The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1884-02-19
HAWAII AND THE AUSTRALIAN CON-
FERENCE,


The following is an extract from
lengthy address, published in the
". u. Heruld, which was delivered
by Hon. f. Whitaker, late Premier
of New Zealand.
"Now, 4 curious incident occurred
with regard to the Sandwich Islands,
or what has been called the Hawaiian
monarchy. A gentleman of the
name of Audley Coote, who is Con-
sui in Tasmania for the Hawaiian
monarchy, was instructed by his
Government to present protest
against the proceedings of any Go
vernment or colony in attempting to
deal with the islands of the South
Pacific. | will not read the whole
of the protest-that would not be
worth while-but | will read the
commencement of it:-''Whcrcas
His Hawaiian Majesty's Government
being informed that certain sovereign
and colonial States propose to annex
various islands and archipelagoes of
Polynesia, does hereby solemnly
protest against such projects of an
nexation, as unjust to a simple and
ignorant people, and subversiye, in
their case, of those conditions for
favourable national development,
which have been so happily accorded
to the Hawaiian nation" Now, this
is most extraordinary document.
Mr.. Cootc came personally to sgd
ney for the purpose of pressing the
views put forward III it, and to be
ready in case any information should
be required. With regard to the
statement here made that the people
of these Polyncsian Islands are
"simple and ignorant" their simpli-
city appears to consist in numbering
and eating people, or committing
any other atrocity that happens to
take their fancy. With regard to
their "national development" it is
certainly curious fact that, whereas
sixty years ago, the population of
the Sandwich Islands, was estimated
at 250,000, ten years ago it had
decreased to 100000, and is, at the
present time, probably not more than
$4,000, so that the development"
appears to be tending towards OK
tinction. But the fact OF the matter
is this, although the Government of
the Sandwich Islands is carried on
nominally by n native King and Par
liament-Ils Majesty dates his pro-
test from Iolani Palace, Honolulu
the real Government is carried on in
the interests of sugar spectators in
the United States. What is called a
reciprocity treaty exists between the
Sandwich Islands and America, by
which sugar from Hawaii is admitted
free of duty into the United States,
and certain articles are admitted free
on the other side. 1t happens with
regard to these islands, rs | have
shown, that the population is gra-
dually decreasing, and no doubt i'll
the course of another generation ol
two it will be all but extinct. Its
decrease has been going on very IA
pidly, a curious commentary on the
statement made in the protest that
the Hawaiians desire to see in the
other islands of Polynesia "thosc
conditions for favourable national
development which have been SO
happily accorded to the Hawaiian
nationp" The protest, it is quite
clear, could have no possible weight.
But it may be mentioned that
although the protest takes the high
ground of national development, -
Mr.. Audley Coote did not forget Il
little business of his own when in
Sydney, by attempting to bring be-
fore the Conference scheme fol
duplicating the cable TO Europe,
thereby combining his great political
functions with his private interests.
While protesting against anything
being done to retard the national
development of the Polynesians, he
was ut the same time endeayouring
TO advance his own interest by Sc
curing the support of the Convention