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South Canterbury Times, Issue 3299, 29 October 1883, Page 2

A shobt time ago some enterprising Englishmen, hearing of New Guinea, and smelling fortune afar off, organised a company to “ work ” the new land. The new company was evidently intended to work on the lines of the old East India Company. Its pursuits were to be peaceful, and its object gain; it was to have a military equipment “for defensive purposes,” and the command of the expedition was to be given to a certain soldier of fortune, who had “ knocked about in Servia, Crotia, and other disturbed quarters of the world, and bad had a brigade of Grresk cut-throats or brigands, or something of that kind, under his orders. When, however, the promoters of the company made application to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Derby, they received an answer which completely upset the whole plan. His Lordship said the Government would grant no permission or protection to the expedition, and if operations were attempted steps would be taken by Government to protect the Natives. The answer was plain and unmistakeable, and was worthy of a Minister of the British Crown and of the reputation of the British people. To have allowed an armed trading expedition to land in New Guinea to getthe best of the Natives in bargains, to intimidate, and, for very little provocation, to massacre them, would have seriously tarnished the reputation of England. We have no Exeter Hall sentiments, but we certainly think England owes it to herself to be the most powerful of the nations of the world. Too much nefarious work has been carried on in savage lands under the guise of trading and under the protection of the flag of England, and it is high time this was ended for ever, and native races reassured as to the purposes of English pioneers.