TEE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT AND sa moan.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7220, 8 January 1885, Page 5

TEE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT AND sa moan.

A VISIT FROM THE HINEMOA.

The mystery which has hitherto surrounded the movemeots of the Hinemoa and the proceedings of Ministers was rather deepened than relieved by the appearance of that vessel in our harbour yesterday. The Hinemoa had always a rakish appearance, and when she glided into the harbour yesterday everybody fancied ' that she looked like a piratical cruiser, or a blockade runner, or something of that sort. Even the frank and hearty Captain . Fairchild had an air of mystery about him which did not seem to suit him at all. ' He summoned up courage, however, to come alongside one of the tees of Queen-street Wharf, and it became known at once tbat within two hours the Hinemoa was to be off again. It was obvious from her appearance that the Hinemoa was fitted out for something more than her usual cruise. Her brass gun was carefully cleaned, and well covered from risk of damp. She had, it was whispered, some sixteen stand of arms in the gun-room, besides a complete armament for the sergeant's guard of armed constabulary she had brought up. It was quite evident from the number of hands bustling about, that the crew had been greatly strengthened. Amongst those on board were Mrs. Buckley, wife of the Hon. Mr. Buckley; Mr. G. S. Cooper, Under Secretary ; Mr. W. Mitchell. Soon all on board were in town, and additional stores were sent in hot haste down to the vessel. Tne Hon. Mr.. Tole, Minister of Justice, and Mr. Pennefather, Private Secretary to the Governor, were on board at two o'clock, and soon after the Hinemoa glided away from the wharf again. THE CAUSE OF ALL THE STIB, There is little doubt that the cause of all this recent stir is, that the Government received a petition from Samoa praying that the group should be annexed to New Zealand. This was sent away before the agreement was made with the German Consul, and its arrival at Wellington was the chief reason for ,the postponement of Sir Julius Vogel's departure for Waiwera. Mr. Stout was summoned to Wellington in haste, and. it is said that Major Atkinson was also consulted, as the previous Govornment had directed a good deal of attention to the possibility of Samoa joining New Zealand. At all events, 'Major Atkinson left his home at Taranaki, and went down to Wellington. It is thought too that it is the intention of Sir Julius Vogel to consult Sir George Grey on the subject. Nothing was definitely settled when the Hiuemoa left Wellington, but every preparation was made for a cruise in the South Seas. Even now, we believe, the programme is not fixed, and it is quite possible the Hinemoa may never leave the coast. But all that will b* settled within the next day or two. Everything will probably depend on the attitude of the Imperial Government, for it is hardly likely that the New Zealand Ministry is acting in this matter without the knowledge of the Colonial Office. Indeed, one may reasonably assume, from all that has taken place, that the evident " hitch " which has occurred in the arrangements is not altogether unconnected with the views of the Imperial Government in regard to the contemplated action of the Stout. Vogel Cabinet in Samoa. THE SAMOAN PETITION. The Thames Advertiser publishes the fol-, lowing extract from a private letter from Mr. George Spencer, who writes from Samoa on the 2nd December:—"There has been great political excitement here, caused by the Germans trying to annex Samoa. I need hardly say that their attempt proved abortive. The Samoans collected from all parts of the Islands and crowded into Apia, and told the Germans that they would rather die to a man than allow Germany to take Samoa. . The feeling against the Germans is very bitter indeed. The King and chiefs have sent a petition to Great Britain praying for the English Government to annex Samoa, also one to the Now Zealand Government to the same effect."

THE SAMOAN ISLANDS. The Samoan or Navigator Group extends over four degrees of longitude. There are ten inhabited islands, extending from Ta'u, the easternmost, to Savaii, the most western island. The three largest islands are visible one from the other. They are lofty and volcanic, baing a chain of extinct craters. Of their beauty and fertility no adequate conception can be formed by those who have not seen them, Savaii is the largest; of them, being somewhere about 250 miles round, with a height approaching 4000 feet. It is of conical form, and rises from the sea like a vast dome of green vegetation. There is only one harbour for large ships on Savaii, bat a great trade is conducted around its coast by small schooners owned by the merchants of .Apia, in the neighbouring island. There are a number of Europeans on Savaii, probably not less than 100 ; they are chiefly English, employed in the purchase of kopra from the natives, although some are engaged in cotton plantipg. Of tlje population of the whole Samoan Group, trhich amounts to about 40,000, more than one-third reside upon Savaii. Nevertheless, only along the coast line and for a few miles inland is it inhabited, the interior being a mere wilderness of the most gorgeous tropical vegetation groves, dense eveirto darkness, •of palms and plantains, citrons and mangos, bread fruit everywhere, and wild yams trailing themselves into a matted jungle. On the flanks of the great mountains are tracts of forest, in which a man might wander for weeks without finding his way out, of the most valuable timber trees, of gigantic aim These forests are traversed by ravines, with innumerable waterfalls for the turning of sawmills, and streams for the floatage of logs. In these woodland wastes, seldom penetrated by the natives, except for the purpose of boar-hunting or pigeon-oatching, are to be found growing in abundance many indigenous products, as yet unregarded by traders, sueh as : Ginger, the true nutmeg of commerce, a sort of wild fibre, which, iu its manner of growing out of a pod, resemble* cotton, but in lustre is equal iO silk, and which has never yet been utilised in any way, though it grows in patches of sometimes hundreds of acres in extent; and various species of cane of the trailing kind, among them the true Bate, or rattan of the East Indies, which is used for so great a variety of purposes, and in many parts of the world constitutes an important article of commerce. There are upon the island many horses of a very good breed imported from Sydney. Cattle iii like manner do remarkably well, and are increasing rapidly. Neither in their case, nor in that of the horse, has the stock deteriorated from change of climate. As concerns the rearing of sheep, it does not appear that the experiment has been tried ; 'but goats do welL Swine are in great plenty; they are like-' wise wild in the forests, where they grow to a large size, and are exceedingly fierce. There are few diseases indigenous to Samoa, which is, without exception, one of the healthiest climates in the world. The natives are intelligent, honest, and peaceable. The centre of commercial operations upon the Samoan 'Group is situated at Apia, on the north coast of Upolu. Here iB a large harbonr presenting accommodation for a very great number of ships. The trade of the pore is very considerable. The natural resources of the island of Upolo are very great. Large tracts of sugarcane and maize are cultivated by the Germans ; they have also planted coffee with great success, and rice of a kind enormously prolific, which is grown upon elevated plateaux without irrigation, it being a species not requiring to be flooded at any time with water. Some yeats ago a German firm purchased from the natives about 25,000 acres of valuable land, 'lihe greater portion of this property is situated upon Upolo, and consists of a triangular block extending nearly five miles along the sea coast. SAMOA AND NEW ZEALAND. There has always been a strong desire oa the part of the rulers of .New Zealand to have the Samoan Group incorporated in the British Empire, either by the establishment' of a British protectorate or its creation into a British colony. As far back as IS7I the Legislative Council urged upon the Imperial Government the desirability of establishing British authority upon the group. In a memorandum transmitted by Governor Bowen to the Colonial Office, it was pointed out that, "in the event of war, a foreign power might, under pretence of a protectorate, take possession of the group, and, with a small fleet at command, might inflict great injury upon the Australasian Colonies," and the Imperial Government were assured that anything within reason which it may be desired the colony should do, to aid Great Britain in establishing for the group some form of protectorate, will receive from the

