INTERESTING DESPATCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11716, 26 July 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

INTERESTING DESPATCHES.

* ♦ — NEW ZEALAND'S "FOREIGN POLICY." MR. SEDDON PROPOSES TO COMMANDEER TRANSPORTS. THE APPEAL TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL. GERMANY AND NEW ZEALAND. [BT .TELEGRAPH. CORRESPONDENT.] The despatches from His . Excellency the Governor to the Secretary! of State for the Colonies from January : 12 to December 22, 1900, have been published, and are of more than ordinary interest, containing a3 they do references to the despatch of the contingents, ; the extension of the boundaries of New Zealand,■'/: and the "foreign policy" which Mr. :"appears to be developing. In a despatch dated January 15, Lord Ranfurly draws attention to the necessity for an Appeal Court for Rarotonga.. ■ He states that three: courses are possible if an appeal is allowed(1) - An appeal to the High Commissioner, of the Western Pacific; (2: an appeal to the Supreme Court of New Zealand ; (3) an Appeal Court to be held as required at Rarotonga by: a' New-Zealand judge. He favours the second or third suggestion. >- . In reference to the despatch of the Fourth Contingent, the Governor mentions that the contingent could be. almost of any size, as the people are volunteering in hundreds in every, centre, many offering, if accepted, to contribute largely to their own outfit. On February 23 there was forwarded for Queen Victoria's acceptance : a small ! box containing a Mangaian stone axe on behalf of i Makea, chief of .the . arikis, who' trusts that" Her Majesty will be graciously pleased to accept this small gift as a mark of her respect and sympathy." :/On April 9 the Governor forwarded to the Secretary of State the following memo/ from the ; Premier: / "In view of the i, difficulties lately-: experienced in procuring vessels to convey this colony's contingents to .South Africa, the Premier begs respectfully to request that His Excellency will be good enough to represent to the Imperial Govern- ! ment the expediency of authorising colonial | Governments, by legislation if necessary, to j commandeer vessels of the British mercantile i marine that may be suitable to be used as troopships should occasion arise to render it necessary to do so.—R. J. Seddon." / " ' On April 25 an important memo, from the Premier was sent in regard to the Samoan convention i with Germany. -'" Assurances were, is understood, given in 1872 that neither Germany nor the United States of America desired to acquire territory in the Pacific. When Sir William D. Jervois was Governor, I think in the year 1885, the New! Zealand Government had, with the consent of the natives, arranged to take possession, and were then stopped by the Imperial Government. Now the two larger islands, Savaii and Upolu/ have become part of Germany/ and Tutuila and the smaller Samoan islands Belong to the United States. Great Britain, that civilised and Christianised them, that first traded with them, that has even now the most trade and the most white population, and that has spent • much blood and treasure in the islands, has abandoned them to the foreign Powers. This has been done against the wishes \ of the natives: of the islands/who have/since 1872, been wishing for a British protectorate or occupation, and the colonies ; of Australasia feel keenly the placing , in the Pacific, in the central group of >: the /:• Pacific,:'/. fortified '■' positions ':■ of foreign f K Powers that. ■ may / in the future be used as a basis' of attack 'upon' them • and their ; commerce./;•'■ The colonists believe h that i there / must ?• have ' been - some grave diplomatic reason 1 for such a step, ■ not disclosed in the official documents, and as the matter has been ended ; it is useless to comment on the reasons put forward in the despatch (No. 77).: Whether in the end it will be for Germany's benefit as a manui facturing nation, : and one now relying ■ on I foreign trade, and seeking its future development, to do such an unfriendly act to: Australia and New Zealand remains to be seen. The trade : of New • Zealand alone with Germany is greater than/the trade of Savaii and Upolu can ever be, and the time may not be far distant when the actions of Germany— for it is known the United States of America did not ask for a partition of Samoa, • and wish Britain to be excluded from, and made a foreigner in, the group—:ihay be regarded in such a way as not to benefit the trade relations