TRADE AND RESOURCES OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9111, 20 July 1888, Page 6

TRADE AND RESOURCES OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

By special request, the Rev. Geo. Brown, the great prominent figure in Wesleyan missionary enterprise in the Pacific, addressed a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday on the above subject. Mr. J. Buchanan, president of the Chamber of Commerce, explained that _ the Council thought it desirable to obtain information from the Rev. Mr. Brown as to the trade of the Islands. Mr. Brown belonged to an eminent branch of the mission service which had done so much to advance the channels of commerce and open the paths of civilisation. They thought that Mr. Brown would like to address them, as he was closely identified with Auckland. He had been at Samoa and at Tonga for 14 years, and then went to New Britain and New Ireland. They were deeply interested in those islands, as being peculiarly their foreign market, and they were deeply indebted to Mr. Brown for consenting 'to address them. He had great pleasure in introducing to them the Rev. Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown said he was now almost sorry that he had consented to address this meeting, for the subject was a very wide one, and with some of its phases they were probably as well informed as he was, but he knew the future of these colonies was identified with those groups of islands, and he felt that their rulers had made a mistake in not annexing the whole of them, as they might have done easily some years ago. He did not think this was necessarily to get more territory, and what he advocated was that the British Government should take the sovereignty not for the desire for land, but in the interests of the natives themselves. He was aware that the British people had their faults, but they treated natives better than other nations. But the British nation had not taken possession, and while he and others were warning the people in Sydney of the danger of these islands being annexed by other nations the German flag was hoisted at Samoa. He did not think they had any reason to complain when they had so often refused to take possession of those islands. No settled Government could be formed by those races. He knew Tonga well. He had been there for 14 years. He had also been in Samoa, New England, New Ireland, &c., and he knew the languages. He might talk shop, he could not help it perhaps, but he claimed that' missionary enterprise had proved a great factor in the development of the trade of those islands. Now, they had a large export of copra from Tonga, but that could not be unless there was a settled Government there. The King passed a law that every man must plant a certain number of cocoanut trees every year. They must see what the result must be. Now, if they compared Tonga with the other groups, they would find that the latter produced little more copra than they had before. Another great feature of the trade was the development of the wants of the people of Tonga. They might have been better without them ; but these wants were excited, and must be supplied. In the Solomon Islands people wanted tobacco, axes, &c.—nothing more. In Tonga, however, they had a beautiful wharf, at which the Union steamers could lie, and they had splendid roads. It was, in fact, the . most interesting group in the world, for there they had Henry George's land theory in actual practice, and every man in Tonga had a right to a certain area of land inalienable for ever so long as he paid taxes. These taxes brought a large amount of trade. The payment of taxes in Tonga was different to Fiji, where they were not allowed to employ Fijian labour, and where the taxes must be paid in produce only. It was different in Tonga, for there they could pay the taxes in money or produce, and this brought out trade. One other point was that Tonga was the most beautiful climate in the world at this season of the year, and no place could be more suitable for a health resort. All it wanted was to be left alone. He had no sympathy with the desire for its annexation, as a most interesting experiment was now in prograss there. The great use of this meeting was not what he should say to them, but he should ask them to consider the matter, and ask him questions, and he would answer them to the best of his ability. They went from Tonga to Samoa, arid they at once saw the difference. In Samoa there was no settled Government, and they fought amongst themselves. When they went to fight they wanted arms, and they mortgaged their lands to obtain them ; but after they got the weapons they were not allowed to fight. This they looked on as a grievance, and that was their way of looking at it. Now, in regard to the German action in Samoa, what he objected to was that they had not acted fairly. If they had said to these people, " You can't govern yourselves, we will govern you," then they would be perfectly right, but instead of that they established no government, and the way they acted towards the unfortunate King M.alietoa was unworthy of a great nation, for after rendering it impossible for him to collect any taxes they claimed from him 1000 dollars compensation and 12,000 dollars for injuries extending over a number of years. But any form of Government was better than none, and without seeking to justify the action of the Germans, he still thought there was a great future for Samoa if the Germans would govern it. What was wanted was peace, and that the people should plant. They should be compelled to plant. Hitherto all the planting had been carried on by large traders. There were some sources of income in these islands which were not yet developed. One of these was a fibre which was valuable for the manufacture of paper, and there was a great quantity of this fibre. Another was in perfumery. There was the wild native orange, which contained an immense quantity of essential oil, and he thought it would be well if they could be induced to develop this branch of trade. He need not speak at any length of Fiji; but there was one feature of hope for that colony in the present Governor Thurston, who was one of the most able administrators in the Pacific. He saved Fiji from several calamities. In the Solomon Islands he thought they should have a strong mission, and this although at the risk of talking shop he urged on the gentlemen present from a mercantile point of view. When he went to New Britain traders had failed to effect a landing. There was one fact which he had pleasure in stating : Prior to their landing not a single ounce of copra was exported from these islands. They were there only five and a half years, and now there were three large firms, and a large export of copra and a great deal of trade. In New Britain the principal point of the growth of the cocoanut tree was the north-east end, but in the Solomon Islands there was comparatively little trade, and there was more export from the north-east end of New Britain than from the whole of the other islands, but these might be more developed if missions were established and the people were taught to plant instead of hunting. He referred to the prohibition of the sale of rifles and ammunition to the natives, and said that traders in the Solomon Islands complained that German vessels evaded this regulation. The principal export from the Islands was copra, and this was unfortunately smoke-dried. He also referred to a three-cornered nut, something like an almond, which was very full of oil, and thought the time must come when millions of tons of these must be used. The natives could easily gather them. In conclusion, Mr. Brown said he thought he could best serve them by answering questions. Mr. Lamb said there was one thing he wished to ask in regard to the island, and that was in regard to the circulation of money and the Chilian dollars. Mr. Brown : Oh, I know that well. Mr. Lamb : Well, what is your opinion as to how to get rid of it ? Mr. Brown said that he recollected when it was introduced, and tried to have it shipped home for melting. In Tonga, where there was a settled Government, this coinage was prohibited; but in Samoa, where there was no settled Government, the Chilian and Bolivian trash was a great misfortune.

