My Humble Opinion

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 76, 28 March 1908, Page 14

My Humble Opinion

mm.

A BRIEF RETROSPECT.

After five years of New Zealandseven of Australasia —one may perhaps be "pardoned for a short farewell summary of one's impressions. Next week I hope to write on "What I Expect to Find in England"—and then, after a brief gap. and by the Editor's kind invitation, to endeavour to give some views by the wayside, and my first sensations on revisiting the 3lotherland. In the first place, I think New Zealand offers the world triumphant proof of the value of a beneficent environment. I would make so bold as to say that far from a submerged class there is not even a vulgar or offensive class. Whatever individuals may be, you cannot here herd disagreeable types "{coarse, or blatant, or anarchical) into one category for the purpose of an indictment—as I am afraid you sometimes can (small fault to tbe units composing that category) under the harsher social system of older countries. There is no unwashen class, no class that sets its joys in the concertina, no class that worships strong onions and yellow wallpaper. If there is still a class that likes bloodshed and triumphant virtue in its drama or its fiction, that simply means that even here while things are very good, they are still far enough from perfect.

The so-called Socialistic legislation in this country is to my mind the product of the sheerest individualism, and I believe that individualism will be the predominant note in colonial life for at least another generation. Only real suffering, or at the least, imminent danger of suffering can breed true co-operation; and for this reason I believe that before many years New Zealand will be following "rather than leading the forces of peaceful revolution. I think, indeed, that the prevalent Conservatism is a far more impressive factor to the open-minded visitor to Xew Zealand than is the radicalism. Of course, some well-intentioned critic may at once reply with a mass of examples of progressive legislation, but 1 am writing relatively. A brand-new country must be judged by a brand-new standard. With that proviso one might well be surprised to find here earthburial, coal-fires, old-fashioned criminology, and a hundred other necessary evils "of older lands. It is not logical to claim the advantages of youth in effecting radical change and in the same breath to plead youth as the excuse for not having brought those changes about. An old country, though living much in the past, is apt to deify the present; to a new country the present should be merely an earnest of a fuller, richer : and more beautiful future. You see Ido New Zealand the compliment of making some rather Utopian demands upon its virile youth! '

Personally. I don't believe that either a new or an old country represents an absolute ideal—even if seen under the -ideal advantages of its particular age. Each is essentially the compliment of the other. Hence the need for living—mentally or "bodily—in both. In England one is irritated'by the reference to precedent and"authority; In New Zealand one is irritated by the spirit of revolt that wastes time eternally in disputing commonplace facts. In England one craves for bold, rash action; in New Zealand for calm, stately thought. In London one longs for peace, in Auckland for the fulness of life and movement. In both one is discontented, and in both distant fields are green.

One does not expect to find the arts highly developed here —and one is not disappointed"." But the advantages of hearing good music are splendid—equal, indeed, to those enjoyed by, say, the citizens of Liverpool or Leeds. Would I could say the same of the Stage! It is, of course, an absurd exaggeration by astute managers when they represent that productions; here are all round equal to those in London. No complete I-ondon company has been in Australasia during my seven years- But still the plays are most adproduced, and it does them little harm to deny them the very highest honours. ■ They are the equivalent of "B" (first-rate second class) provincial touring companies in England; and, after all, that gives the Aucklander the best part of the theatrical advantages of living in a middle-sized town in England. He has splendid libraries, and a fair art gallery (which only needs money to make lit excellent).

Turning to a wider topic, I admit to some anxiety about the rising generation in New Zealand. For some reason or other the type that is rapidly reaching predominance is the shrewd, canny, precocious type that you find especially in London, and - are glad to be delivered from elsewhere. It-is a type that largely precludes fellowship with grown-up people because of its insolent familiarity; and it is a type that spells danger in the very absence of the influence of that fellowship. Here is a desperate problem which I cannot pretend to solve, but

•ajqissod si? which had better be solved as speedily

As to the New Zealand attitude in regard to the Empire. I have found a great majority consciously or unconsciously patriotic, and a minority consciously or unconsciously hostile. It has seemed to mc that a more practical view of pan-Britan-nic co-operation would place that smaller but well-defined minority in an indefensible position. I mean that the co-opera-tive support of an Empire by all its constituent parts is a matter of elementary commonsense' into which the question of the emotion of patriotism need not enter. Above all, the Labour party should be strongly Imperialist inasmuch as the Empire offers the beginnings of a world synthesis of nationalities. This is one of those obvious facts that everybody neglects through its very obviousness.

But carp here and cavil there as one may, one cannot but have been profoundly struck by the splendid achievements and infinitely greater promise of NewZealand. At present we may groan a little that the physical, the material, the obvious are being overrated at the expense of the intellectual, the spiritual and the difficult-, but we cannot have an old country in a new any mor e than a new country in an old (a fact--j just as regrettable); and it is m any-case a very great deal to be able w say that a race of splendid physique ? S ,l VOVed under conditions favourStt Tf h ?. ver y %"est mental developsetf \J *T » ealand will onl y teh «- Cheap and. nasty imitation of: America— planned—l for one believe that her