NEW ZEALAND.

Northern Advocate, 25 March 1914, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

AN IDEAL PLACE OF RESIDENCE

(Continued.)

111.

AN EMPIRE OUTPOST

The industrial and social conditions of the people and the internal development of the country have received close and continuous attention at the hands of the Government, and it is to their credit that they have not forgotten the value of New Zealand as an Empire outpost, and to help to keep it such. The country has established universal national training, while at the same time it has given reasonable and practical assistance to the great old British Navy. The principle of a country that is worth living in is worth holding, is lived up to by the great bulk of the New Zealanders, .and their earnestness in this important matter cannot be questioned even by those who do not agree with them. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTRY. No more democratic method of governing the country can be devised than that adopted in the election of the members of the House of Representatives. Every man or woman of full age, not disqualified by reason of unsound mind, conviction of cer-. tain offences, etc., and not being an alien, is entitled to a vote, and !> no property qualifications can give any additional voting power. "One perBon one vote" is the motto; voting is by secret ballot; and as members are paid an honorarium during their parliamentary career, no man, however humble his circumstances, is debarred, from sitting in Parliament. The second chamber, known as the Legislative Council, is composed" of a limited number of representative men appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of his responsible advisers.The judiciary is also appointed by the Governor, each judge being appointed for life "during good behaviour," so that he is free from political partisanship, and can exercise his judicial functions entirely unfettered by outside considerations. Stipendiary magistrates also hold their office during good behaviour, and the sittings of their courts are held in every centre of population of sufficient importance, whilst the simplicity of procedure, and the lowness of the court fees, enables justice to be readily obtained. As no proposal has ever been made to alter the present system, it may be reckoned that

it meets the needs and approval of the people. Another feature of government well worthy of notice and commendation is the Public Service. Appointments to it are made by means annual competitive 'examinations (save in the case of experts appointed to posts in the Government service), and political influences do not enter into the matter. As a result, the service has always ranked high in public estimation, and no breath of suspicion has tainted its record. Local government is also thoroughly democratic, the members of the various municipal, county, and other local bodies being elected by the citizens by means of ballot, and the keenest interest is taken in the composition of the governing bodies. MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. Although the diversity of the physical features of the country presented formidable obstacles in the way of 'establishing cheap and rapid communication, yet as the result of persistent and skilful attempts to cope with the difficulty, it is now possible to move from one part of the Dominion to another with ease and economy. At the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 1912, there were 2798 miles of railway open for traffic, over which 11,000,000 passengers had been carried during the preceding twelve, months. A trunk system of communication has been constructed from the far north to the extreme south (with a steamship link in the middle between the two islands), and branch railways connect nearly every district. From Auckland to Wellington (426 miles) the fare ,is 35s lid second class, and from Christchurch to Invercargill (369 miles) the second-class fare is 30s lid. The roads of the country are numerous and mostly fit for vehicular traffic, and indeed motoring is very popular, whilst the branch roads are being continually extended and improved. The shipping trade of the Dominion is wonderfully good and progressive. The Union Steamship Company of New Zealand in December, 1912, owned a fleet of seventy vessels, aggregating 197,270 tons, trading to Vancouver, San Francisco, India, Australia, South Sea Islands, etc., and other companies swelled the number of vessels on the-New Zealand register at the end of 1911 to 361 steamers and 244 sailing ship's. The Huddart Parker line of finely-equip-ped passenger and cargo steamers is also a feature of the intercolonial service. " During 1911 no less than 621 vessels of 1,482,378 tons entered the various ports and maintained communication with the outside world, and the tonnage entered and cleared

at various ports of the Dominion aggregated over 12,000,000 tons. Every facility is given settlers to enable them to correspond within the Dominion and abroad, there being 2312 post-offices at the end of 1911, whilst letters and cards to the number of over 200,000,000 passed through the post during the preceding twelve months. Papers, books, and parcels amounted to over 100,-----000,000 in addition. There were 11,805 miles of telegraph wires in use at the end of March, 1912, and telegraph and telephone offices have been established in all parts, whilst two lines of cables (one State-owned) ensure communication with the outside world, and long-distance wireless telegraphic stations have been established, and all passenger steamers are by. law required to be fitted with wireless equipment. Government savings banks and money order offices have been opened in townand villages of any size, and endeavours are made to meet the needs of the population in every respect. SCENIC ATTRACTIONS. And now i come to one of the most remarkable natural features of this favoured land, namely, its unrivalled scenery. Nowhere else in the wide world is to be found such a variety of scenic attractions. Inthe ! North Island is the wonderful; geyserland of Rotorua and Taupo, where hot springs, lakes, geysers and fumaroles, abound; where the primeval forest still stretches over rolling hills and plains; where magni : ficent waterfalls, rivers, lakes, mountains, grassy plains, wooded valleys, and flourishing settlements tend to diversify the landscape in -which the present often meets the past—as' when a settler's homestead adjoins the ruined earthworks and pallisades of bygone fighting-grounds, where* British met Maori in combat barely, fifty years ago. View the boiling lake surrounded with ice-cliffs' on Ruapehu's lofty peak, whilst close by is Ngauruhoe in ' periodic eruption, visible from far and ; near, yet remote from human habitations. Sail over Taupo's grand lake, twenty-five miles -long and eighteen miles wide, or the picturesque Waik#remoana, "the sea of rippling waters" ; float down the Wanganui River, the most beautiful of all New Zealand's fine waterways, with its glorious fern and bush-clad banks, and papa gorges, where., the cliffs are fringed with waving grasses, clinging mosses, and ferns of all descriptions. Visit the kauri forests of the north, the stalactite caves of Waitomo and Ruakuri, the quaint and picturesque native pas and kaingas; whil.st mingled among the beauties of Nature are the flourishing towns and

