25

A.—3a.

and New Zealand) to Great Britain. Very large interests are thus rapidly springing up among the South Sea Islands, and the necessity for having some station in the Pacific where British authority shall prevail and where British justice can be administered, will year by year become more pressing. If British authority should be established on Samoa, I believe that the Natives, under proper management, would readily adapt themselves to our institutions, and conform to all necessary laws for maintaining order among themselves. They have already made efforts to establish laws for the punishment of crime. A simple code wa3 some time since drawn up by the British Consul, which the Natives approved of, but, owing to dissensions among themselves, it did not come into operation. Perhaps the most certain indication of their fitness for civil government that can be adduced, is the fact that they have adopted the plan of levying taxes among themselves for particular objects. For instance, quite recently the Upolu people fixed a tax of one dollar a head on adult males, a half dollar on youths, and a quarter dollar on male children, for the purpose of buying arms and ammunition for the present war. New Zealand, in addition to being the nearest British Colony to the Navigators, is also most favourably situated for communicating with that group, owing to the prevailing winds for nine months in the year being favourable for the passage both ways. One or two vessels are already employed in trading to them, and it is certain that at no distant date this trade will rapidly increase, as the islands are capable of yielding sugar, coffee, cotton, and almost every kiud of tropical produce ; whilst New Zealand raises in abundance and can'supply, in exchange for these commodities, exactly those articles which the white settlers on the islands.stand most iv need of, such as flour, butter, cheese, preserved meats, &c, &c. Many of the European settlers are fully alive to the advantages they would derive from a connection with New Zealand, and a large number of them, I have no doubt, would willingly aid in establishing such a connection. Several of them recognize that the long experience the New Zealand Government has had in the management of the Maoris, would enable it to suggest measures or to take steps that would avert many complications that they think would arise if the management of the islands were placed entirely under persons having little or no knowledge of the character and prejudices of the Polynesian Natives. Erom the particulars given above, it will be seen that tho Navigators Islands occupy a most important position in the Pacific; that they possess two safe and commodious harbours, suitable for the largest size vessels, which harbours are admirably adapted for stations from which operations could be rapidly carried out for suppressing the pernicious and iniquitous labour traffic that is now carried on among the South Sea Islands ; that the Islands are capable of producing almost everything that is grown within the tropics, and that they are likely to become an important centre for trade; — further, that they arc inhabited by a docile and amiable race of Natives, who have the warmest attachment to Great Britain, and earnestly desire to place themselves under her rule and protection. On reviewing these conditions, and having regard especially to the geographical position of New Zealand in relation to the Navigators and adjacent'groups, and to the fact that a considerable trade is likely soon to spring up between this Colony and those Islands, tho conclusion, I think, that must be arrived at is, that it would bo advisable that the New Zealand Government should strongly support the wishes of the Natives, and should urge upon the Imperial Government to comply with those wishes, by establishing British protection and authority over the Islands of Samoa. I have, Sec, The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs, "Wellington. William Seed.

EXTRACT from the Meteorological Register kept at the British Consulate at Apia, in the Navigators Islands, for the Year 1864.

Lowest and Highest Temperature during the Month. Month. 6 o'clock a.m. 4 o'clock p.m. Highest REC0EDKD Temperature DURING the Month. Lowest. Highest. Lowest. Highest. o o O o 0 "anuary... February .larch ... Lpril ... .fay une uly ... Lugust ... leptember )ctober... November )eccmber ... i ... ... ; ,.. j ... : 70 71 70 70 65 65 61 59 67 61 73 71 75 79 SL 7G 82 7-1 74 77 78 7!) 76 78 76 77 74 71 78 78 7!) 78 81 82 7S 82 82 84 85 88 85 83 82 84 83 84 79. 86 S5 at 8 a.m. 85 at 10 a.m. 86 at 8 a.m. 88 at 4 p.m. 85 at 4 p.m. 83 at 4 p.m. 82 at 4 p.m. 84 at 4 p.m. 86 at 8 a.m. 86 at 8 a.m. 84 at 8 a.m. 86 at 4 p.m. . 4—A. 3a. Authorit; : Geobge Didsbuby, Government Printer Wellinj :on— 1S74.