Samoa.

This has been recognised as an independent State by England. America, and Germany, but there existed in the country a dread lest Germany should annex it to which the people themselves were very averse. And here he would say that he had no objection to German colonisation. In New Zealand they had gone further than any other foreign nation, and had actually paid the passages of German emigrants to the colony. If Germany desired to colonise Samoa and would give it the power to enter into treaties of amity with us as fellow colonists, and so save us from all embroglios arising out of an Empire war, there could be no objection to her doing so. But Samoa was recognised as an independent State, and therefore ought to have the power to determine to what nation it should be allied. In that country even there were two parties, and, while on the one hand a petition was prepared for presentation to the Queen asking for union with Great Britain, on the other, they heard that a treaty for five years had been forced on the King by two German men of war, giving to Germany vast powers in connection with the government of the country, all this being quite inconsistent with the idea of independence. So the Government thought it was time to interfere in the matter, and they were prepared to send a steamer to ascertain the real feeling in Samoa with regard to annexation, but in order to avoid creating any complications between the Home and German Governments, they cabled to Lord Derby telling him their intentions, and saying that the steamer would sail in a given time unless he desired to stop her. His reply was that he could not permit the steamer being sent, but he had since then despatched a man of war to page break Samoa, thus affirming the proposed, prosecution of enquiry by the colony. This explained the Hinemoa's recent movements. It was the duty of the Government to do all in their power to prevent the interference of any nation with the independence of a State in such close proximity to our shores, and this was what they had done. This position also had reference to the danger he had spoken of, of war and he put it to them whether it was not their duty, and the duty of the Government, who were but their servants, to be so kindled with enthusiasm at the bare possibility of war as to use every effort to prevent it from coming into the neighborhood, and to keep it at a distance until the dawn of that brighter day when some other means would be found of settling national differences than those in vogue now. (Loud cheers.)