THE JAPANISATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 250, 19 October 1904, Page 9

THE JAPANISATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

I . (By T. F. HASLAiL) [ I : ! CHAPTER IV. _^^^ HARYTOOD'S NARRATIVE. i It fell like a bolt from the bin?! I: , was lucky enough to get an introduction; I to a very intelligent old lady who was j present at the (afterwards) celebrated. ball when the news first came. "\es," said she, "I shall never forgc*t | : the night when Lord Brundseoinbe. who j ■ was our Governor then, received the j first telegram about the .Tapane-e de- '. I mands. 1 was about IS. it was my first i I ball, and was on poor old grandfather's '■ birthday, November 12th. 190 S. He hail j been dead throe years and more, but T| remember the date, because it was his birthday. T was thought rather a pretty j girl then—" j i "Beautiful," I murmured softly, 'bsau- j I tiful must have been the word* judging I j by what I see now." | i "'You audacious flatterer! 7 ' exeliimo:! j the old lady, who smiled benignaatly. as she wont on with her narrative. (It j is never too late to praise a woman's J beauty.) j "Well. I had plenty of partners, alI though the dancing had only ju-t begun.' j T!k- Governor's quadrille was over, when jl observed <i footman come up to the! ! private secretary with a telegram. MrJ (dear mc! what was his lumc! L for-] get now —). with that inscrutable look that private secretaries always put on i when they have any official business toj do, op. ued the envelope, which contained several sheets, and after a glance' at the first begged the lady with whom he was talking to excuse him, and left the room. In about half an hour, he returned, and went up to the Governor, and was heard to say: "A eypber' ! telegram from the Colonial Office!, sir.' j which I think you would like to sen ini-' j mediately. , Ard thereupon he hand-! ! td him a sheer, of pajior. The (Vsverncri J looked it over, then mad it again, and; snid: " i "'Find Mi! Sruy..hif- ami Mr Forsler. I and tcil them I want to μ-c the::: immediately in my r; <jm ' "Then His Exrv'leixr w-ur awpy. saying something to Lady Bran-dseombe j before he went. After h< , had let!, thrj room Lady Brandseomb,- told tiio lading! about her that the Governor had re-! eeived an important tel"gra:u iron: j Home, and had gone to <';;is:ilr with the two Minister", who wie in Auek- ■ land, and would probably not h? a bit , I", come back before supper time. I "Then we know no more until in i h" j moriiing we heard that Parliament hud : been summoned to meet for "dispatch oi. business' on the 20th November." j CHAPTER V. The telegram which occasioned tlvs; proclamation I found in the Blue Book. It was as follows: Secretary of State for Colonies to , tiovernor of N.Z. — I'rgjiit. I lear the line. Begins. Yesterdny morning .Tapanese and Chinese ambassadors called at the Foreign Office and pre.-entcd :!ii identical dispatch from their rr-pective! Foreign Minister.-:, ret|iii"st'.n;» ii; very) decided langur.ge thai entire equality of I treatment should be granted to the.ir subject? in all territories under the British Crown that British subjects in-! joypd in -T;r*;an and China. Tbe ili-p.it.-h particularly specified the irpral nf all enactments imposing ;' money penalty j or a langna.se examination r>?! .f.ipaiie.-e or Chine.se subjects disembarkirg in a British port. On KehalF of the Chinese the ambassador required the rrpenl of the exorbitant duty on npinm imposed by the N.Z. tariff, and the repeal of all Acts rMiderinpj the fruoking <-r posses-1 ?ion of opium an offence.- The ambas-j spoke very t-tvonply of the affront put on their two nations .by the j exceptional character of the legislation) in some of the Briti-!