Evening star., 1942-07-19
New Zealand, q Priced
Dominion
By Frederic J. Hdsktn.

quake, for which New Zealand is noted,
or world war to bring this remote spot
of the globe to the attention Of the
public. Australia, neighbor, although
1900 miles away, is now in the wars
theater and as a consequence New
Zealand is often in the limelight.
SO little is known about New Zealand
that it commonly is considered by
host of people everywhere to be a part
of Australia. This is a misconception
which stirs New Zealanders to bitter
protest, not because they do not like
Australia or Australians, but because
they like to think of their land as not
being federated with any other. True it
is that New Zealand is dominion Of
Great Britain, but New Zealanders have
a way of handling their affairs so that
Great Britain seems like godfather
who rarely ever comes around to see
how his child is getting along. So far
distant from London and other British
possessions, there has developed in New
Zealand an unusual spirit of independ-
ence.
Ne" Ltdldiu lS n ldIlu VI JiiS oCds ~
is nowhere more than $50 miles wide.
although it is 900 miles long. Its snow
capped mountains look down on the
surf beaten rocks of the fjords and its
plains lie behind beaches. 1t is land
of variety, magnificent bush country,
although 1t is free from marauding
beasts, has no snakes and the only native
mammal is the bat. In the dense forests
are wingless birds which have forgotten,
in their security, how to fly. Craggy
mountain chains stand above the great
plains of the South Island, across a
strait of turbulence. There, running
down the westward edge of the island
like vast spine, are the Southern Alpine
Range and the rich mining territory
known as the West Coast. In another
direction are hills and lakes of austere
beauty which make the country resemble
| Switzerland.
Outside of New Zealand's volcanic or
thermal regions the country is rolling hill
and plain, where countless sheep and dairy
| cattle Craze the year through Around
| these pasture lands are the forests, and
none in the world are more interesting,
with their gaily colored trees, their giant
creepers and majestic pines. They are
! mirrored in the blue waters of the lakes,
! they climb the slopes of the mountains
and border rushing streams. Clinging
and ropelke vines swing in loops and the
! jungle growth is so thick that branches
become intertwined until it is difficult to
trace limb to its parent tree.
All this is what awaited the advance
guard of those who fled the depressed
lands of Europe in May, 1889, and went
to New Zealand after Edward Gibbon
Wakefield had formed the New Zealand
Association. Wakefield achieved his plan
for the acquisition of land for colonial
ton despite the opposition of mission
aries, who feared the bad effect which
the contact with white settlers might
have upon the savages who had held the
country for centuries. That fear never
materialized and how the white settlers
and Maori natives, many Of whom are
now battling Rommel's forces in Egypt,
have lived together in comparative peace
is one of the most notable achievements
of the colonization. The natives vote,
|
| councils and are knighted by England's
King, while New zealanders are proud Of
their dark brothers acceptance OF civil
| lization. Even in the greatest strife with
English settlers the natives showed good
| qualities.
Fack Of Wakefields efforts OF a little
more than hundred years ago, only two
Oonort q nt II,
Zealand's colorful history-discovery Of
the first land in 1642 by Tasman, and
again in 1859 the taking over of the
islands in the name of the crown by
Cook. But Wakefeld's efforts in 1889
have been largely the means of bring
ing New Zealand to its present status as
dominion of considerable importance
to Great Britain and the world
But while New Zealand exercises a
spirit of independence, it for decades has
been dependent upon the motherland
for markets for vast quantities Of meat,
butter, cheese and wool, and for the
carrying Of these goods to their destina-
ton halfway around the world. More
over. New Zealand has been dependent
upon Great Britain for banking struc-
ture which would finance these trans
actions and for loans to make internal
improvements, such as the building Of
railroads and the construction of hy-
droelectric power plants. In addition,
New Zealand is almost wholly dependent
upon Great Britain for the major ex-
amples OF the arts and food for life
and mind even for news and interpreta-
ton of the news Of what the rest Of
the world is doing. This makes the
progress Of this far-off dominion the
more remarkable.
Radical changes began to take place
In New Zealand soon after the First
World War and by the end of the post
war period OF prosperity, the country
headed the list in per capita exports. The
lean years changed the country's posi-
ton somewhat, but nevertheless a new
economy has been created public works
initiated and a national housing pro-
gram instituted to overcome the loss OF
building construction during the de-
preston years. A national conserva-
ton program, too, was blueprinted so
as to control larger share OF minerals
and other natural resources for public
benefit. Moreover, numerous measures
have been adopted to absorb the shock
Of unemployment in abnormal times.
Now, however, New Zealand faces a
problem that is akin to that of other
lards. Tucked away in a corner Of the