SIR GEORGE GREY'S ADVICE TO GREAT BRITAIN.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4264, 29 March 1879, Page 3

SIR GEORGE GREY'S ADVICE TO GREAT BRITAIN.

["EvemingPost."} Sir George Grey has addressed a memorcndum to the Secretary of State in reply to a despatch of the litter on the subject of the New Hebrides, and takes the opportunity of again urging upon the Home Government bis views as to the policy which should be pursued with reference to the islands of the Pacific. After referring to the great natural advantages of New Zealand, and Us prospects of becoming a great commercial and maritime country, the Premier urges that if it ia worth the while of Great Britain to go to a great expense to render life and property secure in Cyprus, and to establish good government there, surely it ia much more worth the while of Australia and New Zesland to take care that life and property are secure) in the most fertile of the __ds in ths Pacific—wheae there are many Cyprus——and that good government- are establish*d in the--, Indeed, their future

**f*ty from wax,l«bd teoable—nie dispute* with other Powers, depends upon,. th_, being done; for the population of those islands will be displaced in various way*, and the gaps thus left will be filled with miscellaneous popti-, lotion* being poured into them, composed of element* difficult of assimilation, not readily susceptible of control, and whose entry into the islands should be carefully watched and provided for This heterogeneous population will most probably be composed of some of the aborigines of each island, of inhabitants, of other islands, of Malays, Chinese, runaway eailors of various nationalities, escaped convicts from the French penal settlements; and it is almost certain that the various parsons making up the mass of those populations will contain amongst their number, some of the most indifferent characters ef the classes which they represent. Thus those island, will either be sources of Wealth and commerce, and the abodes of contentment and good order, or sources of wild disorder, and the cause of long-continued and desolating strife. Sir George Grey dwells strongly on the injustice of Great Britain. I compelling the colonies to make the great i sacrifice*, and to run the great risks entailed upon them when the mother country is involved in war, and at the same time refraining from occupying the Pacific Islands, and preventing its own subjects also from occupying those islands, whilst foreign powers are permitted to take possession of them. In urging that a calm review should he taken of all the circumstances, Sir George adds :; — "A consideration of the misery and great expenditure which may he brought upon the British colonies in this part of tho world by following one line of policy, whilst a vast commerce, wealth, and enterprise will be gradually called into existence by pursuing another. course, must, I believe, afford convincing reasons in favour of the wisdom and justice of allowing the colonies either to annex to any colony by agreement, or to occupy with-the' consent of the inhabitants, islands in the Pacific Ocean, tbe cost of governing and maintain—g which it may be unwilling to undertake. I confidently think that a generous policy of this nature will raise feelings of gratitude in the minds ef tiie colonists to the Mother Country and will bind the empire in stronger bonds of union, producing results equally advantageous to the trade and commerce of the colonies and of the Mother Country, and that to follow the opposite course of refusing to allow the'colonies to assume the Government of the Pacific Islands, and yet to permit foreign nations to do so, will ultimately result in unpleasant feelings towards Great Britain, and in a series of disasters, as years roll by, which can now be easily provided against. Surely, it is better for Great Britain to allow great, wealthy, and prosperous communities to develop themselves in this portion of the world, spreading the Christian faith, British law*, the English language and literature —this series of events proceeding quietly and regularly in a natural order—than to ■tint and impoverish communities capable of such a beneficial extension, thereby creating discontent in the minds of a people who, from sympathy and natural feeling, how cling so closely to the Mother Country, and reguUrly undergo many inconveniences and incur much expenditure to promote and sustain the greatness of the nation from whioh they have sprung, and in tbe might and beneficence of which they feel tbe greatest pride.