IMPERIAL TROOPS AND THE COLONIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9423, 22 July 1889, Page 6

IMPERIAL TROOPS AND THE COLONIES.

[FROM OUR OWN COIUtKSPONDE.N'T.] London, June 15. Just before the rising of Parliament Lord Laniington, in the House of Lords, naked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the promises of assistance by the Imperial Government towards the maritime defence of the Australian Colonies, it might not be desirable to revert to the former system of sending a small number of Imperial troops to each of those colonies. Lord Knutsford replied that the withdrawl of Imperial troops from the Australian colonies had been the result of a line of policy sketched out in respect of Canada by Lord Grey so far back as 1851. They had been withdrawn from Australia in lSb'9 and INTO, and successive Governments had supported the policy, which appeared to be one greatly for the beneiit of the colonies themselves. The Imperial Government could not adopt the suggestion of Lord Laniington, but if any particular colony expressed a wish for a small number of Imperial troops the Government would consider it. Lords Kiinberley and Norton supported the policy of allowing the Australian colonies to find their own troops, in the course of the discussion which ensued upon the raising ot the question Lord Lainingtou expressed the opinion that it was a wise policy to withdraw the Imperial troops from New Zealand because their presence caused the colonies to carry on wars with the Maoris. At all events those wars ceased when the troops were withdrawn. Lord IN or ton supported this view, saying that the stationing of troops in New Zealand had at one time led to little wars being kept up for the purpose of retaining the British forces there, and thus securing a pecuniary advantage to the colony. The insinuations of these two noble Lords that the New Zealanders wilfully provoked wars with the Maoris merely to secure the trifling pecuniary advantage which resulted from the presence of the troops in the colony, is indignantly repudiated by Mr. Beetham in a letter to the Times this week. He declares that he as an old colonist is thoroughly aware of the heavy losses sustained by the settlers of New Zealand ilui ing the continuance of hostilities, and points to the heavy responsibilities undertaken by Hie colonists in assisting the Imperial authorities to subdue the hostile tribes of New Zealand. He shows that altogether New Zealand has spent a sum of £7,500,000 on internal and external defence. Great Britain up to the period of the withdrawal of troops in 1870 had expended rather more than £0,000,000. The colonists during the same period hud expended nearly £3,500,000, the total population of New Zealand in the year 1870 being only '240,000. After the British troops were withdrawn the continuance of hostilities must have caused an expenditure of at least £1,000,000, so that up to the end of 187'2 the total outlay by the colonies could not have been less than £4,500,000. Since that date, owing to the ?;radually changing; relative positions of the European and native races, there has been no state of actual warfare. Yet the position of the native race necessitated a heavy continuous expenditure to render successful rebellion on their part impossible. This expenditure and the providing means for the defences of the harbours against external enemies, has necessitated a further expenditure of not less than £3,000,000. These figures, says Mr. Beetham, ineontestably prove that the spirit of self-reliance has not been wanting in the colonists of New Zealand,who are unjustly accused of fomenting war and bloodshed in their midst for the purpose of insuring an expenditure of a few millions of Imperial funds in the colony. Mr. Beetham concludes his letter by saying : " New Zealand in its now vigourous manhood requires no nursing. In 1870 the colonists cheerfully supported Sir F. Weld in his self-reliant policy. They accepted manfully the additional burden that the withdrawal of the British troops entailed upon them. They have ever shown a readiness to co-operate in any fair proposal that has been instituted for the protection of Imperial interests, and 1 consider that they are entitled to have their efforts in the noble work of assisting in the expansion of the Empire more justly acknowledged than has been the case by Lords Laniington and Norton."