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German New Guinea.
Cooktown, Jnno 3.
Tub Municipal Conncll and tho Divisional
Board entertained Baron von Schlcinitz at a
banquet last night.
Alderman Dick presided, in tho absenco of
tho mayor. Mr. Baird, chairman of the Divi
sional Board, occupied tho vice-chair. Amongst
tho guests wero tho Hon. John Douglas, Cap-
Brooke, of H.M.S. Opal; Commander Pike,
.of H. M.S. Harrier ; Mr. H. O. Forbes, Dr.
Clarkson, and Mr. Holy, private secretary .to
Mr. Douglas.
About fifty sat down, tho assembly being a
most representative one. After tho usual
loyal toasts, including that of tho Emperor of
Germany,
Tho Chairman proposed tho health of
Admiral Baron von Schlcinitz, who on rising
to respond received a perfect ovation.
The Baron said that thoy would permit him
to express in a fow words his full appreciation
of tho kind reception thoy had vouchsafed to
him that evening, and said that ho was not
accustomed to speak at length in tho English
language. When ho arrived at Thursday
Island, his first port of call in Queens
land, the hand of friendship had been
heartily proffered him by her Britannic
Majesty's representative in Now Guinea, tho
Hon. John Douglas, whoso kind offer, he
declared, was of tho highest valuo to him in
his official capacity as tho representative of tho
German Government in elaborating a policy in
relation to tho natives of New Guinea. Tho
successful colonisation of NewGuinoa depended
in a great mcasuro on co-operation and tho con-
formity of tho measures introduced by tho two
Governments in mutual endeavours to impart
at least some of their high culturo to the nativo
races. Ho had mado it his duty to endeavour
to maintain the most friendly relations with
tho English Government in Now Guinea, and
it would bo dcplorablo indeed if two nations
bound together as thoy were by all tho. ties of
olden times were not willing to carry thoir high
culture to this tho lowest and most neglected of
mankind, (Applause.) Ho felt satisfied that
tho kind and hearty welcomo tendered him
that evening was not caused by the conside
ration of his rank, but; was. a- mani
festation of goodwill to his person,
which rendered it doubly pleasing to
him. Tho feeling which caused them to
receive bira so kindly was based on tho convic
tion on their sido that tho connecting link
between their nations was that high culture
which joined them together in mutual advanco
on tho high road of civilisation. In conclusion,
ho would tako tho liberty of proposing tho
health of tho Imperial British. High Commis
sioner, his friend tho Hon. John Donglas.
(Prolonged applause.)
The toast was drunk with acclamation.
The Hon. John Douglas said it was indeed
a high privilcgo for him to bo able to respond
to tho toast of his health proposed by his Ex
cellency Baron von Schlcinitz. Ho esteemed it
a high honour and good fortune to be permitted
to welcome him as Governor of Kaiser Wil-
helm's Land. His Excellency had referred to
tho ancient tics of kindred and policy which
united England and Germany as old friends,
and ho trusted they would ever remain friends
in tho futuro which was boforo them. (Ap-
plauBc.) His Excellency bod apologised to them
for not possessing any great fluency of diction
in addressing them in tho English language.
That apology was, however, to no way neces
sary. The apology should rather como from
themselves, for very few of them, bo feared,
could speak tho German language, though ho
believed almost all tho officers in the German
Navy could speak English fluontly. Ho feared
tho samo could not bo said of tho English
officers. Perhaps it was that Englishmen were
chiefly occupied in colonial and mcrcantilo
pursuits outsido the sphere of European
nolitics. He begged to congratulate his Ex
cellency on tho honourable and onerous under
taking upon which ho had entered. Ho could
not help thinking that tho responsibilities
connected with the government and colonisa
tion of Now Guinea havo been somewhat
underestimated by tho people of Australia.
Thoy had learned something, no doubt, of tbo
seaboard and islands immediately adjoining
their coasts, but of tbo interior of Now Guinea
they knew nothing. What was unknown was
often magnified by imaginations, henco
wo camo to think of vast rivers, great
mountains, vast mineral wealth, and pecu
liar races of men, and these anticipations had
been modified by experience. Considering tho
imperfect information thcro was on many of
these matters ho was not surprised that her
Majesty's Government in Great Britain had
hesitated to commit themselves to such an ex
periment. The futuro relations of tho Aus
tralian colonists to tho nativo races most bo a
matter of scriouB anxiety and responsibility.
Thoy wero many degrees in advanco of tho
Australian aborigines, who had disappeared so
rapidly beforo tbo white mam Ho had been
assured by Mr. Forbes, who had already ac
quired somo acquaintance of them, that they
.were no way inferior in intelligence to tho
Malays of tho Eastern Archipelago. He hoped
that this was the caso. Tho advent of Euro
pean colonists would havo to ho tho means of
advancing the natives in tho scalo of civilisa
tion, and it would ho mado to contributo to
tho happiness and uao of tho human family.
(Applauso.) For himself, as the humblo repre
sentative of her Majesty, at tho present timo
ho should regard it as a primary duty to pro
tect tho nativo races from any too suddon
change in the inevitable contact with
European civilisation which they must now
contemplate. They bad been called savages.
It had been asked, " What is a savage ? Thcro
wero savages of ail kinds, and ho believed they
woro, at least, men liko ourselves ("Not"), and
that thoy were capablo of improvement. Tho
timo .had undoubtedly como when tho island
must bo oponcd up for European colonisation,
and it was our duty to mako this sudden
impact as littlo hurtful as possible to both the
nativo races and tho Europeans. Still, what
ever difficulties thoro woro ho had no doubt
thoy would boovcrcomo, for whero Englishmen
and Germans undertook such a task thoy woro
not likely to fail. Ho himself re
garded tho admission of Gcrmau colonists
to tho Pacific as likely to provo beneficial to
tho world. Great Britain would novor havo
been tho great and powerful country she was
without hor colonies, though ho scarcely agreed
with Mr. Baird in his estimate of Great
Britain at tho present time without her
colonics. For himself hs thought that without
her colonies as an integral portion of tho
Empiro Groat Britain would still bo one of tho
greatest and moBt powerful nations. (Pro
longed applause.) Ho did not hesitate to say
that ho was beyond mcasuro pleased that Ger
many was likely to enter into frlondly rivalry
with Australians in the Pacific. Tho Germans
woro most excellent colonists, and thoy already
had many of them in Australia. Ho feared
that thcro was not another Australia or Now
Zealand for them in tho Pacific, hut if thoro
wero ho only wished they might have
tho good fortune to possess themselves
of it. Ho feared, however, that .so
far as Australia and Now Zealand wero
concerned wo must dcclino to sharo them
with any one, though German colonists would
bo very welcomo. (Applause.)
In proposing tho toast of tho " Commercial
Interests," tho Hon. John Douglas alluded to
tho able and importantspccch mado by Captain
Armit, who had struck tbo right key in main
taining that commerce was best without con
quering tho natives.
The usual local toasts wero duly honoured,
and tho meeting broko up.
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