Eeview of Reriewl, l/l$/Oe. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



ROMAXCE AND RELIGION IN THE SOUTH 

 PACIFIC. 



Ber. il. Madclern writes; — Tlie vt'iy reinoteiioss of 

 the South Sea Islands from the throbbing centres of 

 life in Australasia and New Zealand is responsible 

 for current misconceptions concerning them and their 

 people. The near view, in this case, ensures a truer 

 perspective of the picture. The local setting of things 

 can only be understood on the spot. One must live 

 among people to know them and understand their 

 ways. South Sea bubbles glitter and enchant when 

 blown from a distance ; but no sane rogue would care 

 to risk the experiment and the safety of his head on 

 the spot. This is understandable enough on the old 

 biblical principle. " In vain is the snare spread in the 

 sight of any bird.'' 



THE IMPERIAL INSTINCT. 



The uppermost thought in the mind of a visitor to 

 tliese enchanted islands is the need of imperialistic 

 control. Some of these islands are annexed by Eng- 

 land. Germany and France, and Tonga is "a self- 

 governing kingdom enjoying, from a Tongan stand- 

 point, the questionable advantage of a British Plo- 

 tectorat-e. This mixed governmental game is not the 

 more excellent way. and is the outcome of a grab-as- 

 you-please policy on the part of the great Powers, and 

 the inaction or want of promptitude in Downing- 

 street to claim this necklace of islands when the chance 

 offered. Tliere is no use crying over spilt milk, and 

 now that things are as they are, the best alternative 

 is for England to buy out the interests of the othei- 



Powers in these islands, or to exchange for them 

 teriitory ekewhere. Now that Richard Seddon is 

 gone, \\hose initiative in the direction indicated pro- 

 claimed him a statesman of the imperialistic order, 

 there has been a set-back to the movement which was 

 quietly getting under way. 



The nearness of Australia and New Zealand to these 

 isla}ids luiturally makes for the creation of a zone 

 of British interests in these places. Political, commer- 

 cial and religious considerations make desirable the 

 supremacy of one controlling nationality in the South 

 and South-West Pacific. One looks round in vain just 

 now for the statesman with the passion and grip of 

 imperialism to lead this movement on to victory. 

 Empiie-making demands prescience and breadth of 

 statesmanship, and while insular prejudices and low 

 political ideals obtain, as they are likely to do, until 

 patriotic passion triumphs, and the most capable men 

 place then- .services at the disposal of the public for 

 the public good. British material interests will suffer 

 irretrievable loss. India without Clive. South Africa 

 witliout Cecil Rhodes. Au.stralia without Wentworth, 

 and New Zealand without Richard Seddon. exactlv 

 represents the situation in the South Pacific, without 

 the man of the hour to give solidarity to British in- 

 terests, to its beautiful and lavishly fruitful islands. 



THE PAEADE OF AUTHOEITY. 



The High Commissioner's control of these islands is 

 no doubt a wise arrangement, and necessajily. per- 

 haps, his functions carry with them a measure of arbi- 

 trary power from which there is no redi-ess or appeal. 



Nukualofa. Tonga 



