CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14979, 27 April 1909, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS.

Tho speech of Mr Roosevelt’s which, according to tho “ Times,” has put an end to tho Indian anarchist propaganda in tho United States, was delivered in Washington in January, at tho celebration of the diamond jubilop of tho African Methodist Episcopal Church. Tho President was discussing tho relations of white colonists with native peoples in various parts of tho world, and he took India as an example of beneficent colonisation. “In India,” ho said, “ wo encounter tho most colossal example history affords of tho successful administration by men of European blood of a thickly populated region in another continent. It is the greatest feat of the kind that has been performed since tho break-up of tho Roman Empire. Indeed, it is a greater feat than was performed under tho Roman Empire. Unquestionably mistakes have been made; it would indicate qualities literally superhuman if so gigantic a task had been accomplished without mistakes. It is easy enough to point out shortcomings; but the fact remains that the successful administration of tho Indian Empire by tho English has been one of the most, notable and most admirable achievements of tho white raco during tho past two centuries. On the wholo, it has been for the immeasurable benefit of the natives of India themselves. Suffering has been caused in particular cases and at particular times to these natives; much more often, I believe, by well-intentioned ignorance or had judgment than by any moral obliquity. But on the whole there has been far moro resolute effort to do justice, far more resolute effort to secure fair treatment for the humble and oppressed during the days of English rule in India than during any other period recorded in Indian history.” Mr Roosevelt went on to emphasise the opinion that Britain was giving India a “square deal.” She took no money from India for her own purposes, but spent on tho country every penny raised within it. And this, after all, is the test to apply to British rule. Tho argument that many Englishmen draw substantial salaries in the Indian Civil Service, is beside the mark. The point is that India has tho services of the best brains produced by Britain.

ROOSEVELT ON INDIA.

Mr Roosevelt rounded off liis reference to India with » remarkable tribute to the success- of the British administration. He argued that European colonisation had been to tho great advantage of mankind, and ho included among examples of successful and beneficial colonisation the work of the British in Egypt and the Soudan, of tho French in Algeria, of tho Russians in Turkestan and of the Germans in Africa. Tho suggestion that the people of India were loss happy now than they used to ho he brushed aside as indefensible. No doubt, he said, India was a let's pleasant place than formerly for the heads of tyrannnical States. There was now little or no room for the successful freebooter chieftains, for tho despots who had lived in gorgeous splendour while under their cruel rule tho immense mass of their.countrymen had.festered in sodden misery. But the mass of the people had been and were far better off than over before, and far better off than they would now be if tho British control were overthrown or withdrawn. Indeed, if the British control wore to be withdrawn from India the whole peninsula would become a chaos of bloodshed and violence; all the weaker peoples and the most industrious and law-abiding would ho plundered and forced to submit to indescribable wrong and oppression ; and tho only beneficiaries among the natives would be the lawless, tbo violent and the bloodthirsty. “Every well-wisher of mankind, every true friend of humanity,” concluded Mr Roosevelt, “should realise that the part whiclj England has played in India has been to the immeasurable advantage of India, and for her honour, her profit, and her civilisation we should feel a profound satisfaction in the stability and tho permanence of English rule. I have seen many American missionaries who have come from India, and I cannot over-stato the terms of admiration in which they speak of English rule-in India and of tho incalculable benefits which it has conferred and is conferring upon the natives.” This unsolicited testimonial from the “apostle of the square deal” was naturally appreciated in Great Britain, and it is satisfactory to find that the speech has received a good deal of attention from tho native Press in India itself.

THE “ SQUARE DEAL.”

lii a recent issue of the “Auckland Star” Mr P. T. L. Chevassus writes interestingly, from first-hand experience, of tho kauri gum industry. Kauri gum, ho asserts, has command of the world’s market for varnish-mak-ing, and already gum valued at £14,000,000 has been exported from tho dominion, the present annual output being about 9000 tons, representing, at current prices, a value of about a quarter of a million sterling. As everyone knows, the gum is a fossilised resin, dropped from the kauri tree and buried under tho gradually rising surface of the ground. Gum has been found in coal measures, and below tho red sandstone strata, indicating tho groat age of some of the deposits. Apart from many private fields, which, though not worked, are known to bo gum-bearing,, there are extensive State reserves, spread oyer twelvo counties in Auckland province, and on Great Barrier Island. Five or six thousand men are employed at gum-digging. British diggers pay to the County Councils an annual license fee of ss, but aliens, who aro not allowed to dig on State reserves, have to pay £1 a. year. Largo numbers of Austrians are “imported” by private owners, be-

kauei coi.

cause they will labour for less pay than do British subjects. The grading of gum is done by a special body of exports. There are forty odd grades of gum, and the average digger cannot distinguish between them, without a great many years of experience. All gum, howevor, belongs to one of three distinct and unmistakeablo classes—• hush gum, white gum, and black gum. Bush gum is the newest, being taken either from the tree itself, or from among the loose twigs lying at its roots. White gum is found mostly on the hills, and is becoming very scarce, all the shallow fields of it having been practically turned over twice. In regard to black, or swamp gum, it is impossible to estimate tlio limit of the supply, and on some fields it is said that the diggers can make 15s to 16s a day, digging only for three hours. The most recent Auckland quotations for gum are as follows: —Bush gum, 12s to £6 5s per cwt; white gum, 12s to £l6 por cwt; black gum, 8s to £5 15s per cwt. The wide range of prices is accounted for by the great variations in quality. The price of gum is steadily rising, year by year, and the industry is accordingly attracting more workors.