THE BARATONGA GROUP.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 90, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BARATONGA GROUP.

TO THE EDITOB. ' Sib— With reference to a late telegram that the British Government had assumed the proteotorate, and a statement which has appeared in the press proclaiming this act the prelude to an immediato incorporation of the group with this colony, there aro some singular features in the procedures which have led up to it, which it is deemed jight the public should bo made cognizant with, in ordor to bo competent to judge of tho expediency or other* ise to commit themselves in a matter involving the gravest risks. These procedures soem to have furnished tho incentive to the Home authorities, and aro in. part set forth in a letter from Mr. Ballanco to the Governor, of which a re-print is given in the Wauganui Herald of the 4th instant. This letter bristles with inaoourooies. It is on record that the meeting -inerein described was not tho result • of "accidont," but had boon secretly jjropared by the then Government for purposes of their scheme, to dotermino plans of operation and settling preliminaries. In this connection taottcs were brought into play similar to those which eventuated in the drawing up and signing of the famous petition at Apia on sth Novembor, 1884, in whioh * it is understood New Zealand was made to play not the most honourable and least aotive parfc< In regard to foreign rights, German interests are well represented in the group. A considerable amount of territory had been aoquirod in three of the islands aa far baok wrß2. It is a faot that in 1881 a number of |fi» representatives of the people of tho islands made voluntary overtures _to the " German Government, through a semi-official channel, to ansume control, and another attempt was made early in '83 with the spontaneous and unreserved cousent of the people, but Germany was not then prepared fo venture upon tho experiment. If any • harrying" has boon, done that cannot bo laid to the charge of the Germans. They, of course, understand and are no doubt quite willing to make allowance for terms in tho mouths of disappointed op- , pononti, whoso sense of justice is marred by an utter selSshness which blinded them oven to the incongruity whioh existed between their ambitious aims and their capacity to supply the demands of snoh territorial acquisition out of their own enterprise and strength. In so far as trade relations aro concerned, it oan only have been by distorting facts that any significance has been attachod to it. Of the total exports from this colony distributed oror the wholo of the independent gronps or islands in these seas, 78 per cent is made np of European or American production. For South Sea produce our market is all but dead, and neror has been more than merely nominal. Whatever is carried here finds its way to Europe or Amerioa. To make a pretence, therefore, that existing oommorcial supremacy furnishes a pretext for political supremacy is, in this instance, as far fetohed as the the theory of a natural domain, whioh was advanoed not long ago •a applying to our unattached South Sea neighbours. We may be quite sure that Germany will not be content to look on with indifforence whon she finds independent territory, where her trade has hitherto been allowed full scope for development, and which it has been permitted her to viow as a legitimate field for efforts of colonization, ' suddenly undor sequestration, and anypreaoqnired rights and. privileges of outsiders rendored nugatory. Sir, tho peoplo of New Zealand can soaroely have boen fully consnlted in this matter, and overy oolonist will have need to carefully weigh tho position before agreeing to accept important political and financial responsibilities at this juncture, suoh as tho step just taken would , seem to indicate has been dovised in all sorioußneea. I am, Ac, N. v. Blabambeko. Matarawa, 6th Oct.