THE EMPIRE'S MISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 142, 14 June 1912, Page 6

THE EMPIRE'S MISSION.

STBOKGr APPEAL TO MEW ZEAIiANI/EBS.

A SERVICE TO THE WORLD. <By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WKLLINGTON. Thursday. An address upon Imperial questions which will rank as one of the most important delivered in the Dominion was heard to-day at the New Zealand Club luncheon, when the' Eight Hon. James Bryce, British Ambassador to the United States, was entertained. Hie Excellency the Governor presided. Mr. Bryce spoke highly of the organisation as a means of bringing together those who -washed to discuss subje* i for the good of the Pom in km outsid-j 'the ties of party politics. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he wished to say something about Imperial matters. The Briti3h Empire was discontinuous, united only by the sea, on which our forefathers had shown their prowess. The sea was always associated with freedom—a sea-going nation was almost of necessity a free nation. Here was an immense Empire, founded for the first time on the principle that every part should be a centre of selfgovernment, a government in the hands of its citizens for the purpose of conducting their own local affairs and yet united by strong and permanent ties. THE TIES OF EMPIRE. __^ The things binding us together included our allegiance to an ancient dynasty, one common language, and a literature which we could say was the greatest and the richest in the modern world- We were one in the ideas that governed onr lives and the sentiment of friendship and sympathy that united us. All these things made us one, aud would keep U3 one. (Applause.) The English held, as his hearers knew, not only the temperate regions in which the race flourished and retained its pristine strength, but we also held large dominions inhabited by backward races living under a tropical sun, who were not capable of free, responsible government. By a strange series of circumstances, we became the lords and masters of India, large parts of Africa, parts of the Eastern Archipelago, and parts of tropical America. A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY. '"When 1 say 'we,'" continued Mr. Bryce, "I don't mean the United Kingdom —it is just as much your responsibility as that oi the people of the United Kingdom. Every subject of the Crown is alike eligible for employment in the Indian Civil Service, in the Foreign Office, and in any work which belongs to the British Empires. Any one of you can go Home and stand for a British constituency and become eligible for any post as citizens of the British Empire, as well as citizens of New Zealand. I ask you to think .of our collective responsibility to those tropical countries which are not in a fit state for self-government. We are answerable to God and to the future for our government of those countries. We want you to help us in that work. We hope more of you will enter the service of the Crown in these countries, and we want you to think that there is no place of service under the Crown in which a New Zealander will not be as welcome as a man born in England. (Applause.) It is an exalting and sobering thing to feel that we are members of this great body which lies over the world. It is a higher destiny to be members of this great body than to be merely one of its parts." KEEPING LN TOUCH. Nobody dreamt when England lost the North American provinces that it would be possible to build up so immense a.n Empire overseas, but the resources of modern science had made that possible because of the opportunities of keeping in touch. New Zealand was well served by its newspapers with tejegrams of news of the happenings in the Old Land. He hoped that excellent service, would be further extended. A good deal more was known about the self-governing dominions than in the time, happily past, when it was believed that when they grew to manhood they would desire to sever their connection with the Mother Country. That was the time when the Privy Council, desiring to protect England from the depredations of the Colorado beetle, issued a proclamation prohibiting the importation of infected vegetables, and describing the beetle as having originated from Ontario, which was referred to a≤ ''that town." It had been very much borne upon him since he came' "to New Zealand how narrow was the Pacific Ocean. He hoped to see an ever-growing trade between Canada and the southern dominions, and that New Zealanders would try to follow the politics of their-" fellow colonists, for they could tea-ch each other, and the solution of problems could be profitably utilised by all parts of the Empire. COMPLIMENTS FOB, NEW ZEALAND. One of. the things, which would draw us closer wa.3 defence. He rejoiced that all the' Dominions were taking this matter seriously into their consideration, and he ventured to express the sense of gratitudp and appreciation the people of England, Scotland and Ireland felt for what New Zealand had done for the navy. It was a very welcome message to them, and he could assure his bearers of the universal pride and satisfaction which prevailed in England at the example set by New Zealand. (Applause.) He took a more hopeful view of the prospect of the world's peace than some of the newspapers, especially in Europe, but nevertheless- it was absolutely necessary to present a united and strong front toward any possible quarter from which danger might arise. Countries thnt lived by the sea were, of course, exposed by the sea as well as protected by it, and they must maJse their shores immune from invasion. Unless they did so they must have, enormous land forces. He rejoiced that this thought was present in New Zealand and in the minds of the people across the Tasman Sea. THE. HIGHER MISSION. 'It was, Mr Bryoe, one of our highest .destiniee to keep the peace of the world. None couid acense lbs of desiring to secure any more territory, for we had .enough to safely manage. There »ai no desire on lrre.it J-Vi tain's part to quarrel with any nation, and he that so long as we were for peace this ] would prevail. The bonds ot Empire hid j been defined as being light a:= air hut strong as steel, and for that rc:i.-on he beSeved the Empire would la«t long. Knally, he woirid say to thp young m-en •of Kew Zealand, have soon tc guide the destinies of their country: ~What i= ours is yours, and vrhat is yours is ours." ■ Three routing cheers were given for j tbe <Sisttr'O'u:?>ipd pup.st and the chairman,'