GOVERNING AN EMPIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1928, Page 13 (Supplement)

GOVERNING AN EMPIRE.

HOW IT HANGS TOGETHER.

ONE KING AND MANY SYSTEMS

DELICATE, BUT STRONG.

How the British Empire "hangs together" is one of the marvels of the world, a constant source of amazement,' and to some a cause of dismay. The fabric of that vast conglomeration of countries, now called the British Com-, mon wealth of Nations, is so delicate that its peoples dare not submit it to the strain of a written constitution, yet so strong that it can withstand the most terrific shocks and resist continuous efforts at undermining by propaganda. The Commonwealth of Nations we know is described by historians as the Third British Empire, and nothing resembling it has been known in the world before. The first Empire was a colonial Empire of the older type, and was abruptly extinguished, or, at least, summarily curtailed with the loss of the American colonies in 1776. Then the British Empire was "given a second chance," and this reached the culmination of its power and of its development in the Great War. After that a third British Empire came into existence, new in its form, new in the conditions which it has to face within and without its borders, new even in its name. The Empire then became the British Commonwealth of Nations. What is the next step? The Constituent Nations. Not even all those who, owing allegiance to one King, are classified broadly as "British," are aware of the extent of this Commonwealth of Nations and how its various units became part of one Empire. The constituent parts, and the manner of their acquirement, may be briefly summarised as follow: — Capture.—St. Helena, 1651; Gibraltar, 1704; Malta, 1800 i Aden, 1839; Hong Kong, 1841.

Capitulation.—Jamaica, 1655; Ceylpn, 1796; Trinidad, 1797; Mahratta States, 1803; St. Lucia, 1803; British Guiana, 1803; Cape of Good Hope, 1806; Mauritius, 1810; Burmah, Lower, 1826 and 1852; Upper, 1885.

Cessation (by treaty,, whether or not after war).—Canada, 1763; Tobago, 1763; St. Vincent, 1763; Dominica (Leeward Islands), 1783; Grenada and the Grenadines (Windward Islands), 1783; Seychelles, 1814; Ajmere, 1818; Assam, 1825; Labuan, 1846; Berar, 1853; Federated Malay States, 1888; British North Borneo, 1877; Brunei, 1888; Nyasaland, 1891; Wei-hai-wei, 1898. Annexation.—United Provinces (formed 1901), from Agra and Oudh; Coorg, 1834; Natal, 1843; Punjab, 1849; Andamans, 1858; Nicobar Islands, 1869; Fiji, 1874; British New Guinea, 1884-88; Nigeria, 1885; Somaliland, 1885; Socotra, 1886; Zululand, 1887; British Baluchistan, 1888; British Central Africa, 1891; Sudan, 1898; Orange Free State, 1900; Transvaal, 1900; Cyprus, 1914.

Settlement. —Bermuda, 1612; Newfoundland, 1613; Gold Coast Colony, 1618; Leeward Islands* 1623-66; Barbados, 1627; Bahamas, 1629; Gambia, 1631; St. Lucia, 1637; British Honduras, 1640; North-West Territories (Alberta and Saskatchewan), 1670; Australia, 1787; Sierra Leone, 1787; Tristan. de Cunha, 1816; Straits Settlements, 1819; Falkland Islands, 1833; New Zealand, 1840; British Columbia, 1858; Rhodesia, 1890.

Occupation. —Ascension, 1815; Perim, 1857.

Purchase. —Madras, 1639; Bombay, 1661; Bengal, 1670; Lagos, 1861. Protectorates. — Basutoland, 1883; Niger Coast, 1884; Sarawak, 1888; Zanzibar, 1890; Uganda, 1894; Kenya Colony, 1805; Bechuanaland, 1895; Swaziland, 1902.

Basic Principles. Originally colonial affaire were administered in an indefinite way by the Privy Council At the tune of the Restoration a Council of Trade and Plantations was instituted, and latter the Board of Trade came into existence, with executive power entrusted to the Secretary of State for Home and the Privy Council. Late in the eighteenth century a Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was appointed—the colonial Governors were mostly military men, and administration was largely a matter for the war authorities. Toward the middle of the nineteenth century the offices were separated, and thenceforward, until very recent times, that part of the Empire beyond the Brown Isles was more or less under the control of the Colonial Secretary. Now there is the Dominion Department, which deals with the self-governing Dominions and the Imperial Conferences; the Crown Colony Department dealing with Crown Colonies and protectorates and the general and legal department. Though basic principles of government are harmonised throughout the Empire and the Parliamentary and judicial systerns are similar in outline, eacn Beltgoverning section has adopted its own method of administration. Nearly all the former self-governing colonies have disappeared, as separate political entities, and now form part of one or other of the Dominions. Some of them still retain a Minisltry responsible to the local Legislature, as in the case of the Australian States and the Canadian provinces; others have ceased to have a Ministry, as is the case with the provinces of the Union of South Africa, which were formerly self-governing colonies. All of them in Canada, Australia and South Africa are subject, that is, subordinate, to the superior legislation of the Dominion Legislature, although in Australia, as in the United States of America, the residue of _ the legislative powers which is not defined by the constitution belongs to the constituent States, and not to the supreme Legislature of the Dominion. Of the Dominions, Australia fe the only true federation. South Africa is a unitary Stalte, and Canada is partly federal and partly unitary, the ppwers of the constituent provinces being clearly defined, while the residue of undefined powers belongs to the central authority. _ ~ , ~ Crown colonies, of which there are ma \y, are best described as those colonies and dependencies, apart from protectorates and mandated territories, which are not fully self-governing. The essential feature of their administration is that executive powers are retained and exercised by the Governor, who is an officer of the British Government. There is no definite rule, and the long list of colonies are in various stages of progress toward the ultimate ideal of selfgovernment. ' • at Some colonies, such as Gibraltar, St. Helena and Wei-hai-wei, have no legislative body at all. Others have wholly nominated councils, and the majority have partly elected legislative bodies.

The Legislatures of the various provinces of British India are mainly elective and partly nominated, but these are not colonies, and, like the rest of India, come within 'the jurisdiction of -the India office.

The protectorates are supervised by either governor® or commissioners, sometimes, as in the case of Nigeria, with the addition of a commander-in-chief, assisted by an Executive Council and a Legislative Council, but usually through organised native institutions. Mandated territories, as in the case of New Guinea, are governed as "integral portions" of the responsible government's territory.