WESTERN PACIFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 238, 5 October 1908, Page 2

WESTERN PACIFIC.

i OKXNTROL.. OF THE. ISLANDSNEW ZJSALAXD'S DSEEREST& His E\celle.Qcy the Governor, at the request of the Goverannerat, has brought* tbe- following Hepreeentation from .the Resident Comaiissioner of tbe Cook Islands- under the notice of the Imperial Government -. — Colonel Gudgeon to the Prime Minister,— I have the honour to bring under your notice that there are certain islands, the property of the British situated to the north of New Zealand, islands that ought- to be placed under the atttinority or jurisdiction of this colony, vizi:— Christmas Island and valuable pearl* shell lagoon; now leased to the Lever Brothers, and, in part, planted with coeosnut palms, bat is also a guano , island.. Mald'ten Leased to Griee, Sumn63t y anoT Co., of Melbourne; now being platried viath cocoanut palms, but is also a gua,w* island. Startwtok Island: Lying waste; and one or tww. smaller islands in the vicinity. These j-slands are now under the jurisdiction' of Commissioner of the Western that officer can, by reason of distance want of communication, exercise no supervision over the said islands. Whatever trade or comffHrnrica•tkm there may is with Cook and ■northern islands 01* New Zealand; and' I would poin-t out .tJtat we find all the labour used in the ietesiSs, and, thesefore, have a direct intivest in the Welfaije of those people. I am unable to say terni of lease has been gratittii to the Lever's Cpm"pany,"but' I submdt that tt is not advisable 'that tie -firm in question should obtain a monopoly of the ctxvsxait in the Eastern Pacific. Note. —This matter is of mtHSB importance than appears on. the face. Some of these islands \rili, in the futune, supply la"rg6 qaantities of copra, and t»at occupatoon would prevent nronopoly.—-W-E-G-