ISLAND FEDERATION SCHEME.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 70452, 1 October 1900, Page 2

ISLAND FEDERATION SCHEME.

In moving the Island Federation Scheme, Mr Seddon said he had never made a speech of greater importance than the one he was about to deliver. The motion practically meant a new departure for New Zealand and the inauguration of a foreign policy and the bringing together of the people of the Pacific Islands into closer touch with this colony. He cared not which colony these islands were attached to so long as they were under the British Flag. There was not jealousy of the other colonies in the steps proposed to be taken. He referred to the stops taken by past New Zealand statesmen in the direction of annexing these Islands, and considered that the Imperial authorities had shown a short-sighted policy in dealing with that subject that amounted to serioua neglect of the interests of the Empire. Had the intention of the New Zealand Government years ago to annex Samoa to the colony not been frustrated by the Imperial Government, the Empire would not have lost that Island, and much useless bloodshed would have been averted. The action of the Government of the day in forming a protectorate over the Cook Islands had had the effect of keeping out foreign Powers. The Imperial authorities were now much more alive to the interests of the Empire than on any previous occasion, and he had reason to believe that the British Government would not turn a deaf ear to the proposals contained in the motion. In the Cook Group there was a population of 15,000, besides a considerable number of Europeans. Tonga and Raratonga, for instance, were only four days' steam from New Zealand, so that geographically speaking they were in touch with this colony, whioh, he contended, should command the whole trade of the islands. Again, as to the Fiji Islands, if annexation was agreed to it would add 40,000 people to this colony and increase its trade by LIOO.OOO annually. He outlined the terms under which the proposed islands should be annexed. These would be local self-government, and the disposal of land would be through the Crown only. He proposed that one native minister from each group should be appointed to Parliament, and one European to the Legislative Council. The natives of these islands were practically the same race as the Maoris. The islands would be made self-supporting, and this Parliament had a duty to perform in preserving the raoe of these beautiful and fertile islands, and he reminded the House that their commerce would go where the British flag floated.