THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7222, 10 January 1885, Page 5

THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

GERMANY AND THE ISLANDS

EXPECTED ANNEXATION. >To final decision has yet been come to by fchu New Zealand Government respecting the S«noP.n question, but in view of Lord Derby's telegram it is considered doubtful bother any action will now be taken by the Ministry to annex Samo*. Ministers are jstturally exasperated at the attitude of t e Imperial authorities, and at the consequent disarrangement of their plans. Ha t eir original intention been carried out it is protable that Lord Derby would not haveibeen made aware of their designs until they had been accomplished. But to this course the Governor was reluctant to consent, deference to bis wishes it was anally agreed that a telegram should be sent to the Colonial 0 We have reason to believe that should the Hinemoa ultimately proceed to Samoa it will be found that Germany has anticipated the action of the New Zealand Government, and declared a protectorate over the group. When the Albatross, the German war vessel, left Auckland for Samoa recently, she carried full instructions received by the San Francisco mail from Berlin respecting Samoa, and we should not bo surprised to learn that the German flag has already been hoisted on the islands. [by telegraph—own correspondents.! Wellington, Friday.

The Post has an article on the Hinemoa mystery. It says: " From Auckland comes the explanation of what it all means, and, so far as we can see, nothing but a pure love of mystery prevented the facts being made known as they occurred. Instead of adopting a candid and straightforward course, Ministers persistently and unblushinglj denied that there was any mystery at all, and in most precise terms asserted that there was not the slightest foundation in truth for the rumours which generally prevailed. The conduct of Ministers in this matter will certainly not raise them in public, .estimation, and will make people very chary of placing implicit faith in their statements on any question. With regard to the wisdom of their proceedings in relation to Samoa we have not space on the present occasion to express fully our opinion. The matter is a very important one, and may involve grave consequences. "We can scarcely believe that Ministers will act in defiance of the opinion of the Imperial Government, as their doing so would be quite useless. Neither Germany nor any other Power would be likely to pay the slightest attention to any unsupported action by New Zealand in the matter, and unless sanctioned by the Imperial Government any step in the direction of annexation taken by New Zealand would simply render those taking it, and the colony generally, supremely ridiculous in the eyes of the world." Timaru, Friday.

The Herald has ail article on.Ministers and Samoa, in which it says:—We believe the Ministers themselves are in great uncertainty, not wishing to let slip the opportunity of making a grand coup, but yet fearing to commit a blunder which would not only cover them with ridicule but might very likely produce disastrous results. Under the peculiar circumstances they could not take a wiser course, we are convinced, than to frankly seek the assistancs of Sir G. Grey, and •if they mean to send the Hinemoa to the - Pacific, to ask him to go in her as commissioner,, with full power to do whatever he may think best. It is exactly the sort of undertaking that he is fitted for, and that he would fulfil better than any other man probably in this hemisphere.. He speaks the language of several of the groups, and is well acquainted with the manners and customs of the natives, while his rank, his venerable and commanding address, his accomplishments, and his singularly influential character would go far to remove difficulties in the event of complication s, arising with the officers or subjects «>i jrceaee c-t Germany. The Minis* tar? fcfive no ds&;«oy in approaching Sir G 10, Grey, in oonneoliou ..liii Lhe annexati on question, since he was the author of the Annexation and Confederation Act, the most statesmanlike and perhaps the only practical measure yet proposed for dealing with that difficult question. If New Zealand is to make history by annexing territory in the Pacific, we hope it will be under the personal auspices oi Sir Geo. Grey.