between Germany and the colonies. '/This / surrender of Samoa will in future be a source of anxiety, and entail expense on Great Britain and the colonies, in preparing for and providing against evenI tualities. : ,"- ■ " | . " However, now that it: has been done, it ! is /necessary that immediately it is oppori tune -steps be taken to put the islands . ad- : mitted to be British on a satisfactory footing. . I therefore .venture to suggest for consideration that the : boundaries of New Zealand should be extended so as to include the Cook Group, the Fiji, the Friendly, the Society Islands, or such of them as might be included within the extended boundaries with advantage, and without causing: complications. These proposals, if entertained, are subject to ratification by the •- General Assembly of the colony, .which would, no doubt, pass the necessary laws to provide for their administration, and at the. same time retain the assistance of the arikis, and maintain as far as practicable the present Government, subject to the laws passed and affecting; the general : administration of the colony, and being subject to the Governor's veto exercised on the advice of his responsible advisers. Provision could also be made in the case of the Maoris for electing one more of the natives from each group j to the House of Representatives, and for I .one or more of the high chiefs being ap- ! pointed to the Legislative Council of Ne.v Zealand. ;. The scheme thus roughly * outlined would' entail no' burden on the Imperial .Government, whilst the care 1 and I civilisation of the. natives would be duly attended to.:;: In respect to . the Solomon • Group and other British islands Iving convenient to the Australian colonies", perhaps ' the Federal Government would take charge -I and the necessary powers should be given* allow this being ; done. . Some " definite action of a forward character is,required. in -tha Pacific at the earliest; opportune/moment, for the surrender of Samoa has disheartened the natives in the - islands, disappointed, the ? people: of Australasia, and owered the prestige of Great Britain in this part of the globe." . v , ; ■♦i LM^ *i d ° n - i , s i strongly-iii^ favourlof retaming: the right of appeal /to the Privy Council. Whilst admitting that,:* respect to some.commercial disputes for limited -mounts the delays and expenses form reasons in favour of a Federal Court, he urges that in the best interests of the Empire one of the strongest links that hinds us to the Mother Country viz., the right of appeal to :-- the Privy -; Council • on :'; constitutional grounds, and in important commercial suits m which British subjects .outside the colonies are interested, should not be tam-1 pered with as proposed, and it should not be forgotten that New Zealand, as an outstanding State, and other colonies, are interested and should the Imperial Government give way to the demands of the delegates of the Australian Federated States, the same privileges could not reasonably be denied to other States if demanded. As showing the advantages of maintaining the present position, he cites the Midland railway , case. : He says nothing less than the decision of the Privy : Council would ; have proved satisfactory , to the shareholders and investors in the Mother Country, whilst at the same time the people of this colony were well pleased that such a tribunal should finally settle the legal position. / , "/.,'/■ ■/■;/ - . _ Mr. Seddon subsequently gives Mr. Chamberlain some advice concerning Egypt. On July' 21 Lord Ranfurly, at the request of the Premier, forwarded the scheme in use since 1894 in New i Zealand for the benefit of .:-/ struggling ■ settlers. Lord Ranfurly writes:— Premier considers that perhaps a scheme which has proved successful in New 'Zealand might be of /service in j modifying or extending the scheme now un-1 der trial in Egypt." / '•/".. -.-//" At Mr. Seddon's request the Admiralty | appears to have agreed to a fresh survey of j the New Zealand coast. ,S New Zealand/ however, has to pay half the cost of the survey. :, Up to August 18 last the amount of ammunition taken by the contingents from this colony to South- Africa was ; 22,400 rounds '-. .303 ball, and 1600 rounds '. .450 revolver ball. /; ...:/■/.,::. ...':-,. ; v ,//'"' /..: , /At the request of the Premier a letter from Mr. Wm. Grant, /convener of the Foreign Missions Committee, of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, regarding French aggression in the New HebrideSiWas

