THE LOOMING STRUGGLE FOR FIJI.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10778, 4 October 1900, Page 4

THE LOOMING STRUGGLE FOR FIJI.

The moment appears to have arrived when a change in the system of Government must take place at the Fiji Islands, and, with his customary astuteness, Mr. Seddon has admirably timed his Island federation scheme to meet the occasion. When the Premier'g-afar.nexation proposals were laid before ParlUment a few days ago, we expressed the opinion that Mr. Seddon's original, ideas had been on a considerably larger scale than was disclosed in his resolution; furthermore that he was not a man to relinquish easily his ambitious desires. Subsequent events seem "to bear out these views, and to point to a clever piece of diplomacy on the part of the Premier, which, even if it fails to achieve success, will leave open

to him a way of retreat with credit undiminished. Having secured a standing among the tropical Pacific islands, such as is possessed by no other Australasian colony, Mr. Seddon now launches his larger scheme 3or federation with Fiji, a_nd he has ingeniously managed that the request shall come from the residents of the islands themselves, and not from New Zealand. Thus, if the outcry which the proposal has caused in Australia has the -effect of checking the movement, it is the islanders and not the New Zealand Government who have had their wishes thrust aside. This cleverly contrived arrangement of.the situation, however, has been somewhat rudely disturbed by the arrival here of the Fiji newspapers containing the reports of the proceedings at the meeting at which it was decided to approach this colony on the subject of Federation. Tha mover of the resolution, in concluding his oration, said "You have heard "the letters which have been written by " New Zealand's* Premier, Mr Seddon—the "most powerful colonial statesman of the

" day. Now is our opportunity; do not "let us reject the proffered h_nd of that "colony." Thus the power behind the Throne is disclosed to the public gaze. Mr Seddon's "proffered hand" may haunt his sleeping hours before the opponents of the scheme have ceased to direct attention to it, as a means of discounting the seemingly spontaneous desire of residents of Fiji to federate with New Zealand.

A Parliamentary paper just issued sets out the text of the petition and some other matters bearing cm tihe -subject. From this it seems that some fifteen years ago a similar petition ior annexation was .presented to the Parliament of New Zealand, but did not then meet with a favourable reply. Since that time the white population of the Islands has increased, until it now numbers about 4000 persons, and the old disabilitieand grievances are said to be as strong as ever. In addition to the whites there are some ninety thousand natives on the Islands, and about fifteen thousand Indians, who were imported ifor labouring work on the great sugar phuitatio—s. The "grinding communal system uixfer which the native Fijians are, against their wills, compsUsd to live" is referred to by the petitioners as being responsible for an unhappy condition of things among the natives, w_ile the white popojation are not much better off. Personal Government exists there, and neither the whites nor tho natives have any voice in t_e making of the laws under which they live, and they are altogether unrepresented in the Legislature, which levies the taxes they have to pay. In fact, it is claimed that in the administration' of public affairs the -iterests of the white inhabitants are altogether disregarded, and their wishes, though respect! Fully and constitutionally expressed, meet wi—_ curt and uncourteous refusal. Th© Rev. Mr. Slade, of the Wesleyan Mission at the lelands, gives a warm personal support to the proposed federation witU New Zealand, and recites at length his reasons for doing so. Chief of them is his desire to see the native race e.evated, and the experience- this colony has had in dealing with the Maoris, he think?, specially qualifies it to have the care of the Island races.

As to the advantages to be derived by New Zealand from Federation, the present petitioners are strangely silent. They, however, state that the colony of Fiji is even now self-supporting, and practically without debt. Freed from the withering effects of arbitrary and irresponsible personal governtnent, they regard the potentiaiitie*- oi the

colony such as to place it in the first rank' among the tropical possessions of tho Crown. This is quite right and proper from the Fijian point of view, but this colony ought to give the position very careful consideration before committing itself in any way. No doubt*"the position of affairs in Fiji, so far as the colony's finances are concerned is satisfactory at the present time, but it must not be forgotten that some years ago the Imperial Government had to come to the assistance of the Island authorities with a grant of some £100,000 odd, in order to smooth away certain financial difficulties that had arisen. Again, the control of some ninety thousand discontented natives is not a burden to be lightly undertaken. The Fijian Islanders are very different from the Maoris, and, in many respects, are a very inferior race. The Rev. Mr. Slade, who has

an intimate knowledge of the islanders, and who so eloquently pleads for their up-lifting, candidly admits this. In referring to their lack of "character," he says:—"We, who "work for and among them, know too painfully, how deficient in manly qualities they "are. Courage, honour, firmness, persever- " ance, pure ambition, truthfulness, *" unselfishness — these and kindred "qualities are all too rare." It is evident that these natives expect consider: able concessions, chiefly in the way of relief from taxation, under the cnange of Government proposed, and if they are disappointed in regard to these, the colony may be embroiled in a serious Native difficulty. The labour question would prove a source of some embarrassment, especially in connection with our laws against aliens. Altogether the issues involved in the request for Federation are too serious for this colony to make up its mind hurriedly on the subject. Mr. Seddon's ambition to extend the in-

fluence of New Zealand is a very proper one, but ths public will require to be convinced that there are very substantial advantages to be derived, before consenting to accept the risks and responsibilities this colony would undertake by adopting the course suggested in the petition he has laid before Parliament.