- colonies, notably | Australia y;:d New Zealand, and stated. I'thal they were instructed to request si] j distinct reply iv one week. Privately j and unofficially the Foreign Secretary | was informed by ihe secretary of the j Japanese Embassy that if the reply was j a refusal they were instructed to demand their "ua.s-ports. Tbu Foreign Secretary assured them that their dispatch should have the full consideration of H.M. Government, but remarked that no obstacles were placed in t ; ie way nf! either Chinese or .fapane.-e landing in, the United Kingdom, except such as ! wi-ri' imposed on all other alien-, and j (hat in colonies having responsible gr>\I einmeiit Hi.s Ma/ -iy"s (iovernment I had given up almost nil control over ihHr legrslaiiou. The .lapaneso Minister replied that he believer' in matters of Imperial concern the Home Cfovernment. through the local Governor, retained a power of disallowance, which had not been exoreired in the case* J mentioned iv i h-- dispatch. FitzWHliani i ft he 1 hen Foreign Minister i could not i deny that this was correct. i A~ Cabinet was railed of all th.' Mm!- --! i-ters that could lie got trvgelbei. and i ii was resolved to consult \.-i;h the I members of the Front Opposition Bench j in such an emergency, with th? view ! of olitainin.iT united action. It they I would not cordially support us, we would re-ign aud leave them to follow out their own policy. Tin* morning Prime Minister Fitz-William and myself, met ~ix of the prirK-ipal ex Minisand explained the state of affairs. reading the dispatch, and telling them whatwe had heard unofficially. Then told thrni that w». as representatives of the Liberal party, had unanimo.sly resolvled not to incur any risk of war on account ft' the special legislation of the colonies against Asiatic-, bur to ;>ort in the strongesr way the dertrind of the Ambassadors for the repeal <>£ all, laws specially affecting A-iatio.-. inplnuiiig our own Indian subjects. It t":iis policy would not meet with ti.eir cordial -upport. we nhou-kl at once place our resig nations in His Majesty's handsAfter some conversation, all the ex-ilin-isters declared that there was m< purty ii-_ tiie country that would b< , pitpared to xo tv war to support the colonies in their exclusive legislation: that, in fact, the idea absurd: that tiie Australasian colonies, with tiierr declining birthrate, their k can try population, tiie cintjnued tendenej - . of their youny men to emigrate, ought to be ?lad to receive] population, from any source. Tbe action of New Zealand in prohibiting the j landing of persons sufTering trom tu-1 berculosis. and of all the colonies in prohibiting the formation of p-iupcr colODtes. has taken deep hold of the public | mind. and. iv fat-t, the question is fre-j quently asked: "What use are the co-'l-i to usi"' After the interview with | ihe Opposition, we asked lor an s'.udi-j ence of the King. We laid tin? whole; 'case before hrm. including the interviewi with the Opposition Front Be.:u.-h. and | His Majesty listened very attentively, j When we Kad concluded, he requested v≤ to wait for a few miniites until he had formnla:ted bis decision. When he bad done this, and written, it down, he read- aloud as follow: — "I am exceedingly glad tltat a question of such a BjOTneatous character. • > ■

and which must very seriously affect the • future of my Empire, has been lifted : out of the region of party politics. j "I propose to obtain a wider basis for action by calling a meeting of all . J members of "the Privy Council residing : lin the United Kingdom, and obtaining their opinion as to the steps to be rak- j en. The Lord President- of the Council ■ I will therefore convoke a meeting for the ' ' loth instant at 3 p.m.. commanding mc I attendance of all Privy CoUDCiHois .vho I are not prevented by acre or sickness | • from travelling. Tiie Council will he j ; held in Buckingham Palace. Th«» sum- j j mons will, of course, be by telegram, j i His Majesty then dismissed us. 'ihe ' Privy Council ha.s been summoned, and I i will send yon a summary of the resoluI tions adopted as soon as possible. j Meanwhile, as the result is certain. 