THE SOLOMONS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16585, 26 July 1919, Page 10

THE SOLOMONS.

AX OUTPOST OF THE "WHITE RACE. Captain G, L. Tucoa, who was visiting tho Solomons when tbo war brolso out, and who loft to toko his part in fhs great conflict, rocontly revisited tho islands, and in the course of an interview yestcrdny with a roprosontatlvo of "The Press," ho gave somo interesting information regarding affairs in that outpost of tho white raco in tho Pacific. After his absence of 4} roars Mr Tacon found conditions much altered; many of the younger men of the European population having gone to the war, some never to return. Mr Charles Workman, a man of very varied colonial experience, gained chieflv in Australia and Fiji, and a man of marked ability and administrative initiative, had been appointed British Commissioner, and with his sympathetic co-operation Planters' Associations had been formed throughout tho group. Tho primary objects of these Associations are: —(1) That the islands should remain undor the direct control of tho Imperial Government; (2) to achieve the effective occupation by the British of tho islands by people to whom tho climatic conditions are suitable, (a) by tho resumption and utilisation of unoccupied and waste native lands, and (b) by providing, or obtaining, an nde- j quato supply of tropical labour from j outside the islands; (3) direct repre- i sentation in the government of the islands, similar to that' obtaining in Fiji—tho island to remain under the j Colonial Office, and not attached to Australia; and (4) that after all tho requirements of the natives are provided for, and ample resorves mado for the natives, the unoccupied and waste lands be resumed, and settlement theroon encouragod. Tho position is, Mr Tacon explained, that the Solomon Islanders are dying out; the land is extremely fertile, and the islands are within eight or nine . days' steam of China and Japan, and four or five days' steam of Australia and New Zealand. The Solomons arc extensive, and can carry with comfort, •a large population capable of withstanding the climatic conditions—and the Chinese and Japanese come-withui that category. It is not a white man a country, and it cannot be colonised except with tropical labourers. The aggregate area of the islands is about equal to the area of Java, which carries a population of 40,000,000. "Tho Salomons," Mr Tacon continned. "and the adjacent islands, are the buffer between the white and yellow races in these soas; to the north, are 500,000,000 Chinese and Japanese, to the south 6.000,000 white people, far removed and isolated from their main base. That the whito population in the Solomons foel their position acutely is shown by the formation of the Planters' Associations. When I was there recently I saw Japanese trading craft going in and out of Faisi, tho northernmost port of the islands; they were being turned back by the Resident Government Officer, and wore being refused traders' licenses in . tho group. These so-called traders appeared to be educated men,.and there is no doubt in my mind, or in the minds of any white man down there, that their appearance was a part of a plan to obtain a trading footing in the ground. And I think that that effort will be continued. It behoves the white people of Australia and New Zealanu to recognise that. the whito planters of tho Solomons are endeavouring to protect the interests of tho peoples of Australasia, and the interests of their children. If the clash comes between yollow and white in the Pacific —and it seems to be inevitable, sooner or later —it will be felt first in the Solomons. The group possesses some magnificent harbours suitable for bases for the largest ships. The British can only hold the islands by effective occupation, and that cannot be done without an adequate supply of tractable tropical labour, say from India or Java. It is to be hoped that thoso who control tho destinies of New Zealand and Australia will see to it that the white men in these outposts are upheld by all the strength that can he brought to bear. It is a workingmen's question—it raises the whole question'of the maintenance _of the white man's standard of living in these lands under the Southern Cross.' >