THE EMPIRE'S MISSION.

West Coast Times, 19 June 1912, Page 3

THE EMPIRE'S MISSION.

TELEGRAMS.

STRONG APPEAL TO NEW ZEALANDERS. A SERVICE TO THE'WORLD. WELLINGTON, June 13. An address upon imperial questions, which will rank as one of the most important ever dcliever in ike Dominion, was heard to-day at the New Zealand Club luncheon, when the Right; Lon. James Bryce, British Ambassador to the United States, was entertained. The Governor presided. Mr. Bryce spoke highly of the organisation as a means of bringing together those who wished to discuss subjects for the good of tho dominion outside tire ties of party politics. Taking advantage of this opportunity he wished to say something about Imperial matters. The British Empire was discontinuous, united only by the sea on which our forefathers had shown their prowess. The sea was always associated with freedom. A seagoing nation was almost of necessity a free nation. Hero was :an immense Empire founded for the first time on tho principle' that every part should be a centre of self-government, a government in the hands of its citizens for tho purpose of conducting their own local affairs, and yet united by strong and permanent ties. THE TIES OF EMPIRE.

One of the things binding us together was our allegiance to,an ancient dynasty, one common language and a literature which wo could say was the greatest and richest in the modern world. We were one in tho ideas that gemmed our lives and the sentiment of friendship and sympathy that united us. Ail these tilings made us one and would keep us one. (Applause.) The British hold, as his hearers know, not only tiie tomparato regions in which tho race flourished and retained its pristine .strength, but also held large Dominions inhabited by backward races living under a tropical sun, who wore not capable of free, responsible go\ eminent. By a strange series of circumstances we became tho lords and masters of India, large parts of Africa, parts of the eastern archipelago and parts of tropical America.

A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY

“ When I say ‘ Wo,’ ” continued Mr. Bryce, “I don’t mean the United Kingdom. It is just as much your responsibility as that of tho people of the United Kingdom. Every subject of tho Crown is alike eligible "for employment in tho Indian Civil Service, in tho Foreign Olfice, and in any work which belongs to tho British Empire. Any one of you can go Homo and stand for a British constituency and become eligible for any post as citizens of tho British Empire as well as Citizens of Now Zealand. I ask yon to think of our collective responsibility to those tropical countries which are not in a. fit state of self-government. We are answerable to God and the future for our Government of theso countries. We want yon to help us in that work. Wc hope more of you will enter tho sendee of the Crown in these countries and wc want you to think that thoro is no place of service under tho Crown in which a Now Zealander will not ho as welcome as a man horn in England. (Applause). It is an oxhalting and sobering thing to feel that we are member,; of this great body which lies over the world. It is a higher'destiny to ho a member of this great body than to be merely one of its parts.” KEEPING IN TOUCH.

Nobody dreamt when Britain lost 10 North American provinces thf.t it

would be possible to build up so immense an Empire overseas, continued Mr. Bryce, but the resources of modern science had made that possible, because of the opportunities of keeping in touch. Now Zealand was well-served by its newspapers with telegraphed news of the happenings in the Old Land. Ho hoped that excellent service would be further extended. A good deal was known about the self-govcrn-

iug dominions than in the time, happily past, when it was believed that when they grew to manhood they would sever their connection .with the Mother Country. That was the time when the Privy Council, desiring to protect Britain from the depredations of the Colorado beetle, issued a proclamation prohibiting the importation of infected vegetables and describing the beetle as having originated from Ontario, which was referred to as “ that town.”

It had boon very much borne upon him since he came to New Zealand how narrow was the Pacific Ocean. He hoped to sec an ever-growing trade between Canada and the Southern Dominion, and that New Zealand would try to follow the politics of their fel-

low colonists, for they could teach each other, and the solution of problems could ho profitably utilised by all parts of the Empire.

COMPLIMENTS FOR NEW ZEALAND. One cf the things which would draw ns closer wasdcfencc. Ho rejoiced that all tho dominions were taking this matter' seriously into their consideration, and ho ventured to express the sense of gratitude and the appreciation the people of England, Scotland and Ireland felt for what. New Zealand had done for the Navy. It was a very

welcome message to them, and ho could assure his hearers of the universal pride and satisfaction which prevailed in England at tho example set by New

Zealand. (Applause). Ho took a more hopeful view of the prospects of the world’s peace than some cf the

newspapers, especially in Europe, but nevertheless it was absolutely necessary to present a united and strong front toward any possible quarter from which danger might arise. Countries that lived by the sea were, of course, exposed by the sea as well as protected by it, and they must make their shores immume from invasion. Unless they did so they must have enormous land forces. ■ Ho rejoiced that this thought was present in New Zealand and"in the minds of the people across the Tasman Sea. THE HIGHER MISSION. Another thing which held the British people together was a sense of what he' might call their higher mission. Bv that ho did not mean the waving of a flag and talk of how 'prosperous wo all were. “I ask you,” said Mr. Bryce,

“ to think of it from the point of view of people who have boon called upon by Jin cxnmpled way by Providence to render the world a service. Wo have been called upon to open the world. We have been the great discoverers of the world. We have done more to spread civilisation throughout the world than anj other people, and wo may claim at any rate, since wo ceased to exploit India for the benefit of a number of adventurers, and took that high view sot by Pitt and Burke. of our duty to establish a pure, honest, hopeful government for the pcopljf of India—over siuf'o that wo have tried to enter upon our mission in a worthy spirit. We have a great duty laid upon us to those backward races which inhabit the to epical parts of the Empire.”

It was, said Mr. Bryce, one of the Empire’s highest destinies to keep the pence of the world. None could accuse the British of desiring to secure any more torritority, for they had enough to safely manage. There was no desire on Great Britain’s part to quarrel with any nation, and ho believed that so long as they wore for peace this would prevail. The bonds of Empire bad been defined as being light as air, strong as steel, and for that reason he behoved the Empire would last long. Finally ho would say to the young men of Now Zealand, who would soon 'hnvo to guide the destinies of their country, “What is ours is yours, and what is yours is ours.” Throe rousing cheers wore given for the distinguished guest and the chair-