settlements of the hardy and progressive colonists, where the fertile soilis brought into cultivation, and the dense forest gives place to farms and ranches —and then agree that Kipling was right when, after visiting New Zealand, he sang: — Last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite, apart— On us, on us, the unswerving season smiles, Who wonder 'mid our fern why men depart To seek the Happy Isles! And what a wondrous contrast is presented by the South Island. The Norwegian fiords alone can be compared with the West Coast Sounds, that wild and beautiful region of waterfall, crag, and forest of seafiords opening out in islanded lakelike harbours, and deep ice-grooved clefts between towering granite mountains, where the fauna and flora of Maoriland may be studied in all their native charm. Quite a different scene is, however, presented by the northern Marlborough Sounds, which cover a maze of quiet waters, and of sheltered bays and beaches, within ea£y access of Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, and other places. Then gaze on the superb Alps of the south, with their famous peaks and glaciers, on the. western slopes of which are semi-tropical woods rich in ferns, palms and flowers covering the, mountain country,. and where there are amazingly lovely, contrasts o 1 * gleaming ice and flower-decked forest. Scale the, giant Mount Cook (12,349 feet high), or the numerous other peaks so well known to Alpine climbers, and view the colossal cascade of ice known as the Tasman glacier—eighteen miles long with an average width of over a mile —or the dazzling Franz Josef glacier, which approaches, nearer to sea-level than any other in the temperate regions of the world; drive through the Otira or Buller gorges, unique in their wild, beauty, and ferri' and for-est-clad slopes; wander through the wonderful lake region of Otago backed with snowy mountain ranges and glittering peaks, and framed with the evergreen indigenous forest, and you will agree that no' lovelier than this exists. SPORT. It will be of interest to those persons imbued with sporting tastes that some of the finest ■'trout in the 4 world are to be caught in the great lakes of Taupo and Rotorua, .or in the rushing mountain rivers and, streams which abound throughout the' country: Trout weighing from 121bs to 231bs are frequently caught, and one English angler, during the

season of 1907-8, in seventy-two days, caught 904 fish, weighing 26951b5. For the deer-stalker there are forests in both Islands, which are the haunts of the red deer, grand animals carrying the largest and finest antlers ever seen ,on red deer. Wild catite shooting is a favourite sport, and wild goats abound on many ot the rocky islands and rugged coastal hills. Wild pig is abundant in ma ay parts of the country, and previa- exciting sport with rifle, spear, and dog. The gunner will also h'n.l feathered game fairly plentiful. Wild ducks swarm in the lagoons and uwamps, and on the margins of the large rivers; other game are Califos'nian quail, pheasants, swamp-hens.-, pigeons, and curlew. But the:e ?:'e no snakes, dangerous animals, or noxious insects in New Zealand, ant nothing which need cause a visitor to shun the loneliest . forest. , Hunting, horse-racing, motoring, > football, cricket, lawn tennis, polo I yachting, rowing, etc., are all indulged in with enthusiasm, and race meetings are frequent. Golf is very popular, bowling is enjoyed, and every kind of sporty and game known to Anglo-Saxons has its followers. THE MAORI RACE. The MaOri inhabitants of the Islands are noted for their exceptional qualities, and readiness to advance on all social and utilitarian lines equally with the European population. There are over forty thousand Maoris, mostly resident in the North Island, who still retain about 7,000,-----000 acres of land. Many of them are sheep farmers and graziers, whilst a large proporticn are being educated In suitable schools to follow industrial and agricultural pursuits. Some have taken university courses, and become doctors of medicine, lawyers, i clergymen, and members of Parliament, and at the present time one member of the Executive belongs to the native race.. The Maoris are a fine and interesting race, and in their forest-girt homes are extremely hospitable, whilst their national dances and ceremonies are strikingly picturesque. Although in the early days of settlement they valiantly fought the incoming settlers, yet for over forty years they have lived in peace and harmony with their fellow-citizens, and no more loyal supporters of the British Constitution are to be found than our one-time foesi and latterr day friends. ' TO SUM UP. And now to sum up the various advantages of New Zealand as an ideal , place of residence. -It has a most excellent climate, and the fertility of the soil renders it eminently suitable for settlement. It is a picturesque land and the prime necessaries of life are com- / parativeiy cheap. Poverty on the one hand, and undue wealth on the other, are almost unknown. Railway, postal, telegraph, [ and telephone services are controlled by the State, and worked with a view of meeting the requirements of their owners, giving a reasonable interest ; on capital expenditure, and not for dividend-laying purposes. Sports, amusements, and healthful recreations are plentiful. The food is of -good quality and free from adulteration. The people enjoy universal suffrage. There is a very high ideal of citizenship. Parliamentary, municipal, and local government is conducted on' progressive, lines. Education is free in its lower stages, and cheap in its higher stages. CONCLUSION. ' New Zealand_ is extremely productive, and the latest advantages of civilisation are used to'develop it. It is comparatively young. It lacks many advantages that antiquity, has bequeathed to the old Mother Land; on the other hand, it has all the freshness and vigour of youth, and its rulers have taken heed of •what England's long history has taught them to avoid or to modernise. It is unquestionably a great British possession. Founded by British pioneers, it is to-day a white man's ideal country, where people live un- ' tier the freest conditions, carrying out those traditions of our forefathers of which we are proud. ' Your wish and mine is that.it:may'for all time continue to flourish under* the revered Old Flag.