New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1874.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4179, 12 August 1874, Page 2

New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1874.

Encoueaged by approval from many quarters, some being those whence it was least to be expected, the Premier does well to bring before Parliament a Bill for giving effect to his proposals relative to the trade of the Pacific Islands. It was not alone with the view of accelerating the transmission of letters that Mr. Vogel devoted himself with so much earnestness to the establishment of the Californian mail service. He foresaw the initiation of an important trade with the United States, which has already attained considerable importance, and he was aware from the first that in the Pacific Islands materials existed which would give to any country having regular and direct intercourse with them a high mercantile position. The present scheme is the natural completion of the mail service, and relieves him entirely from the idle charge of expending the means of the Colony on a costly whim. In the early days of the Californian contract attention was directed to the disastrous results certain to follow if one or more of the island groups were suffered to pass into the hands of some foreign and possibly hostile power. In time of war the possession of a naval station by an enemy would effectually put. an end to all trade, and, still worse than the sovereignty of a civilised state, would be the danger, once imminent, of the barbarous kingdom of Fiji extending its dominion. It has been pleaded that delay is necessary to enable public opinion to be formed, and that in a year or two it would be time enough to take action. How vain and feeble such objections are may be seen by all who will take the trouble to inform themselves of the interest taken by other countries in the South Seas—an interest surd to be intensified and likely to be given effect to, when once it is known what are the , ideas of the New Zealand Government. He who publicly proclaims the existence of an unappropriated treasure and abstains from making it his own, cannot complain, though for ever afterwards he will lament, when a more energetic rival seizes the prize. The policy of the Manchester School, which stayed the colonising labors of England, presented for long a formidable obstacle to any hope of action by the Imperial Government. The fall of Mr. Gladstone has cleared the way, and better hopes may bo entertained from his successors. The leading difficulty in the way of the Home authorities taking possession of the Polynesian Islands, undoubtedly is their government. It is at this stage that New Zealand may appropriately step in, and by showing that, under Imperial direction, the maintenance of law and order may fitly bo placed in her hands, prove the ease, with which may be performed the duty to humanity of delivering a docile people from the miseries of anarchy in some cases, from ruthless oppression in others. Not wholly insensible to her mission, England has already accepted the task of repressing the new slave trade which had sprung up to gratify the avarice, of planters, as cruel as ever existed in America or the West Indies, a trade which cannot continue a day after any regular government has been founded. Far better would it be to stop the nefarious traffic at its source, and at the same time confer,,the additional benefit of peace by taking possession of the islands, than to spend vast sums in the

often vain efforts to capture the pirates with their crowds of wretched victims. In the case of the African slave trade repression, the satisfaction of humane feelings was the sole reward for the lives and treasure lavishly expended. In the South Seas’a totally different condition of affairs exists. Blessed with an admirable climate, stations, whether military, or mercantile, would never, like those on the African Coast, be regarded as the grave of the white man. Instead of a few trading firms dealing only in the natural growths of the interior, extensive establishments would spring up for the cultivation of the most valuable tropical productions. Cotton equal to any known in the world can be grown, sugar is proved already to be a commercial success, and when to these are added the native fibres, the oil, and a multitude of other valuable articles of trade, no doubt can remain but with peace and good government one of the world’s great treasuries will be proved to exist in the Islands of the Pacific. All this may be admitted, and yet'it will be asked, what sufficient inducement there is for this Colony to give its guarantee to a trading and manufacturing company, or why the undertaking should not be left to ordinary commercial rivalry, and to the operation of supply and demand. That this Colony is committed to the expenditure of large sums of money for . the construction of public works to open the country, and for bringing population to occupy the lands so opened, is frequently given as a reason for avoiding the proposed guarantee. In truth the argument tells exactly in the opposite direction. Agriculture may‘be engaged in with perfect success to the extent of raising crops, and fail for want of a convenient market. Sheep and cattle may be reared in vast numbers without return except from their wool, hides, and tallow, because the population is too small to consume the meat. The island trade would furnish the necessary outlet for grain and preserved meat and confer permanent prosperity on the occupiers of land, whether in tillage or pasture. But the advantages do not stop here. No country ever existed where the cultivation of the soil and supplying the wants of those so engaged sufficed to occupy the energies of a numerous and intelligent people. A variety of employment is essential to the content and permanent well-being of every State, and if we are not willing to see our immigration turn out a wretched failure, it is imperative that an outlet should be provided for the productions of the willing hands who are tempted to come among us. Trade alone will do little for a country. The mere exchange of commodities can afford no great amount of employment, nor can the vast additional gain to a country be estimated where it is the workshop as well as the warehouse. Manufactures are the great need of the Colony, and yet among the opponents of the Premier’s scheme are to be found those who have cried most lustily for encouragement to native industry. The immediate foundation of factories and trading establishments on a large scale is far beyond the spare means of our merchants. It would be hopeless to expect those who have made moderate savings to invest them in an undertaking, which, though sure to largely benefit the Colony, is too speculative for those who need at once a regular return for their money. At this point, where the interests of the whole community are involved, the Government on its behalf steps forward to ensure a small return to those finding funds, and to build up our piosperity on an assured foundation. The pitiful sneers at Mr. Vogel’s proposals might well be disregarded, for those desiring to find a fault seldom hesitate to invent what they cannot discover. Every maxim of the high and dry economists may be expected to be used to discredit a great work, which, if accepted, will ultimately furnish profitable employment to the largest population that can be induced to settle in New Zealand.