i Assembly the utmost consideration." On the motion of Colonel Wbitmore, it wu resolved "That it is desirable that the Government Bhoold take the earliest practicable steps for the establishment of British authority in the Navigator Islands; and that a committee be appointed to prepare an address to Her Majesty, to' give effect to this resolution, and for the purpose of . the annexation of those islands to New Zealand." The address was accordingly drawn up. It stated : "That, with » view to the - better prevention of the iniquitous traffic in Polynesian labour, and to the better protection of British commerce in the Pacific, and especially the postal and commercial connection with Great Britain through the United States of America, which this colony has made great sacrifices to create, it is of the greatest importance that your Majesty's authority should, as speedily as possible, be established in the Navigator Islands; that,' in the event of the annexation or assnmption of a protectorate over those islands by a foreign Powera contingency which, from reliable information, appears to be imminent —British interests in the Australian colonies would, in time of war, become seriously endangered ; that, as these islands appear to be well suited for settlement, and the population desirous of being more closely xonnected with your Majesty's Empire, it is Jiighly desirable that the group should be attached as a dependency to such one of the Australian colonies as your Majesty may select." In reply to the memorandum and address, Earl Kimberley curtly replied (February 23, 1872), "Her Majesty's Govern.ment are not insensible to the fact that the increase of commerce in the Pacific, and the constant advance of European settlement in those regions, must render the South Sea Islands of far greater interest than formerly. They are not, however, prepared to advise 'Her Majesty to take upon herself further direct responsibilities, such as would be entailed upon her by the assumption of sovereignty or a protectorate over the Navigator Islands." Information having reaohed the New Zealand Government that the American Government were endeavouring to obtain a footing in the group by contracting a treaty with the Samoan ohiefs. Sir Julius Vogel, who was then (1872) • Post-master-General, addressed a memorandum to the Governor, which was transmitted to Earl Kimberley, in which it was pointed out that such a treaty might prove " very detrimental to the Australian colonies generally, and to New Zealand in particular. " The result of this memorandum was that diplomatic correspondence was entered into between the British and American Governments respecting the cession of the harbour oi Pago-Pago by the Samoan chiefs to America. A copy of this correspondence was sent to the New Zealand Government, and on August 1, 1873, Governor Fergusson sent a despatch to the Home Government in which he said : "My advisers are very desirous that the Imperial Government should at once take steps to prevent the Navigator Islands falling into foreign hands, or should allow the New Zealand Government to make such arrange* ments with the chiefs of the Islands as will protect New Zealand interests. The group is too near New Zealand to make it desirable that the Islands should be annexed by any foreign Power. I am therefore moved to represent that immediate action in the matter is extremely desirable. In communicating the views of my advisers to your Lordship, they desire that I will request Her Majesty's Government to grant to this eolooy the right to negotiate directly with the chiefs of the Navigator Islands, in the event of Her Majesty's Government deciding not to take action themselves." The Imperial Government, however, declined to do anything in the matter, or to grant the New Zealand Government the power they desired, of negotiating with the chiefs. In 1875 H.M.S. Barracouta, Captain Stevens, visited Samoa, and two chiefs asked the commander to annex the Islands. The King, M'&lietoa, hearing of this, imprisoned the chiefs, at the instigation, it is alleged, of an American named Steinberg. The King,' however, subsequently wont on board the Barracouta and denounced Steinberg, for which His Majesty Tpas deposed by the natives, a number of whom were seized by Captain Stevens as hostages for Malietoa's safety. The captain also arrested Steinberg, which led to a skirmish with the natives. The more recent events—the Hunt episode, and the visit of Sir Arthur Gordon to Samoa—will be fresh in the public mind, as will also the action of the German Government in Samoa, and the native petitions addressed to the New Zealand Government in favour of annexation.