THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1893.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9111, 31 January 1893, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1893.

In yesterdays paper we gave an account by cable of a revolution in the islands of the Hawaian Group, or rather a counter revolutpn, by which a change of Government effected on the 16th of January lafc was reversed. „ A provisional Government has now been appointed tfi administer affairs, pending the neatiation of the terms of union with tfl» United States. By the mail we haveln account from our own correspondent at Honolulu of the circumstances wfech led up to these political changes. I Honolulu mist always have a special interest for u« It is in the Pacific Ocean, and haaan influential position in reference trj the northern part of that ocean, as Ive have in the south. The native inhabitants are of the same race as our Mjoris, and have shown some capacity pr civilisation. Honolulu will alwau be a calling place for our San Francis!) line, and will be a stage ,in the construction of the Pacific cable. The Hawaiian Islands were united into a monarclr under Kamehameha, who was succeeded in 1819 by his son. The education If the Hawaiians was the result of missionary effort. In 1843 the independent of the Hawaiian Kingdom was formally guaranteed by the French and English Governments. The line of tlielKamehameha family terminated in £73, and Kalakaua was elected King\ About 1886 the unsatisfactory stale of the public nuances demanded reform, and in 1887 the King was calM upon to dismiss his Cabinet, and to Want a new Constitution. Under that Constitution the power of the Government was curtailed. The total population If all the islands is estimated to be abou\ 80,576, of whom 51,539 were males a\d 29,039 were females. Of this tofyl 40,014 were natives. There is a Cijnese element numbering 17,939, and iiere are also Portuguese, Americans, (firmans, and English. The foreigners We resident chiefly in or about the capital, and of course have considerable poyer in political affairs. By the Constitution there were two Houses, the House V»f Nobles and the House of Representatives, each consisting of 24 members, hid both popularly elected, the nobles for six years, the representatives for tvo. The two Houses sit together. The reigning

Queen was Liliuokolani. Up to the late revolution the chief of the Administration was Mr. G. N. Wilctyc, and his Cabinet apparently gave satisfaction to the foreign residents, at all events. The Queen, however, was dV contented, and intrigued against then\ desiring to amend the Constitution. The Wilcox Ministry were at length disposed of, and a Ministry, consisting of Messrs. Parker, Cornwell, Colburn, and Peterson, were appointed. The new Ministry issued the following singular proclamation : —

Her Majesty's Ministers desire to express their appreciation for the quiet and order which has prevailed in this community since the events of Saturday, and are authorised to say that the position taken by' Her Majesty in regard to the promulgation of a new Constitution was under stress of her native subjects. Authority is given for the assurance that any changes desired in the fundamental law of the laud will be sought only by methods provided in the Constitution itself. Her Majesty's Ministers request all citizens to accept the assurance of Her Majesty in the sumo spirit in which it is given.

It was stated • that the Queen was well prepared to resist any attack, and had 300 men under arms in the Palace. However, the counter revolution seems to have been achieved without bloodshed. The new Ministers were compelled to resign and the troops remained quiescent. The Queen, it was stated, proposed to disenfranchise foreigners, and to place the Government; in the hands of the natives.

Such an idea is out of the question, seeing the large foreign element at Honolulu. But that foreign element is very much mixed. The Chinese are a difficulty. The most influential section of foreigners are the Americans, but they are not so numerous as the Portuguese. But the foreigners seem pretty well agreed that it would be for the

peace and prosperity of the islands if they were under the American flag. We do not know that any power would resist the American Government taking possession of Honolulu, but in all probability there will be considerable objection in the States themselves. It has been laid down as a principle of the policy of the American Government that it must on no account seek to acquire territory outside of the American Continent, as to do so would tend to entangle it in relations with European Powers. America has, however, joined Germany and Great Britain in the administration of Samoa, but that experiment has not been so successful as to invite a repetition. What will be the reply at Washington to the request of the foreign residents of Honolulu remains to be seen. It is certain, however, that the very mixed lot of people at Honolulu cannot conduct a stable Government themselves. .