DUTCH VISITORS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 116, 19 May 1941, Page 8

DUTCH VISITORS

MINISTERS ARRIVE

CONFIDENT OF VICTORY

STRENGTH GROWING

Absolute confidence in ultimate victory for the democracies-was expressed by two Dutch Ministers who arrived at Wellington today. They are Mr. E. N. Van Kleffens, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Mr. C. J. I. M. Welter, Colonial Minister. Mrs. Van Kleffens is accompanying her husband, and the Ministers' party includes Count Van Rechteren, Counsellor to the Dutch Legation at Washington; Mr. W. Peekema, Head of the Legal Division of the Colonial Office, and Dr. F. L. Rutgers, DeputyChief of the Economic Division of the Colonial Office. The Ministers and their party were met at Auckland by the Netherlands Consul (Mr. M. F. Vigeveno), and when they arrived at Wellington this morning they were welcomed by the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Nash), the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom (Sir Harry Batterbee), and the High Commissioner for Canada (Dr. W. A. Riddell). Mr. and Mrs. Vigeveno's little daughter presented a beautiful bouquet of violets to Mrs. Van Kleffens as she stepped from the train. After the reception at the railway station the party went to the Hotel Waterloo, where they are staying while in Wellington. PACIFIC SAFE. Both of the Ministers expressed confidence in victory and said that they were not in the least uneasy about the position in the Pacific. The demo-1 cracies concerned had made their attitude clear and consequently they did not think that aggression in the Pacific was probable. Like Britain, said Mr. Welter, the Netherlands had made good progress with defence measures during the past year and the. striking power that would bring victory was growing rapidly. The Ministers, did not see the overrunning of Holland by the Nazis as they were both sent out of the country when the invasion commenced. They first went to Britain and then to France to consult with the authorities there on defensive measures but before anything could be done France collapsed and Holland was left in the hands of the enemy. The Dutch Government was still functioning but naturally there was no Parliament to which they could be responsible. However, they were looking with the intention of placing a record of their acts before the Dutch Parliament after the war. so a full sense of responsibility remained. EAST INDIES ADMINISTRATION. The overrunning of the Lowlands had not affected the government of the Netherlands East Indies, Mr. Van Klefl'ens said. The Dutch had never administered their colonial possessions as colonies in the way that Britain and France had done. The Dutch nation overseas had always had a system of local government while it remained part of the whole nation; The East Indies had a Governor who,was assisted by an Advisory Council which was partly elected and partly appointed. There was an Executive that prepared legislation and it was discussed by the advisers but could not be vetoed by them. If the Governor approved a measure that was opposed by the advisers they could appeal to the Crown. The whole Dutch colonial system was based on equality. Everywhere where there was a European administrator there was also a native colleague. In that way the Dutch had got close to the natives and had acted as elder brothers instead of arbitrary rulers. The system had worked well and had got over the difficulty of a democratic system that would have led to the most numerous race in the East Indies overruling the others. NEW ZEALAND LIKE HOME. All members of the party said they were delighted with what they had seen of New Zealand. Mr. Van Kleffens said that the North Island had reminded him of both Holland - and Britain. Both countries were noted for their neatness, and the same was apparent in New Zealand. The orderly minds of Britons and Dutchmen also accounted for their success in the air, he said. They—and the same could be said of the Americans—were never satisfied unless everything was correct, and that was most important in flying. Frenchmen, on the other hand, were inclined to make anything do, and consequently had far more frequent air crashes. Count Van Rechteren expressed his opinion of New Zealand by saying that he would never forgive the early Dutch explorers for colonising the spice countries only. "When Tasman came here and could not find a nutmeg he went away again and left this beautiful country," he commented. This morning the Ministers paid calls upon the Acting Prime Minister and the Mayor (Mr. Hislop). At 2.30 p.m. they placed a wreath on the Citizens' War Memorial in memory of the soldiers who fell in the Great War and in the present war, and later went for a sight-seeing tour around the environs of Wellington. This evening they are dining with Mr. and Mrs. Vigeveno. Tomorrow they will be the guests of the Government at a State luncheon and in the evening they will dine, with Sir Harry Batterbee.