In reply to other questions, Mr. Brown said there was a good deal of pearl-shell in the Solomon Islands. As to the oil-nuts he alluded to, he did not know their name, but years ago he had left a bag' of them with Mr. Cheeseman, curator of the Museum, and with Mr. Elliott, in Sydney, but he had got no report from either. It was a staple of food with the natives, and was known amongst traders as the almond nut.

The Chairman said he had great pleasure in proposing a hearty vote of thanks to the Rev, Mi - Brown. They would all agree

* j' ■ I ~ \it sk.'' " that the lecture was interesting ; and valuable, for it suggested thoughts of profitable trade being developed. - n - J Mr. C. C. McMillan seconded the proposition, and in doing so said their best thanks were due to Mr. Brown for his lucid address and the large amount of informal tion he had afforded them. J It was worth r fifty reports, for here they had experience to guide them. Mr. Brown had referred to Samoa, and he (Mr. McMillan) felt convinced that had their Government exhibited the same spirit as Victoria Samoa would not now be a German possession. He instanced the action of Victoria in regard\ to iNew Britain. He said it was their custom to look on the British flag as paramount, but now they had the disgraceful scene of Britain truckling to foreign interests. ,He referred to the sacrifice of Malietoa, and said that a great deal of their want of influence in Samoa was due to the action of the mother country and the apathy of New Zealand. He had to express the greatest admiration of Mr. Brown's heroic conduct in New Britain in acting on his own responsibility in defending himself and those under him against those who came to destroy them, and his conduct on that occasion gained for him the applause of those who supported missions and those who were opposed to them. (Cheers. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Brown returned thanks, and said he would at any time be glad to answer any questions. He had a great regard for Auckland, and would never forget that it was from here he went to the South Seas, and he would always regard it as his home. (Applause.)