LORD ROSEBERY ON INDIA

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

LORD ROSEBERY ON INDIA

At an entertainment given to the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine at the Imperial Insitute the Earl of Rosebery proposed "The Guest of the Evening.', In the course of his speech, after referring to the difficulty he had in overcoming Lord Elgin's diffidence in undertaking the government of India, he said:—l doubt if any other Viceroy has, during his term of office, been visited by so cruel a series of visitations as Lord Elgin. (Hear, hear.) It is not for me to-night, within the limits of time and the still more limited knowledge of detail, to recount to you how Lord Elgin dealt with all these problems. But this at least I may confidently say—and I have taken some pains to ascertain impartial opinion—that this young, unknown, and untried Viceroy, going out with no flame 'of -advertisement in his favour, with no great reputa. tion won in the fields of "Parliament, has left on India the stamp of a memonry which is perhaps surpassed by none. (Cheers.) Lord Roseberry next touched upon the frontier question. There is, he said, one. question with regard to the frontier, which is as important as any that military scientists can lay down with regard to it. It is no use fortifying your frontier with all the inventions that science and the sedulous care of geographers can indicate, unless you give to the natives behind it something worth defending. (Cheers.) That seems to me the problem before every Viceroy—the one that we hear most of in Europe here —the problem of the frontier and the wars that it involves. But, above and beyond all, that is the question—at least as interesting and far more important in my belief as regards the permanence and the welfare of our Indian Empire—the question of the happiness and. the satisfaction of the natives we goverrn. (Cheers.) I believe that the Viceroy we welcome back to-night was well aware of both requirements. We celebrate Lord Elgin's birthday as well as his return. I confess that leads me into a train of thought away from India. I am thinking not so much of his past, splendid as it is, as of his future, illustrious as I hope it will be. I admit that if he wished to hold high office in the.Stae the omens are not particularly favourable for him. He left his.party in power, or, at any rate, in office. (Laughter.) He finds, it on his return in a position of great numerical weakness, in Parliament and distracted apparently by a superfluity of retired leaders. (Much laughter.) I trust that will not discourage him. Let him, if he will, take my humble advice, and not attempt to occupy the position of a retired leader. (Renewed laughter.)