NEW ZEALAND ABROAD.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 270, 7 August 1908, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND ABROAD.

Foe some time past we have been watching the foreign Press, and particularly the English. Press, with the object of discovering wheLlicr this country is better knoivn to the outside world than it used to be. 'We are forced to the conclusion that it is not. It is not a pleasant thing to say—but it must be' said— that the most sensible things that are' said or written upon .New Zealand in Great Britain are said and written upon the finances of the Dominion and, the failure of the Arbitration Act. Despite the visit of Mr. Seddon to England in 1902, the visits of the football teams, the speeches of Sir Joseph Ward at the Imperial Conference and his clamouring for an " All-Red Route," and the subvention to Renter's—all of which things tho public has complacently considered so many "splendid advertisements"—Great Britain is still lamentably ignorant of this country. Not long ago The Standard of Umpire, which brags of its " Imperial " mission, had a leaderette on New Zealand, apropos of one of Sir J. G. Ward's speeches. As " tho organ of Imperial thought," and the expert in Imperial affairs, The Standard of Empire takes liberties with the "Empire-builders" that a common stay-at-home organ like the London Times or Spectator would not attempt. As a result, this generally well-informed journal referred to our Prime Minister as " Sir John "—not " Sir John Ward," but jus't " Sir John," our intimate friend Sir John, whom you ought to know if you want to live Imperially.-. It was this journal, also, which reported from its Wellington correspondent that'the increase in the public debt of New Zealand was 101 millions in six years, and added that the financial position of the country was very strong. The (Jape Times of a recent date printed a cable message from its London correspondent. respecting tin bakers' strike in tliis city. The message stated that the strike arose from a rofusal by the master bakers to obey the award! That might not at first sight imply ignorance of New Zealand, but let anybody ask himself whether a newspaper, or a person who knew anything about New Zealand could possibly overlook tho, grotesque absurdity of the suggestion' that anybody but a trades unionist is allowed to defy an Arbitration Court award.

A more important and remarkable example of " the British view'-' comes to' hand by this week's mail. There was held a New Zealand dinner in London towards the end of June, and we find this brief record of the function in a British daily paper: — ' '

Lord Crewe, of State for the Colonics, speaking last night at the annual Now Zealand dinner, said this country had gratefully acceptod the contribution of the new dominion to our naval expenditure, and ho had hoard it stated as a possibility that tho contribution might bo even further increased. He complimented New Zealandcrs on the way in which they had solved tho native question. Mr. Pember Reeves, High Commissioner, in responding to tho toast of " Tho Dominion," said tho stream of emigrants had- never been greater, and the exports had shown a material increase.

And Mr. Reeves solemnly sat there while tho Secretary for the Colonics " compli« mented New Zealariders oh the way inwhich they had solved the native question " ! In tho after-dinner atmosphere, perhaps, it would, have been improper to correct such an amiable foolishness. Indeed, Mr. Reeves was so loyal to tho after-dinner tradition that he outshone Lord Crewe altogether. It is probably of ho consequence' to this country whether Great Britain gets the immigration statistics from Mr. Reeves, who says one thing, or Sir J. G. Ward, who the othor day said tho opposite. We cannot help thinking, however, of the uproar that would have taken place if Mr. Reeves had told the. unemployed deputation led by Mr. Dowdall what ho told the New Zealand diners, or if Sir J6seph Ward had told the diners what ho told tlfe unemployed. With respect to tho exports, Mr Reeves seems rather to have strained the license of conviviality. He must find it rather difficult to defend the description of a million drop as " a material increase." The speech of Mr. Reeves raises an interesting point in connection with the High Commissionersliip. What is wanted is evidently not "a good busiiness man," or an erudite and eloquent or a man woll aoauaintod witi^

the conditions in New Zealand, or even a man who has ever heard of New Zealand. The chief desideratum, apparently, should be a man who does not concern himself, with facts, but has a pretty turn of humour, and can give Great Britain all that it can swallow. It is bad enough when the average Londoner regards New Zealand as a land of savages; but it is very serious when even the High Commissioner falls so deenly into error.