Purrzips.— Civilization of the Pacific. 87 
valuable to the Pacific as the Pacific is to Australasia ; indeed, if the islands 
would consult their best interests, and also look to their geographical posi- 
tion, instead of seeking protection from America, France, and Germany, 
they would petition the Australian Colonies for assistance. It is for the 
interest of these colonies to render such assistance, whereas the powers 
above named have no particular interest in the matter. 
Which of the colonies will take the lead in the island trade is uncertain. 
but in my opinion New Zealand, from its position, is likely to do so. 
Auckland is 1,200 miles nearer the greater number of the groups than 
Sydney or any Australian port. For nine months in the year the south- 
east wind prevails, and New Zealand lies to the windward of Australia. 
Auckland is likely to become the seat of a large ship-building trade, pos- 
sessing, as it does, a good harbour, and plenty of iron, coal, and timber. 
Sydney will supply a great amount of merchandise ; Queensland, meat ; and 
South Australia, flour, ete. 
New Zealand likewise possesses another great advantage over Australia 
—dts beautiful climate ; a fit sanitarium for tropical invalids. Many planters 
even now resort to this Colony in order to recruit their health. Ladies 
and children will find it of the utmost advantage to annually leave the 
. islands for a couple of months, in order to escape the summer heat. 
` The bond of union between the colonies and the islands must become a 
very strong one. Population is gradually overflowing; colonial merchants 
are establishing agencies in the Pacific; and there will hardly be a planter 
who will not possess many friends in one or other of the Australian Colonies, 
Final Remarks. 
I must now bring the paper to an end. The subject upon which it 
treats is so extensive that the great difficulty under which I have laboured 
is, not to find what to say, but what to leave unsaid. In a paper such as 
this it is almost impossible to do justice to so great a subject. Many im- 
portant matters have been omitted. But slight reference has been made to 
New Guinea ; the civilization and colonization of that island must be a task 
of time. In my opinion, the various groups of islands referred to require 
far more immediate attention than New Guinea. Their colonization is 
forcing itself upon our attention, although it has taken nearly a hundred 
years for the question to ripen into its present importance. 
New Guinea, as I have before remarked, is a terra incognita; there is 
not much danger of any Great Power attempting to colonize it for some 
time to come. All that we require at present is the protection of our trade 
through Torres Straits, and the Royal Colonial Institute has duly brought 
that important point before the notice of the Imperial Government. That 
the civilization of New Guinea will be found a more easy task than that of 
