Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1913. BRITISH RULE IN INDIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13103, 17 June 1913, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1913. BRITISH RULE IN INDIA.

There is something to be proud of m the manner m which the British nation has kept its trust m governing the peoples of India, and it is a good thing to find from a. foreign critic nothing but commendation of British rule m that dependency. Dr George Wegener, who accompanied the German Crown Prince on his tour of India m 1911, has contributed an able and most interesting commentary to th-e current issue of Nineteenth Century, v i,n which lie pays a sincere tribute to Britain's administration of the great territory and is especially laudatory of the Indian Civil Servies. In particular he notes "the opportunities whiqh the mighty colonial possession offers to tha capable sons of the energetic race that governs it, who m the narrower sunxnindings of the home, find no field for their talents. It is an incomparable training for energetic, manly ambition, and for the development of resolute and responsible characters. And these qualities are the inheritance of these men, and prove a moat valuable treasure to' their country." TJha question whether England has moraUy. justified her ypko is answered by Dr Wegener m the affirmative. "In 1800 th© population of India was, m round numbers, one hundred millions; m 1900 it was three hundred millions. This colossal growth issimply the result of peace and safety to life and property; which English supremacy has assured to the greater part of India during this period, a condition of things never before experienced m India." Dr : Wegener also shows that the material resources of the country have been mostj ma,terially developed by the enterprise of Englishmen. But then, of course, underlying all this there is a grea| grievance that a vast population shordd be forcibly governed by a foreign race,, which must rule, first of all m the interests of the. ruling Power. The view sometimes expressed m jEngland , that jlndia. , ought to be governed "for the good of India"' the contributor describes tersely as simpleminded and foolish. Some curious instances are given of the way m which the "improvements" effected by British rule havo not always turned out well. Owing to the railways which enable food to be taken to famine-stricken provinces quickly, the peasants no longer mak.e the,ir former provision against famine. . They sell their surplus grain and spand the money m luxuries — and then fall into extreme need.. ; Also, whereas, formerly, when the village usurer, went too far, his enraged and oppressed victims simply killed him, now under the reign of British law, "such self-help is out of the question." Dr Wegener seems to think it a great pity that the curse of usury can no longer be mitigated m this way • The contributor gravely doubts the wisdom of the education policy of the British m India, which, as m Egypt, is creating a race of educated young natives with great ambitions, \vho clamor for selfgovernment for their own people. He regards the revocation of the partition of Bengal as likely to enhance the danger from nationalism m that province. Dr Wogener energetically dissociates himself, from, ,th'e opinion held by some Germans that Germany would benefit by British rule coming to an end m India. He writes that "m the coming struggle all white nations must stand united if victory is to be on our

.Mile. India. i.\; thai, part ol liu> oartli . wluru the supremacy of tho white race over the colored, is most evident. Should , the Asia! icy succeed m destroying the j British sovereignty, the position of the whole white race, on the globe, our own not excepted, would suffer a fatal blow. Guided by this feeling of solidarity, we must desire that England may bo able to defend her supremacy m India, which is m many ways so admirable."