BRITAIN, GUARD YOUR PORTS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8064, 4 October 1887, Page 3

BRITAIN, GUARD YOUR PORTS."

TO THK i DITOK. Sir.—A letter appeared in yonr issue of the 28th instant, signed " W. J. Courtney," whicu, bad it not been given a prominent place in the leading Auckland paper, might *ell have passed without criticism. The gross ignorance displayed throughout would be simply amusing, were not tbe subject far too serious a one to provoke mirth. The writer, after calmly, suggesting that the British Government should refund the money spent by New Zealand for Imperial purposes (i e., for the defence of New Zetland), goes on to say, " We don't hear that the inhabitants of any of the fortified towns of England have to pay the British Government the oo»t of their fortifications, or to provide their own fleets. Yet that is pronisely what we are told to do by that same Government, and our extravagant and tie serving Administration seems to have <;u:elly agreed to do so, without protest. Was Sir Julias Vogel knighted for that, I wonder, &c " Mr. Courtney is evident! one of that class of persons so constantly and ably held up to ridicule by Mr Herbert spencer. He seems to imagine that 'uoney is rained down upon our favoured home government like manna from above, that boundless wealth lies stored up in the coffers of the State, to be doled out by Ministers as their fancy may direoc, and he utterly ignores the fact that all public money is raised directly by taxation from the people of Great Britain, and that every farthing spent on defenoe of the fortified towns of England comes from the pocket of the British taxpayer. Ho much for fallacy No. I, a very obvious fallacy, which hardly needs refuting'. Fallaoy No. 2, however, is far mora serious, inasmuch as it is far wider spread.- There seems to be an impression throughout the Australasian colonies that were the support of tie old country withdiawD, Australia and New Zealand would continue to sit apart from the rest of trie world in a state of Aroadian bliss and simplicity, increasing and multiplying, growing richer year by year, and this without in any way exciting the greed and cupidity of the great European 1 Powers, Wo have in Australia a country almost the size of the United States, but with the largest seaboard in the woild, exposed to attacks from the at* on every aide. The total population of this vast Continent is considerably less than that of London, and is principally centred in the large towns of the south-east, a strength absurdly inadequate to protect even a portion of the country against a maritime power. On the other hand we have certainly two, and perhaps three, great European 'Powers whioh are thirsting for colonies. France is so eager in this direction that she has, in despair of anything better, attempted, and is attempting, to found colonies in China and the New Hebrides, whilst Germany is forced to put up with a small and moat unhealthy portion of* Mew Guinea, and Zanzibar, on the east coast of Africa, all anattractive places enough. How long is it likely that such a tempting pri)s< as the Australasian colonies, deprived of British support, would have to be held out oefore these two great Powers (I have not even mentioned Russia), whioh, be it remembered, have the finest armies in the whole world, and, after Britain, the finest navies? lam inclined to think that all the hospitality with which " foreign representatives and foreign men-o'war" have been treated would go for very little in such case, and that Australasia would, in a wonderfully short space of tithe, be split up as effectually as Poland. Rather let the colonies oling closer to "the greatest empire that the world has yet seen," invested with the unequalled glory of her past and present, helping to swell the glory of her future, and when the time is ripe they m«y fearlessly demand and obtain that voioe in Imperial matters which will then be their undoubted right.— I am, etc,, T. L*wrknob Lambk.