South Pacific Countries by Ross Walker This article is the text of a speech given by Mr Ross Walker, General Manager of Fruit Distributors Limited, to the Wellington Rotary Club in May. We felt that Mr Walker's concise and interesting summary of the Pacific Islands would be of great interest to our readers. New Zealand's interest in our near neighbours dates back to the time of Sir George Grey, who envisaged New Zealand as the centre of a South Pacific empire. Sir George Grey's vision was carried on by Sir Julius Vogel and by Sir Robert Stout and Mr Seddon. In 1871 Sir Julius Vogel informed the Imperial Authorities of his wish to establish protectorates over Fiji and the Solomon Islands but in 1874, despite Vogel's vision of New Zealand as the centre of a Pacific Federation, Fiji was ceded to Great Britain by Cakobau, King of Fiji. The vision of Sir George Grey and Sir Julius Vogel fell on Mr Seddon who made many attempts to establish protectorates over Samoa and Fiji, despite the fact that Fiji had been ceded to Great Britain and that Samoa was at that time administered by a tripartite of Great Britain, Germany and America. Seddon at this time said that New Zealand was geographically the centre and must ultimately prove to be the mother colony of all the Islands adjacent. The possessions he coveted most were those along the trade routes between New Zealand, Vancouver and San Francisco. He protested strongly when the American residents of Hawaii deposed the Queen and set up a Republic. He considered this action would injure the British Empire and interfere with his own plans for the Pacific cable. He then asserted New Zealand claims to Norfolk Island. This Island, however, was eventually handed by Great Britain to the State of New South Wales. By this time New Zealand had acquired certain rights in the Cook Islands, although in 1888 Great Britain declined a protectorate over this group, of which the nearest Islands are approximately 1,600 miles north of Auckland. However, in 1890 it was agreed that New Zealand would appoint a resident whose salary, expenses, etc., would be defrayed by New Zealand. Then in 1899 Britain renounced its rights in Samoa in favour of Germany and America, much to Seddon's disgust. In his opinion the boundaries of New Zealand should be expanded to include the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga and the Society Islands, that is, Tahiti. However, again Great Britain stepped in and in 1900 declared a protectorate over Tonga. By this time all the Islands adjacent to New Zealand, apart from the Cook Islands, seemed to have evaded the grasp of Seddon and eventually the Cook Islands were annexed by New Zealand in 1901 and have been regarded as a part of New Zealand ever since. Seddon made a spectacular visit to Rarotonga about this time, pointing out the need for a steamer to carry produce to its various markets and that New Zealand would lend the money to buy a ship. He declared his intention to send engineers to blast channels through the coral reefs to improve landing places. At the time of New Zealand's annexation of the Cook Islands, the main administrative force was the London Missionary Society and very strict missionary laws applied. The severe penalty of flogging was administered for such offences as: Being pregnant and unmarried; Card playing; Going from one village to another on the Sabbath; Taking an unmarried woman inland, and Crying over a dead woman when not related to her. New Zealand established its own laws in the Cook Islands but some of the missionary laws still exist, e.g. the adultery law. However, about four years' ago the Cook Islands set up their own government. They are still protected by New Zealand and they are still regarded as part of New