DUTCH EAST INDIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 129, 14 July 1941, Page 5

DUTCH EAST INDIES

UNIQUE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM EXPLAINED BY DUTCH PREMIER

TRADE POTENTIALITIES

The unique form of Govermnenl which has enabled te Dutc to ETA O ' which bas) emabled tlie Dutch to control successfully their East Inilies possessions with its population 700,000,000 people, was explained b" Mr El N. Van Kleile-ns, Minister Foreign Affairs, who recently visited "Hotorua. It was impossible, he said, with natives so greatly outnumbering the Europeans, to have a parliamentary government, so the country was con, trolled by Governor and. a National 'Council, partly appointed by the Government and partly elected, who Avasi responsible to the Government "The Governor had power to with, hold any measure proposed by the National Council, Tput if this wera done thei National Council hud the Tigtit of appeal. All parties in th« State were represented on the "tional Council—the Europeans, tinnatives, the Chinese and Arabs. Each centre throughout the country was governed by a European representative, aided by a native adviser In this way] the views of every s«c-. -tion of the community were known. 'This system of government had worked very weill sirjee the 17tli cen'tury. Mr Kleffens said that Java alone hfid a population of 45,000,000, and 'the Javanese are a very superior race who made) fine sailors and soldiers. The Colonial Minister, Mr C. J. "I. M. Walter, who accompanied Mr Kleffens on his visit to, the Domin"!on, said that the people of the Dutch East Indies had now little 'fear of an aggressive move by Japan. The Dutch East Indies were now '■well prepared for any eventuality •and Great Britain had vastly strengthened her position* in Malaya. There were great opportunities Tor an exchange of trade between the East Indies and New Zealand, and he suggested that the Dominion -should send Pressmen on a visit to 'the East Indies. They would be •warmly welcomed, he said, and •would be given an opportunity to -visit the whole country and see what New Zealand products could be absorbed there, and what products, the East Indies could send to New Zealand. Such a visit would be asi necessary after the wdjr during it. The East Indies cofilfj take frozen meat, butter, cheese and fruit from New Zealand, and could supply the Dominion with such products as oil and rubber. There were vast potentialities for trade between the two