IMPERIALISM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15105, 30 March 1911, Page 8

IMPERIALISM.

ADDEESS BY MR JAS. ALLEN.

CFboji Oub Own Correspondent.) OAMAEU, March 29. Mr Jas. Allen, Ai.Jt , ., addressed the boys of the Wuitalri High School to-day on Imperialism, lie rtminued the bojs tiiat ii.tii-o hp service wouid avail notlung in protecting the Junpire. The Japanese saiu of tne British that they thought toa much of their rights ami j.ot enough ot their duties. There was too much flagwaving and too little practical work fur their country. Civilisation, sa.d the speaker, had brought in its train many features against winch the people miufc either tight or go under, ic had even made it possible to override san.e of the laws ot mture, for instance, that which prescribed tne survival of the fittest. He disclaimed any intention of Ta:eing a Jingoistic spirit, but tha nation that lived in peace and failed to keep up the conditions that prevailed prior to peace must become effete. If tho sUjnulus of preparing, for war were removed the spirit of the nation would suffer, ;s had happened in the Cook Islands. If they wished peace, as he did, they must find a, substitute for the stimulus of war. The boys would find in their study of history the elements that went to make a nation strong, and those which would inevitably bring about its downfall. Let •them draw lessons from the fall of Egypt, Greece, and Home, and discover in history the folution of tho problem of perpetual greatness. Geography, too, had ite lesson to teach, for it might be utilised in the course of Empiie buildling. In studying India they would view that great Jimpire with gieater interest when they reineinb&ea that its people wete part of the great confederation, and tnat they appealed to tr.e British to settle their disputes, mm in the trust of their integrity and justice. Coming nearer home, they would observe by a glance at the map the colouring tnat denoted German territory, and they would learn that Germany was fortifying tho place intent on making it a great commercial centre. Lower still there was more Germain territory—Samoa, lApia), and there they would learn what heroic British had done—what the people of no other nation could do—in connection with the saving of the Calliope. .Then again, not far away, they would find America had gained a foothold in Pago Pago.

To revert to the question of Empirebuilding, ho had onco thought in his inexperience that he could solve this problem, but now he had to appeal to them to utilise their school days in preparation for the work of holding the nation together, io realise every day of their school life that they existed for tho community, for the commonweal of can Empire. There were two main ideas for tho government of the Empire. One w?.s the lormation of a great Imperial Parliament. The man who first mooted the idea of an Imperial Parliament was Sir Meredith Young, lie was now in his 'JisL year, and he still advccat-ecl the cause. "1 am not going to say," remarked Mr Allan, "tnat this is not tno right road to follow. I do not know, t>,ut it has its weak places. For instance, the scheme, proposed 174 membcre ot which New Zealand's quota, would be three, e.o that the smaller dominions would be swamped by the larger ones." They would be committed to policies which they did not approve. The speaker instamced Australia's Jaw for the exclusion of Hindoos from land Lailati, That, he said, would not ho consistent with tho views of an Imperial Pariianient, but Australia would chafo uncer coercion in such a matter. The otheii tendency was to encourage separa'.e nations united only in sentiment and coopeiation. That was the idea that /Canada, and Australia were following. Those countries, while they were par: fectly loyal to the Empire, viewed a confederation of separate nations ;:s the ide:il state. At the forthcoming Conference of overseas Prime Ministers great Imperial questions would be discussed. This forgathering of the nation's pel' tical leaders was sure to make for the welfare of Greater Britain. The Prime Ministers would meet and discuss great quostions, and with broader views, Ti-t-urn to their 'teveral cobiics for fuither disiussion in their home Parliaments. There was not as much of this further discussion as there might be. It would be better if they consideied more of these great Imperial matters instead of petty questions. They should endeavour t$ elevate their Parliament above the status of a road board. Having recognised that the conferences wore not fulfilling all the functions expected of them, a secretariat was appointed, with tho idea that it would publish the resolutions of the kst Conference and send them to the different Parliaments for discussion, collect statistics, a-<i prepare a mogramme for the next Conference. Tlfc-e duties tho secretariat had not fulfilled, but that should be the next step in the progress of evolution. It was confidently expected that these conferences would ultimately point the road to further development. Mr Allen concluded with a further appeal to the boys to recognise their duty to the Empire, and to themselves to fulfil it.