Mr. Reeves, the able Agent-General for New Zealand, informs Reuter's
Agency that there is great irritation both in his own Colony and New South Wales at the Samoan incident, and a great wish to afford material assistance to the British Government. He suggests that the best way out of the imbroglio would be to buy out Germany by "territorial con- cessions" in the West Pacific, but he does not indicate what terri- torial concession it would be possible to make. If, however, Germany objects to this he would advise a partition, America taking Pago•pago with its magnificent harbour, Germany Upolu, the richest of the islands, and Great Britain Savaii. That is the poorest of the islands and has no harbour, but Mr. Reeves points out that we have already a splendid harbour in the West Pacific, Suva in Fiji. That would not be a bad plan but for the single objection that it would make all German Consuls believe that the game for them to play was to stir up strife. They would be beaten at first, but in the end they would come out with the single thing they seek,--" advantage."
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