THE RECIDIVISTES AND ANNEXATION QUESTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7005, 30 April 1884, Page 3

THE RECIDIVISTES AND ANNEXATION QUESTIONS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l see by your London telegrams of the 16th instant that a Mr. W. A. Long, in a letter to the Times, predicts "That the Kecidivistes Bill will compel the colonies to seize New Caledonia, and commence a struggle for the mastery of the Pacific." The idea of the colonies seizing New Caledonia is, to my mind, an absurdity, as England would not and the colonies could not seize JN ew I Caledonia. The Conference held at Sydney should have taken iuto consideration the question of the acquirement of New Caledonia in a peaceful manner, and I think, had they done so* that they would no doubt have come to the conclusion that to purchase New Caledonia from the French Government was the only way in which they could possibly hope to exclude the reciaivistes. The proteets of the Australasian colonies against the Recidivistes Bill is useless, as the trans portation of French convicts is a domestic matter, which cannot be made an international question betwetn France. The colonies, no doubt, have very good grounds for respectfully requesting, through England, the sale of New Caledonia by the French as they could have represented that the transportation of recidiviates was a standing menace to them, and that the ooly way out of the difficulty was the acquirement of New Caledonia, bv purchase, at aay even a cost of £2,000.000 to £5,000,000. an amount which would not be felt by the colonies. Iu consideration of which sale, England could have arranged with the French Government not to interfere with her right to annex the various groups near Tahiti, viz., Cook, Hervey, Austral, and others. Tr.e acquirement of New Caledonia by the colonies would have the effect of placing the recidivistes at Tahiti and Marquesas, etc., at a distance of some 3120 miles away from Australia, and 1960 miles from New Zealand, thus effectually preventing their escape to the colonies. The Frenoa Press i 3 very severe on New South Wales objecting to the Kecidivistes Bill, is tUey say that that colony was established by convicts, many of whem aud their descendants now occupy official and other high pesitioes there. Ther<- is no doubt some truth in those remarks, and I think this recidivistes question has not been looked at in its proper light. I consider that all the agitation against the recidivistes on the part of England aud the ( Australasian colonies, taken from England's Corietian standpoint, is most un-Chrisuaa-like. I do not look upon mankind, no matter how low or debased by crime, as utteriy irreclaimable, and in the introduction <.f these recidivist's, whether it be to Saw Caledonia or to the Society Island*, I feel sure that they will have a new start in life. Bad and all as these recidivistes may be, stili 1 think that when they Hud that they can make a comfortable h'.ime an i living from their labour iu tbese n-lands, that a very large of them will reform and become law abiding people. Nature is so bountiful to the inhabitants of these islands, that any man who works two hours per day, can Diilie a much better living than many of [ the lower classes in Europe possibly hope to do. We all know tnat all overcrowded countries like England ami France, poverty is the cause of crime, and that where there is an absence or poverty, crime is reduced to & minimum. In regard to Mr. Lang's idea of the struggle for the mastery of the Pacilic by the colonu s, i I consider that all the agitation in reference to the annexation of the New Hebrides and , other inlands (always excepting New Guinea, which I look upon as much a part of Australia as the South Island is to the North Island of New Zealand) as a great mistake. The time has not arrived for annexation— it is unnecessary— and would otily lead to heavy Curtorns duties, etc., like Fiji instead of free ports. If the British Governi ment, in conjunctiou with the great Powers, viz., Germany, France, United States, who , are interested iu the South Seas, would declare a joint protectorate over New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, New Britain, and New Ireland, and other groups, and encourage native governments by supporting one high chief as king of each group, there would be no necessity to annex these islands, as law and order would soon be established. The King of Samoa should be allowed to annex all the islands to the north, northeast, and north-west <>f Samoa, viz. Tokelau, Gilbert, l'fcceuix, Kingsinill, Marshall, Carlovee, and others. The independence of the Samoan confederation and the other groups should be guaranteed by the great Powers, the advantage of which would be that in the event of a war with Germany, France and England, there would be over 2000 rriles of neutral waters in the Samoan group alone, and all other groups would be neutral ports for the ships of the nations at war. The establishment of native governments is, to my mind, much more advantageous to the Australian colonies than annexation, and without the enormous expense, which would be incurred in governing and protectine these islands.—l am. Ac., April 19, 18S4. W. J. Hunt.