1 j strongly advise you to summon your 'Parliament at oi.ee. and tell your Ministers that the only business to be ! brought forward will be a meaaurc tor j repealing all laws imposing disabilities Jon Asiati&i. inckiding our own ielloTv- | subjects, and for repealing the Acts I opium smoking. If they refuse or tender their resignations, then get anyone*-" you can to as members pro tempore. until Parliament :-aji be. assembled. Wire daily what you arc ( doing. Ends. I CHAPTER. VI. ■ The New Zealand Ministry, a* soon !as a Cabinet could be assembled, agreed [to summon Parliament, and lay the state !uf affairs before the General Assembly. i But they <ould not agree to accede to j the uem'auds of the Chinese and Japanese ambassadors, ami. therefore, no j 'measure was prepared to lay before Par- j liament. The fact was that the Minis- ■ I try. like all those which had succeeded i I Mr. was a weak one. It is I well io recall that liist eminent man,: J with all his talent, bis powerful will,! hh ecergy. "bis determination, bis un- j j doubted genius for governing men. n.-.d I his oratorical powers, which certainly • bar; ir.miense infi"Tire on the masses, jhi-'l tlin one \-re.-i!;nc-=s vrini ,, :! besets ino-t 'of these n-.en who fed b: m to rule—he Iculd benr no setond near the throne-— ho could tolcraic no subordinate- who ha i ihe .-"i-jfislfst indopendrnec of charac- ! ter—all must obey his nod. and none i ! dare take the initiative. lie in-i-ted | on every detail being referred to him. I Gigantic a- hi- powers of wurk were, j and remarkable as hi.- talents for i i adminislration. the routine work of all ■cr- numerous department- lie nujierin- • tr-ndei! fell into arrears, and the outcry j a'r.ou: l):e. deiavr. i:i them had .-erionsly I nfl"rct?d pri-uigrc, when tlic -udden j j collapse of bis health compelled him to ■ take entire rest. j j lie wr-n! Home as nominally Higb Com- | mi--ioi-.fr. with n salary of .iJ-iUuO a year, a:id "travelling expanses'' up to , UO/ a day. None knew better than Mr. | the claitk- nature of travelling expense-. \Vben be bad been at Home a few j week- he received a note from the Prime Minister, saying that he had a communiciition to make to him from U.M. the King. :uid would feel obliged if he would c.iH on him at four p.m. next day. JThe meeting was described by Mr. Scd- • do-.! hin)sflf to lus intimate*, and more or Iγ-- aecurat! , <lctai!« eppeared i:i the pros.-. To be brief, the I'rime MiTiis'er. Mr. Ralfour. told him tbai lie liad Ix-en j authorised hy the King In otff; hint ;' j Vi-i.-o'in-tcy in reward f«»r lii- spr\ - in - j chiring the Boer war. bill on one •---mli- ' tion—that !i" would pledge hi.- wr.rd ta j tbi- Kin,.- not to return t<> New Zealand oir any ronSicleretidn whatcvei - . "'Thr fact is we want you bcre. v.c want your nclvit-p and assistance in deaiiag with colrmial question.-.' . Of course Mr. Section acocptcd and; ! hcr-unif \ise3an" Sciidnn. of Kumnra. in i J New Zealand. He was also made 0X.V.0. Ho did not live long to enjovj !:i- honouis. which v.ere conferred on ! bin. in the beginning of l!JOf». He died j ! before the e n:l of the following year. | i Sir Joseph \Vard sucr-eede<i him as Pre- ! mier. but held office oniy for IS months. Jas hi.< alliance -vvitb the Liibour party i had gr.ulunlly detached many Liberals j from him. Tbe Labour party had beeonie exceedingly unpopular with all the i producer-, and the restrictions they ati iempted to impose, and llic continual ri-e in the prices of ever>Mhing except agricultural produce an<l sheep and cat-j i tie. v. er<- the cause of inucli di-Urrs* | jamong the <niall farmers, who had great- j !y increased in number.«. Several >hort-!ived Ministries had sue- | cerded Sir Joseph Ward's, and in Novem- J b'-r. l!)0S. a coalition Ministry was in j power. Naturally, in a disjs like thK ' a coalition Ministry could come to uo j unanimous decision. (To he Continued.". |