Asiatics
p. 14 · Read in the full issue
Europeans Let In
Invasion of Pacific Islands
manner in which the Pacific Islands have been invaded by Asiatic peoples, as a result of the “civilisation” introduced by Europeans, was described interestingly in a recent lecture in Mel bourne by Rev. A. W. Amos, secretary of the Methodist Foreign Mission Society.
After telling of the discovery of the Islands by early seafarers, such as Cap tain Cook and Dutch and French sailors, Mr. Amos said that, following in the wake of the navigators came the traders, and then followed the introduction of new economic systems.
Speaking of Hawaii, he said that to-day there were 20,427 natives, but these were outnumbered by Chinese, of whom there were 25,212, in addition to 137,407 Japan ese.
In Samoa the invasion had resulted in the presence in that island to-day of 939 Chinese. In the mandated territory of New Guinea we had 1238 Chinese and 50 Japanese. To-day in Fiji there were nearly 100,000 natives, 1503 Chinese, 100 Japanese and 80,000 Indians. There was scarcely a European storekeeper left in Fiji.