forwarded to Mr// Chamberlain. Mr./ Seddon/ expressed a desire that a, joint commis- ; sion should /be arranged "with/ the '{ French Government, to inquire into and. adjudicate in > respect to the matters in ; dispute. ~:i The cost of conveying contingents to Africa was as follows: —First, Waiwera, Messrs. Shaw,/ Savill, and Albion Company, /- ? £11,800 ; second, ;/ ditto, {J< ditto/ £14,175; - : < third, Knight Templar,.Messrs. Turnbull and Co., £6317; fourth and fifth, Monowai, -Union Steamship / Company of New Zealand, £12,000; Gymeric, Messrs. Bannatyne /' and ■ ..'■■:Co., £12,375 .' Maori, Messrs. Shaw, Savill ,'. and" Albion Company, £9975 iWaimate/'; New . Zealand Shipping Company, £12,900; besides a sum of £2949 14s 2d for ensuring quick despatch. : VMr. Seddon stated that owing to the scarcity of ships in New Zealand at the time of the despatch of the various contingents it was with extreme difficulty that transports could be obtained, and that large amounts had to be paid for passage money to enable the troops to be sent, as practically vessels could only be ■ obtained ' on: : such • terms as owners were willing to accept. / // v " Mr. Seddon seems to have had a difference with the Deputy-Governor (Sir Robert Stout). The point ■: in dispute was as Jto whether Parliament was usurping the power of the Governor in putting/ a. clause in the New ■': Zealand Ensigns Act stating ' that it was reserved • for the Royal assent. Sir Robert . told the 'Premier he ;; considered— though he thought it had ; been done inadvertently—that in the Governor's absence the prerogative and functions of the Governor were being interfered with. Ultimately Sir Robert referred the matter to the Colonial Office. ••'.'.'."■:'' . Lod Ranfurly's despatches on the annexation : and control of the* Pacific Islands in New ; : Zealand's sphere of influence form interesting reading. Regarding Penrhyn, he reports an unsatisfactory condition of affairs in regard to leprosy, and adds that'the natives are being demoralised by the wholesale importation : of liquor, chiefly.; " absinthe," which, he understands, is brought in by ; French •: traders, ;■. or , vessels / flying; the I French flag. - ' ■"; "/ . " ". ■ 'In reference to Sir George O'Brien's reflections -on New Zealand, ■in his now celebrated Wainibokasi speech, the Premier submits that the effect of statements of this kind is a* deep-rooted feeling in the native mind, and such statements coming from the High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, will prejudice the natives against | British rule, and be bound to hamper both j the Commonwealth of Australia and the ] colony in respect to the Imperial and I Federal movements in connection. ; with the islands in the Pacific, other nations will use these remarks of His Excellency the I Governor of Fiji in order 'to further their I own ends, and will alarm the natives by telling them that to be subject, to British rule means the loss of their land. //In respect to the Tongan Islands, the effect of the speech J will set back British interests for a consider- i able time. :'/.'/ ' . ; Finally, Mr. Seddon has a tilt at the Americans in regard to the San Francisco service. ;He states that with the 10 years', I subsidy of £52,000 per annum granted by the United States Government to the Spreckels Company, added to the fact that none of our steamers can trade between Hawaii.! and the United States, it follows that we are completely excluded , from - conveying i either our own mails, or passengers, or cargo, to that country, and, in addition to this, the steamers; which are being run to the prejudice and exclusion of our own vessels operate against British-owned steamers trading between Australia and New Zealand, and upon \ their," trips here they will < necessarily carry passengers across intercolonially, and this will result most prejudicially against the development of trade by our own steamers - even in our .own waters. -' The final paragraph of the memo/states "as the matter is one of great importance to this colony the Premier can only strongly impress upon His Excellency's attention its great urgency.' The subject is at present the basis of a con- i siderable ; amount of '■ friction, and it is very j difficult to tell how far such a feeling as now exists may grow.": ; ■ '. FURTHER DESPATCHES. ■ / - .Wellington, Friday. --Further dispatches have been presented to Parliament. . Mr. Chamberlain, writing oil the settlement of the Samoandifficulty, refers to the failure of the joint administration. At