The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1883-08-31
HOW ANNEXATION.
OF THE
ISLAND OF THE PACIFIC
IS LOOKED ON IN THE COLONIES.

The awakening to national life"
as the aspirations towards the annex
alton of the Islands of the Pacific
have been appropriately called, shows
no symptoms of abatement, although
the first excitement has to some eX-
tent passed away. :.
From mass meetings held in Mel
bourne to meetings of the Royal
Society in New South Wales, which
is organising exploring expeditions;
from popular pressure in South Aus
tralia, brought to bear on the hesi-
fancy of that Government, to the
enterprise of journals which have
despatched independent expedi-
tionary parties to the islands pro-
posed to be annexed, there appears
in the neighbouring colonies feel
ing prevailing every class of the COM
munity which, first aroused by the
daring action of Queensland, has
been stimulated rather than damped
by the despatch of the Secretary of
State for the Colonies declining, on
the part of the Imperial Government,
to recognise the steps already taken
for the annexation Of New Guinea.
In these circumstances of the wide
awakening of popular interests, the
best hopes may be entertained OF
any formal and Systematic steps now
taken by the several Governments
for united action, and we have no
doubt whatever that the proposed
conference for the purpose OF con-
sidering the questions of annexation
and confederation, towards which
Victoria, New South Wales, and
Queensland are at present taking
steps, and to which even the Govern
ment of South Australia has eX-
pressed its intention of sending a
delegate, will give form and force to
the universal sentiment, in such a
manner as will eventually overcome
the reluctance of the Gladstone
Government to further extension of
the Empire.
In this colony there has been less
overt demonstration, but the interest
awakened in the subject has been
quite as great, and feeling as univer-
sally favourable as in the neighbour
ing colonies, if we are to judge from
the expression of the public journals,
which, whatever their differences of
opinion on general politics, have
been, with scarcely an exception, in
IF llt W
taken in favour of either annexation,
or extending protectorate over the
unoccupied or unclaimed islands of
the Pacific and we have the salts
foction of knowing that our Govern
ment and Parliament have been the
first to lay the solid basis of legisla-
tion for any action which it may be
requisite to take in extending control
over the islands of the Pacific. The
"Confederation and Annexation
Bill" which passed through com.
mittee of the Legislative Council on
Thursday last, and has remaining
only the formal process of passing
only the formal process of passing
the third reading to be placed on the
statute book, does not indeed con-
template such daring acts of anneXa-
ton as that which inaugurated the
gresent movement of the colonies,
but it has the far higher advantage
of favouring spontaneous action on
the part of the cniefs or constituted
authorities in any island or group of
islands that may be desirous of
coming under British or colonial
rule, and provides the machinery by
which negotiations in that direction
may be conducted, and their results
be submitted to the Colonial Legisla-
ture. which would thereupon move
the Imperial Government on the
subject. The measure is the furthest
possible removed from filibustering,
and may in the present state OF
public feeling appear too slow i'll its
operations to meet the case of any
suddenly discovered intention on the
part of a foreign power to annex
any islands of the Pacific. But it i;
evident that, given sufficient time
the procedure contemplated will b(
attended with far more satisfactory
results than the sudden annexation
of islands which may possibly not bt
matured for il, and it is an acknow
lodged fact that had such measure
been in existence in the earlier days
~. L. n HnIn I.