Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-18
NATURES LAVISH BOUSTIES
Scenic Wonders and Charms of New
Zealand Viewed by Americans.
HEALTH, HAPPINESS, PROSPERITY
A Country where MIuionsires Are I'm.
khown-wealth Of the People
The MaOrIs and Their
Gsyaerlaud.

For grandeur Of natural wonders, nat
ural scenery, native charms and novelties
In government, New Zealand is in a class
by itself, proud of its possessions and
achievements. A correspondent of the
New York Sun with the American battle
ship fleet, describing the visit to the
islands, draws this picture of the four
dominant features of the country and its
people;
The Americans we're astonishe ed to find
this little land. which has an area Of
one-seventh less than Great Britain and
ireland together, was a combined Nor
way, a Switzerland. an Italy, a California,
q Yellowstone in scenic beauty. and that
1t was an Iowa and eastern Kansas in
soil and fertility and an upper Michigan
and Oregon In it's grand forests and tim
Der Industries. As to its governmental
experiments It would be presumption for
one who has been here less than a week,
and those six days one mad DASH, to try
20 catch up with the ~varioHs phases Of
hospitality. to write about either In criti-
cism or c~ommendation, to say nothing
OF endeavoring to give q mere narrative
of what these experiments rave been and
are.
Perhaps the most significant fact that
can be mentioned in respect to this is
that a government has been established
here where millionaires as Americans
know them do not exist, but where the
wealth OF the people reaches the ire
mendous total of nearly 1880 a head,
the highest in the world; where there
is no poverty; where, as nowhere else in
the world, the good old democratic doc
trine OF the greatest good for the great
est number" Is exemplified.
What is known as New Zealand's govern
mental creed is best expressed in a state
ment issued only three years ago by Mr..
Seldom, the late premier, one of the great
men this country has produced, following
In the footsteps OF its greatest citizen and
statesman, Sir George Gray:
II believe that the cardinal aim of gov
eminent is to provide conditions which will
reduce want and permit the very largest
possible number OF its people to be healthy,
happy human beings. The life. the health,
the intelligence and the morals of a nation
count for more than riches, and l would
rather have the country free from want
and squalor Of the unemployed than the
home OF multimillionalres The extremes
of poverty and wealth crush the self-re-
spect of the poor and produce the AFRO
gance OF the idle rich. go A spirit OF self
respecting Independence already marks our
people, and 1 would have the title New
Zealander imply the world over a type of
manhood strenuous, Independent and HUI
name"
Happiness, Health and Prosperity.
P-resumptuous as 1t would be TO point
out where this semi-socialistic scheme OF
government has succeeded or failed. this
much may be said in sober truth, after
much conversation and careful observation
that IL healthier. happier, more prosperous
human beings than the residents of New
Zealand exist anywhere in the world the
writer OF this does not know where to find
them.
Defects in the scheme? Lots of EN-; New
Z%ealanders themselves will tell you SO and
in great detail. Still! something has been
developed here in the way of government
that has produced greater wealth and hap
piness and less poverty and misery than
anywhere else. and one somehow gets the
feeling that this experiment station is ex-
hibitlng results that sooner or later are
bound to have the most far-reaching effects
upon the world. and that this little faraway
land may be destined to occupy the proud
place of leadership in the world in the way
Of providing happy and contented condi.
hoHS VI me- 50 TAI . any government Cal
provide them.
Il was the first country to establish uni
versal penny postage. the first to estab
fish old age pensions. the first to assis
settlers In buying farms, the first to es
tablish compulsory arbitration for labo
troubles. the first to adopt the policy o
eonfiscating large estates and developing
them for small settlers, the first British
country to establish woman suffrage, tn,
first British country TO establish life. &C
cident and fire insurance by the govern
ment, the first to operate government Goa
mines. the first to provide government
owned dwellings for workmen.
1t has a public trust office to manag,
estates and the like and 1t is guarantee,
by the government to be ''foolproof an
r~ogueproof." It has postal savings banks
1t runs the railroads. telegraphs and tele
phones. 1t is beginning to run most of tn
other public utilities. It has natural waite
power estimated at 100000 horsepower
most OF It going to waste.
The government has spent nearly $4,000.
COO in buying up large estates and In open
ing them for settlement. The Cheviot eS
tate in the South island is a notable eN
ample. II consisted OF $4,000 acres. and u
to 1892 was owned by one person. The gov
eminent seized 1t, broke it up into farm
of from fifty to 100 acres. and It now sup
ports a township, three villages. with
combined population Of nearly 1000.
Several other large tracts owned pr