Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 1883. "MEASURES, FOR MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVI, Issue 994, 28 November 1883, Page 2

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 1883. "MEASURES, FOR MEN."

$bb sp4eph s oJ^Sir George Grey at Auckland on the 14th irist. wasJcJuite in his old form as when he was a statesman indeed. Of late years he has chosen to sink his real identity and figure aa a party leader, acting the rile, it must be admitted, with considerable ability. Nevertheless, it has bSen^deep'source tsf regret to those' who realise what a power for good he might be to the Colony to see him spending his energies in factions contentions, impeding, instead of promoting, useful legislation, and colleaguing with men who are literally not fit to black his boots. We hope that this speech may be taken as a aigu that Sir George has leturned politically to his senses, and that he will now devote himself to the further development in progress and prosperity of this Colony, whose infant destinies he at one time guided with such distinguished success. A conference of representatives of the several ministries of the Australasian. Colonies is meeting this week in Sydney for the purpose of ] disc ssing the qm stions of annexation and federation ; whether it is desirable that the islands of the Pacific should be brought under the dominion of the British Crown, and whether the colonies should federate, and, if so, in what degree and for what definite purposes. These were the subjects in regard to which Sir George addressed the people of Auckland, and it must at once be allowed that he was eminently qualified to speak ,th jreon with authority. When first appouted Governor of New Zealand in 1846, he was deeply impressed with the conviction that the Pacific islands should be placed under the sovereignty of Great Britain, not only for the security of the existing dependencies of the Crown but for the benefit of the inhabitants themselves. At his instance, negotiations were entered into with the natives of Fiji and the Tonga Islands, who, at that period, expressed a desire to be annexed, which, in the case of Fiji, has been carried out. Sir George states, what is cot ■generally known, that New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, and the New Hebrides wore included in the original proclamation of this Colony, but abandoned owing to the timid policy of successive Imperial administrations. It is too late to touch New Caledonia, which belongs to France ; but Sir George strongly advocates that the islands at present unannexed by any foreign power should forthwith be taken at least under the protection of the Empire, the labor traffic in its present form abolished, and the people civilized by acts of kindness and brought into intimate mercantile intercourse with the Australasian Colonies. Such interference with the islands on the part of the Crown, he considers to be not enly desirable but necessary. " The Annexation and Confederation Act, 1883," which has been reserved for Her Majesty's assent, having been introduced by Sir George, expresses, we may presume, his definite views. This Act authorizes the Government of New Zealand to entertain any proposals which may be made bj the constituted authorities of any Pacific island or islands for confederation or annexation, and to enter into negotiations with either object, subject to the approval of the Home Government and of the New Zealand Parliament. Sir George would have New Zealand, in short, confederate with or annex any island op islands independently of the Australian Colonies. The Act would practically give this power, and we consequently very much doubt whether the present Cabinet will advise Her Majesty to assent thereto. In respect to federation, Sir George speaks with great moderation and good sense, plainly discerning the many pifcfalh which are in the path of rash experimentalists. He does nob think that the people of New Zealand would receive any advantage from entering into such a federation with the Australian Colonies as binds together, for instance, the United States. Supposing such a federation, he says, "it would simply mean this : If your interests were of a different nature from those of the Australian Colonies — I mean upon such points as the labor question and so forth —if you were federated with them, you might be frequently in such a minority that you would lose all power of self-government upon questions of that kind." He proceeded to contrast the circumstances of the Australian continent and New Zealand, maintaining that whilst the Australian Colonies may properly federate, New Zealand should keep herself independent. "To my mind, our care should be this, that we should see that New Zealand shall be European — truly European — with an educated European race, aiding the whole European population of the Pacific, but holding its destinies in its own hands and not risking the chance of allowing any other people whatever to interfere in the management of the affairs of New Zealand within its own limits." Sir George admits, however, that there are certain matters in regard to which federal action might be desirable — the raising and maintaining a navy, for instance, as a means of defence against foreign aggression. We shall await with interest the report of the proceedings of the Sydney Conference. New Zealand is ably represented by the Premier and the Hon. Mr Whitaker, who may be depended upon to commit themselves to no rash propositions, and jealously to qua/d the interests committed to them. The representation of the Colony would certainly have been more complete and powerful had Sir George Grey been associated with these honorable gentlemen. The Conference, however, is essentially a conference of the present administrators of the several Colonies, and the members of the Legislatures in Opposition were necessarily excluded.