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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 78

Mr. Seddon's Warning

Mr. Seddon's Warning.

When Mr. Seddon passed away our [unclear: King] men in the islands lost one of thier [unclear: best] friends, who ever sought to strengthen [unclear: the] bonds between the British community these and New Zealand, and [unclear: of] the many able speeches he made on the subject [unclear: the] one, with its warnings of the prils [unclear: which] must some day menace us, may be appripriately quoted:—

The Pacific Inlands question is of pad mount importance. Under the altered condition now existing, which in the future will ho greatly changed, to the advantages of other nationa by the construction of Nicaragua and Panama Canals, numbers of industries will be greatly affected; In [unclear: fact] it is difficult to grasp the momentous [unclear: issues] involved. Unless statesmen graps the [unclear: situ] tion and provide therefor, they will find is years to come the weak spot, They will discover that the most deadly blow will be struck at our Empire in the Pacific [unclear: itself] The Japanese huve stopped the Russians [unclear: s] the East, and what is going to happen [unclear: in] the West, who can toll? It is well ever to be prepared. With industries crippled [unclear: and] Food supplies stopped, the people in the page 7 [unclear: set] of our great Empire will be in a bad It is not too late for action. Preven-is better than cure, and we must be [unclear: and] doing. If our kindred at Home do then the self-governing colonies [unclear: fail] when the occasion arises, Mean-wherever possible, the British flay float over the islands of the Pacific.

[unclear: Thus] Mr. Seddon, who, [unclear: being] dead will [unclear: speak] for a long time to come. How [unclear: fired] in dealing at various times with [unclear: limidities] and hesitations of equivcal [unclear: ans] at Home he told on one occasion [unclear: his blunt] way just before his death, and postion has perhaps never been more [unclear: put]. If only on account of the intresting sidelights given, the extract is reprinting:—

We foolishly lost Samoa. The steamer [unclear: there] tearing at her bawsers, and everything was in readiness to take possesion. [unclear: the king] and the islanders were prepared to be annexed; in fact, anxious to come in [unclear: the] Zealand; but Downing-street in-and Samoa wak lost, Great credit [unclear: due] to Sir Robert Stout and Sir Julius feed for the effort to nave Samoa, The statesmen did not grasp the full [unclear: ance] of the loss of this and other [unclear: needs] New Zealand was injured, as Banum [unclear: close] to it and lay on the track to the [unclear: last]. Through their muddling, and through their mistakes, irreparable injury had been New Zealand by the British [unclear: statesmen] of that day.

As to the Sandwich Islands, the Republic in Government was prepared to support a [unclear: rate] under America and Britain. He Seddon) interviewed John Sherman, for Foreign Affairs, on the [unclear: sub-but] that gentleman told him there was [unclear: danger]. To interfere with those islands Mr. Sherman, would be contrary to the Doctrine, and he did not himself [unclear: ap-] of a protectorate. America, he said, true to her Munroe Doctrine. He President McKinley, who put quite different complexion on the position. "You know, Mr. Seddon, that American interests are no great—there is so American capital there: there is the [unclear: industry] at Francisco, then there bestroot sugar question-—that we find difficulty in our country in that [unclear: re] and it is important to us. And," said "I will urge all I can t hat those islands [unclear: be] annexed to America,"

He (Mr. Seddon) subsequently saw the reprentative of Great Britian on arrival England, and made representations strong-[unclear: ging] that, in the intercuts of t lie Empire New Zealand, British statesmen should their duty and save these inlands. At [unclear: but time] a third of the boats trading [unclear: been] 'Frisco and New Zealand belonged to New Zealand. They were doing a large with Hawaii, and he knew that if [unclear: Amrican] coastwise laws were to be applied, New Zealand steamers would bo shut out. Two of the Ministers of the Isands were New Zealanders, and the majority of the Sandwtrh Islanders wanted the inlands to be British, and his (Mr. Seddon's) idea was to have a protectorate as a step in that direction. Further representations were made in London, but it they were pooh-poohed. America, they said, would never annex; but within three years those valuable islands formed part of the American Republic, and British and New Zealand trede was shut out. Then with regard to Noumea, Sir George G rey had urged, as far back a 1853, that it should form part ref New Zealand, and the chiefs wanted to he annexed to New Zealand—they wanted to be British. Sir George begged Dowmng-Street to make the annexation, hut, apparently from sheer indifference, no action was taken. Shortly after that the Marist Brother there arranged with some agents who were there, the French hoisted their flag, and Noumea and New Caledonia became annexed to France.

These losses were incalculable? and it was a pity that such statesmen should ever have been entrusted with the destinies of Great Britain. The Philippines were, also, American. Undoubtedly America was pursuing an inter-island policy, and had entirely departed from the Munroe Doctrine It was only the other day that Boosevelt said that the Stars and Stripes should dominate the Pacific, He (Mr, Seddon) said that the flag that should dominate the Pacific should be the Union Jack, (Cheers.)

In New Zealand they were face to face with the Now Hebrides difficulty, At one time the New Hebrides actually belonged to New Zealand, having been included in the latitudinal and longitudinal hearings, but subsequently this was altered, and the islands were left out. He wished they had been allowed to remain, They were valuable islands, and close to New Zealand. In these matters the Opposition should join with the (Govemment. He had not received any help in these greater aspirations. In all such matters party should be sunk, and they should stand Wetter for the 1700d of their colony nod the advancement and solidarity of the greatest Empire the world had ever known. (Applause.)

Thus of the numerous islands, many of them of great value both strategically and commercially, which compose the outer belt of what should be Australian and New Zealand territory, Great Britain has permitted foreign Powers to possess groups here and theirs that might have been had by ourselves for the huittin of a flag. [unclear: w] regard to the future, t lie blunt warning of Mr. Seddon who undoubtedly knew what he was talking about, is sufficient!v significant—'Unless statesmen grasp the situation . . . they will discover that the most deadly blow will be struck at our Empire in the Pacific itself."