first sight/he says/ the natural direction in which to seek for a solution of the question appeared to" be that of a partition of the islands, but the obstacles to this course proved insuperable. The possession of rights over the harbour of /Pango Pango gave the United States an indisputable claim to the island: of ( Tutuila, ,• but, to say nothing of the intimate relations subsisting' between the neighbouring island of Upolu and Savaii, .which would have caused great difficulty in any attempt to administer them separately, neither Greater, Britain nor" Germany had a»y preponderating right to the more:important and valuable : island of Upolu,' and neither. Power could, be expected to surrender it to the other without receiving adequate; * compensation elsewhere. 'Every effort , was made by : Her .Majesty's Government, in. view of the great interest felt in Samoa by ' : -> the Australasian , colonies /" to secure the possession of Upolu by. important sacrifices of valuable territory in other parts of the Empire. : It should be remembered that this country has no separate rights in Samoa, and that her position 1 in the group was both territorially and politically identical v with that ''.; of i Germany, and that. while , Great. Britain enjoyed perhaps the larger share of / the external commerce of the group, German interests inland, and in "the internal trade, were largely preponderant. The same observation ■ applies to the territorial and political situation :■ in ' Tonga, though' the material interests of Great Britain there largely ;exceed those of Germany, and the withdrawal of Germany from Tonga is parallel to, that of : Great Britain from Samoa, so that lie only actual cession of territory in the Western Pacific which has taken place under the convention is that of the islands :in the : Solomon Group which Germany has handed over to this country.. /> • The Lords of the Admiralty state that a resurvey of New Zealand waters would occupy many * years. ■ The ship now engaged in the survey will be kept at work ; as: long as other calls • permit, but there is much urgent, work to do elsewhere.- The cost of surveying varies from £10,000 to £15,000 per annum, and New Zealand will have to pay half this cost. '.■■'-■-,■, r In reference to ? Island annexation, Mr. Chamberlain says, regarding certain groups of islands, in so far as they are British possessions or protectorates,'/ His Majesty's Government are of opinion that the existing arrangements for the Government of these islands are not such as should be permanently maintained, and they believe that it will be found desirable in "the future to come to some arrangement under which the great self-governing colonies in whose interests they have been brought under British control may relieve • His Majesty's Government of the responsibility for their administration. However, the matter is one requiring great caution in view of the important and powerful native and other interests involved, end His Majesty's Government would not be-justified in taking any decisive steps in regard to it without the most careful examination and consideration.-, . ' /The British Government agreed to replace the ammunition sent away with the New Zealand, contingents. Mr. Seddon's idea of commandeering merchant ' vessels to act as troopships did not find favouj with the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. ■ They want to know " if the, Secretary of State has any information as to the difficulties ' which are stated by the Premier of New Zealand to have arisen in connection with procuring vessels to convey the contingents from that colony to South Africa, and whether it was a question of price or refusal to tender." They add that in great/Britain it has hitherto been the r experience that suitable vessels can be obtained without interfering with freedom of contract, and the proposal to "commandeer" appears to/them impracticable. In their opinion it would be much, better to seize the ships and compensate the owners when the special emergency arose, than to endeavour to legalise such high-handed action as "commandeering" in anticipation of an emergency. . . : ' ' Mr. Seddon, however, has the satisfaction of having had his advances to settlers scheme sent on to Egypt. Mr. F. H. Villiers writes:—"Lord Salisbury would ,be glad if His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies would cause his thanks to be conveyed to the Premier of New Zealand, whose desire to assist the Egyptian Government will be highly appreciated." , ,