OUR ISLAND EMPIRE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4207, 16 November 1900, Page 4

OUR ISLAND EMPIRE.

Although the uowly acquired islands in rho Pacific arc not yet technically parts of Now Zealand, they doubtless very soon will bo. They have been annexed to the British Empire in the first iu-j stance, and to Now Zealand, with the consent of their people. The Imperial Government will shortly gazette them as integral parts of the British Empire by Order-iii-Council. Then they will be added to New Zealand by the Colonial Extension Act of 1895, after which the! full responsibility of their well-being Mill bo with the Parliament of this' country. The first consideration, there-j fore, is to know whore they are. The principal island is Rarotonga, which lies about 1700 miles nerth-oast from Wcl-j lington, nearly half-way between Hie Samoan and Society groups—Apia bcar-J ing north-west 800 miles, and Tahiti, about north-east GOO miles. The Friendly Islands (Tongatahu, etc.) lie vest, about 700 miles, and the. Tubuai or Austral islands cast, about 000 miles. Rarotonga is the chief of the Cock group, the other islands Ling from 100 to IGO miles oil. Rakahanga, Manihikl and Pcnrhyn Islands lie sopie 700 miles ne-ith from Rarotonga: Danger Island is the same distance north-west, and Savage Island lies about 000 miles west. Suwarrow Island, which was annexed by resolutions of : oth Houses on the last day of the session, lies north-west about 500 miles oil'. This island was not visited by Lord Ranfurly. Palmerston Island, uninhabited, lies north-west of Rarotonga, some 300 miles.

Strategically the- position is good. Tlio possession of the Cook group, Savage Island and Palmerston Island, (ills the gap between the'British and French possessions in the Eastern Pacific. Secondly, the possession of Suwarrow and Danger Islands, lying as they do not more than 500 miles from Apia, gives strategic points commanding the American trade routes. As Suwarrow has a. large, harbour, easy of access and out of the hurricane track, this advent ago is considerable. On the other hand. R'lkahanga. Manihiki and Pcnrhyn command the French trade routes, lying westward, between the Society Islands, the Australs, Panmotus and 1 Marquesas, to the American coast. Thirdly, the inhabitants of those islands, with Use exception of Savage Island, are all of the Maori stock, speak the Maori tongue, and arc governed by Maori institutions. The Cook Islands arc self-supporting under their "Queen and Parliament o) two Chambers, as last year the revenue of some £2500 left a cash surplus of about £3OO. Those islands have Jong had the reputation of being the most civilised in the Pacific; their people have long regarded New Zealand as the centre of enlightenment, and have re-

pcatedly during the Inst thirty-five years petitioned for annexation, iiy census of 189.3 tlie population of Rarotonga was found to bo 2500. The numbers in the rest of the group, and in the other islands, arc unknown, but may be between 4000 and 5000, all told. They arc also exceptionally forward, and the islands are ail capable of vast improvement iu agriculture and commerce. That they must have a large measure of local

government goes without, saying. The New Zealand tariff will probably prove a difficulty, for the jump from the 5 per cent, tariff of the day to our 20 per cent, impost will increase the Customs revenue of £ISOO in Rarotonga alone L-y ■ £4500. Land titles and land laws are all 'guaranteed; and as the people of the 'Cook group have their Parliament, the]

difficulties c-f government Mem y'" ;,r . !i -Oio if.':'.! :, yy_ ’ is willing to joavn—l he toi: is of nil the pcM l "' ;,i ' p , --hii;, gout! ide:m p”l ' ’ c future of vJio Hands is am-urod.