Grey River Argus and Blackball News.

Grey River Argus, 11 June 1915, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball News.

Delivered evety inorniag In UruymaiMti Eamaza, HoUtiLa, Dobaon, Wiillsend, Taylor villa, Brunnertoa, Stillwater. Ngahero. BlaokbaU N Bison Crack, Ahauri, Ikaniatiiß, Wainfca, Beeftou, Cronodun, Bu- anga, Danollio, Cobaen. Baxtei'B Kckisi, T^ara, Kainoattt, Aratika Kotnku, Moana, fiiau, To Zinija, Eotomaiiu' Foecaa., I Dennis, Jaolsonw and Otira.

i FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 1915. THE part that the Overseas Dominions will take Avheii peace terms are being arranged, and ths voice that the units of Jkapiro will have in future matters of .f rr.perial interest are problems that are causing considerable interest at the present time. There is no doubt that the relations that previously existed between the Dominions and the Motherland can- ' not continue, and whether they will or not the former are being drawn into the vortex of world politics. Hitherto, as a child sleeping peacefully on the bosom of its mother, each dominion has slept through infancy and childhood, under the protecting shelter of the Motherland. . To-day the clarion call to arms has awakened the Dominions from their slumbers, and in their vigorous youth they find the Motherland greater and stronger than ever, but yet that, owing to the development of other nations, the task of Empire defence has become a great and ever-growing strain. It seems safe to say that if, during the first half century, British policy had been imbued with the spirit that actuates what we know as the "mailed fist" policy, that the response to the Empire call in August last would have been different from what it was. "He who sows courtesy," says an Eastern proverb, "reaps friendship." Much more may this be said of generosity and justice. Without suggesting that British rule or policy has always been what' it should have been, or that at all times it has been free from selfishness, it still can be said that British ' government throughout the widespread Empire has been marked by much honest effort to be fair, and by the grant of everincreasing personal freedom. The Love of fair play is held to be a irue British characteristic, and this,, life-aim is nothing but the practical carrying out of the Scrip :ural injunction: "Do unto others is you would that they should do into you," and with a large imount of justice, the world at arge believes in British fair)lay. The Empire has indeed ■eaped friendship. No more wonlerful page is to be found in his;ory than that of the way in viiich the people of India have hrown themselves heart and soul r

into th~ '. nt contest into which they w-..i. ,^,c[ conquered them, and wi. . i!;-d them, were involved- 'j -I • ;'ction proved that British • !. was not reg^ded as a yoke, , i probably no people in the "\\. . ! have a keener sense of what constitutes injustice or oppression than the people of India. Men do not rush with eagerness to fight for a tyranny that grinds them down, but they do rush with, eagerness to support a power under whose shadow they find justice and liberty. Then there is South Africa. There were those who thought some years ago that the British were dealing too generously with the conquered Boers, and were trusting them too much. Time has shown how it pays in this world to be generous, and how ,unwise it Avould have been to refuse or delay powers of self-government. The Boers have paid to the full for the consideration with which they had been treated. There is liberty and liberty. Thus, there is liberty of religion, of justice, and of speech. Yet liberty is essentially a unit. No man can be „ said to enjoy liberty in its fullest sense, if he is denied it in any one particular. The relative importance of the different elements of liberty cannot be easily estimated. One man can be indifferent about 1 liberty of religion, but be keen - for liberty of politics; with another man the position may be reversed, and he may care little for liberty of politics so long as he has liberty of religion. No one seems yet to have ventured to think out how vastly changed for the worse the Empire's position would have been if India and J. South Africa had taken advant- . age , of the opportunity to take r sides against Britain instead of t with it. Very little thought, - however, is needed to make it '• quite clear that the spontaneous . and splendid support given to i Britain was but the fruit of the 1 harvest of good seed sown in the * past. The future greatness of ' the Empire, it is reasonable to . suppose, is dependent upon a con- - tinuance and an extension of the ' wise policy which has marked the past. The Dominions must help 1 to secure this. ' ~"^~~~*"~*~~~~~~M«~~~~---M~~~---~------i