' the distance, And tho good that we can do.

The action of the Premier in offering to the Imperial Government- the steamer Tutanakei for the conveyance of despatches to Samoa, and also tendering the services of a battalion of the permanent force and volunteers to act as a .landing party in conjunction with the British and American warships, will, we believe, command public approval. If it serve no other purpose,"this display of readiness to actively assist the operations of the Imperial forces in the South Sea Islands will impress the Home Government and Continental nations with the reality of the union between Great Britain and her colonies, and demonstrate the virile energy of these young, countries. It will also strengthen the Colonial Office in its determination to prevent the assumption of sovereign rights over Samoa pr Tonga by Germany.

The colonies are sometimes twitted with their alleged unwillingness to share in the Imperial burden's, and they are charged with making selfish demands, which can only be satisfied at the expense of the British taxpayer. This incident proves, however, that whei« their • interests are directly affected, the colonists are ready and willing to strike a blow in their own defence. New Zealand has always manifested a deep interest in Samoan affairs, and it is a curious fact, attested by men who can speak with knowledge, that the Samoans would welcome annexation -to New Zealand in preference to any of the other suggested changes in their mode of government. Their racial kinship to the Maoris has, no doubt, something to do with this, but the commercial relations which have so long existed between New Zealand' and Samoa, the coming and going of our trading vessels, the geographical proximity which gives New Zealand the character of a neighbour rather than 9, distant Power without. knowledge or sympathy with the Samoan race, the possibility of quick communication, carrying' an assurance that their grievances can be heard and speedily redressed, all these-things have operated on the minds of the Samoans in creating feelings of goodwill towards New Zealand.

The offer made by New Zealand, even if it be not accepted, will, create for this colony a right to be heard in .the final disposition of Samoa when the three Powers which are acting at cross-purposes there to the destruction of a fine aboriginal people agree to settle their differences and give the Samoans a form of government more suited to their circumstances. It will also open the eyes of Continental nations to the strength and self-reliance of the colonists and their readiness, not only to defend themselves, but, if need be, to assume the aggressive in any war in which the Mother Country may become involved. This was the lesson which New South Wales, ivndei 1 the inspiration of Mr Dalley, endeavoured to" teach by the despatch of a New South Wales contingent to Egypt. That enterprise, however, was conceived in a spirit of puce jingoism, because there was no emergency, and England could have obtained all the troops she required more expeditiousIj and less expensively from England or India. In the case of Samoa an adequate landing force is necessary for the protection of British life and property in Apia, and to bring the war to a speedjr termination. Thifj; aid can reach Samoa in four or five days, ' from • New Zealand^ while it could not be sent from England in less than two months, or from the United States under a fortnight. The offer, therefore, is only such as New Zealand was almost bound to- make from a sense of national duty.

Perhaps the most pleasing feature connected with this incident is the readiness with which the volunteers responded to the call of the Government. The regulations under which they are enlisted lay no onus upon them to engage in active service abroad, but throughout the ranks at the Easter encampment to-day there was an absolute, eagerness to become enrolled for this service. The men must be well aware that, campaigning in the bush against a well-armed foe like the Samoans is no child's play, and. their readiness to take the field is a good augury* of their fitness for the responsible position which they hold as the defenders of our hearths and homes against any