A CALL TO THE BRITISH NATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 March 1909, Page 9

A CALL TO THE BRITISH NATION.

Under tho title "A Call to the British Nation," a pamphlet of much interest has been published by Dr. Borghetti nf this city. In dialogue form he discusses many modern national problems with the. object of convincing the people of Australia and New Zealand that they are "on the road to perdition." . "Too much time," he says, "has been wasted already, and too much money has been lavished on fostering parochial, interests at the expense of the public good, and if we. do not rise now at tho cry of 'New Zealanders for New Zealand,' events will .soon prove that wo have been building on sand. Thero is no way out for this tiny community which flatters itself that it is leading the world; oither. millions of new energies are imported from the Continent, or when England falls—and tho day is not far when this will occur —New Zealand and Australia will die like two weakling creatures whose umbilical cords which connect them with tho Mother Country are cut asunder, and havo 110 strength to live of themselves.. They will die like all selfish communities die, amid the indifference of the world, and their shrieks of agony will be drowned under tho waves of the Pacso Ocean without the faintest echo of them reaching either America or Europe." The author argues that the prime necessity j>f- Australasia is population, for he is certain that tile Asiatic races will otherwise subjugate the country. Ho points to Greece as the example which New Zealand should follow, and discusses very interestingly tho history of Greece and Rome to establish tho principle that a spirit of duty is necessary, to presep-e any nation. .Dr Borghetti's view may bo taken as tho view which is Held by thinking people in the European-Continent, and although we may disagree with many of bis conclusions, we must admit that his concern over the absence of a high national consciousness is only too well founded. Ho is hopeful, however, that mankind will develop until pcace will bo established throughout the world. There is much to be said for his theory that the task 'before the British Empire is harder than that before Europe, owing to tho fact that Britain has not pilfered enough to asspiro to the best in life. Extreme and erroneous as many of Dr. Borghetti's . opinions may appear to. British people, his littJo booit contains much that is suggestive, and it may be especially recommended to those New Zealanders who are complacently satisfied with the condition of their country.