LECTURE ON NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18267, 29 December 1924, Page 10

LECTURE ON NEW ZEALAND.

SIR JAMES ALLEN AT LIVERPOOL

(KOlf OUB OWX COJUIEMOKIXKT.)

LONDON, November 13

Sir James Allen wont to Liverpool this week to deliver a lecture on "New Zealand" before the Geographical Society. Added interest was given to an interesting evening, by the showing of about seventy lantern slides and a film of the Southern Alps.

"Geographically," said tho High Commissioner, "New Zealand is the most favoured of British possessions, and this fact is a good omen for the future of our people, as geography is closely allied to history." He quoted copiously from Professor J. Maemillan Brown and Mr Percy Smith in his references to the Maori and their origin, and he stressed appreciatingly their loyalty to the Crown. The Cook Islanders, Gilbert Islanders, and Fijians came in similarly for due praise.

Sir James drew attention to the wonderful development and progress of the Dominion within the last fifty years. Development still goes on,' and, indeed, with respect to dairy produce, it was difficult to prophesy the limit that might be reached. To foster trade with the Homeland, New Zealand had made considerable sacrifices, even to the extent of granting preference on 427 items out of a total of 644.

The lecturer referred at length to the vital question of unfettered sea communication —an Empire concern so vital that it constituted a binding link that could not be severed without the breakup of the Empire itself. The preservation of the lines of communication was the joint responsibility of the various parts. The League of Nations was not yet in a position to provide a peaceful world, though one scarcely hoped that the time would come when the League might effectively achieve the purpose for which it was brought into existence. "A military spirit does not prevail in New Zealand. Our people are keenly anxious for peace and their only desire is to be left in peaee to develop their country; but we cannot believe that the peoples of the world have settled down to a continuous era of peace, and so feel bound to make what provision we can to share in Empire defence, if the need arises. In this spirit we continue our system of compulsory military training, but have subordinated the military side, and are using the training scheme for the production of the more perfect citizen."