GERMAN COLONISATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8734, 16 May 1914, Page 4

GERMAN COLONISATION

It is rather remarkable that while Germans make excellent settlers in British colonies, Germany is not a conspicuous success as a colonising power.. Probably this is largely because she has not that genius for establishing her people abroad under free conditions of government which has always characterised British development oversea, with widespread snccess. According to the Berlin correspondent of the London “Times,” the German Colonial Secretary, Dr Solf, recently replied in the Reichstag 'to some candid criticism of the German colonial administration. The debate, as summarised in “United Empire,” showed how different are the conceptions of colonial policy which prevail. “The Socialists," we read, “regard the colonies as a burden; and say that they are useless as homes for white men, only some 25,000 whites living in them altogether. Although their trade has doubled m the last five years, the increase, it is said, is only 8J per cent, of the total trade Increase. The trade is asserted to be less than Germany’s trade with the Cape Colony, and less than her trade with England’s Crown Colonies. The colonies offer little market for German industry, because most of the natives’ needs are supplied from England and, according to the Socialists, they are administered in the interests of unscrupulous companies which are exterminating the' natives. The prosperity of British colonies—rtho result of the greater economic freedom of the natives there—is dwelt upon. The Centre party ask that the colonies be administered on religious and moral lines, and demand more appreciative treatment of the missionaries by the Government. They assert that they have received from Jesuit priests fearful tales of native mortality. The Conservatives regard the colonies as industrial appendages to the Fatherland which’ are to provide it with raw material and fresh markets for its manufactures. To the National Liberals the colonies are primarily a useful asset to a capitalist country.” Dr Solf tried to mediate between the nval schools of exploitation and of “moral” government. In reply to the Socialists, he said the German colonies were “not yet for sale.” Their trade with the Fatherland, if relative figures were, taken, showed a marvellous expansion. Their value, he thought, would considerably increase when the European wood supply began to fail and colonial wood was required. They were not however, colonies for settlement, with the exception of German South-West Africa and possibly of Samoa, whose white settlers could recruit their strength in New Zealand and Australia. In any case, it had never been proved that Germany had a surplus population which made colonisation a necessity.