HIGH COMMISSIONER

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 31, 6 February 1913, Page 11

HIGH COMMISSIONER

SPEECHES BY HON. T. MACKENZIE . VISIT TO EDINBURGH. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 14th December. In commemoration of the 231 st anniversary of the Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh a large number of members and guests dined together a week ago in the Merchants' Hall, Hanover-street. The Hon. T. Mackenzie was one of the guests, and he responded to the" toast of "His Majesty's Dominions Beyond the Seas." Mr. Mackenzie assured the assembly that the Oversea States meant their offers of bat- I tleships to be supplementary. Until i they were more closely in touch and in conferenco with the Imperial authorities their offers must be so regarded. There was a closer drawing together, and he was sure that the statesmen of the Empire would be equal to the task that would be placed upon their shoulders. There were great difficulties, but when they were more closely drawn together we would find the colonies would be ' prepared to share with the Mother Country any Imperial responsibilities. They must stand together, andiftfiey stood together they would bo powerful for peace. (Applause.) Sir George M'Cfae proposed the toast, and in doing so he made various complimentary references to New Zealand. Great factors, he<said, were working 7 towards the consolidation and the solidarity of the Empire. Sentiment, selfinterest, and self-preservation alike tended in that direction.. They could not forget that it. was New Zealand which t showed tho way and gave, the offer of the first battleship. That had produced and would produce a combination for 'defence never before seen, and it would stagger the civilised world not only, because of its magnitude, but because of the great possibilities of the immense power updn which the Motherland could draw. ' THE EMPIRE LEAGUE. The High Commissoner attended, on Wednesday, the annual meeting of the British Empire League, and supported Ihe adoption of the report, which was prpposed by the Duke of Devonshire.' Mr.' Mackenzie said in his opinion the British Empire League was promoted in order that the flag should continue to fly, add that trade and intercourse should develop under that flag. It was contended by some that the loss of territory might not mean a lessening oji commerce. The previous day he took out> a ; few figures in connection with 'the development of the Empire's trade,- both within the -. Empire and with foreign countries, and it was amazing to see the extent to which the development of I our commerce had gone on with our own people. From the year 1907 to 1911 lie' found that the increase in the_ self-gov- | ertting colonies — exclusive of India— Was some £24,000,000 — that was an increased trade of £24,000,000 with some 15,000,000 people. The increase of foreign trade was, £15,000,000, and that was with 50me % 700,000,000 people. In other words,, we increased our trade beyond the, Empire by something like 3d or 4d a ' head, whereas within the Empire it Was. increased by 32s per head. - ' ■ DISEASES IN STOCK. Me. Mackenzie then amplified a few remarks made by the Duke of DevonshWori diseases in stock, and .-said that #Wlg,£ihtf**Bg\ilatioiis required by theBrKjeH. Board of Trade regarding meat imported from New Zealand and other countries beyond the Seas were exceedb»glyi..*tringent. — almost too stringent — in spine respects in Great Britain itself they were far behind the methods that were employed for securing the health of New Zealand's flocks and herds.

Their stock was constantly under the eyes of efficient inspectors, and any animals showing signs of; bad condition were tested, and, also, whole herds were being constantly tested; and any animal found affected was destroyed, compensation up t6 a certain proportion being paid by the State tb the owner. This checked disease very much. In addition to that, the farmers were co-operating with tho Agriculture Department in every possible way. For instance, etei-il-i6ing plant was now widely established at the dairy factories for the purpose of treating milk effectively. By experiment the Dominion discovered that unsterilised ekim milk and whey coming from dairy factories were- sources fpr spreading disease, but experiments afterwards demonstrated the almost entire absence of any disease in' young stock fed _on sterilised skim milk or whey coming from the factories. As a matter of fact, the foods coming from New Zealand were all accompanied by a certificate of guarantee of absolute freedom from all disease, and the most stringent _ insistence of absolute health was required by the Department, any breach resulting in the immediate diemissal of the officer or servant, so that| people using foodstuffs from New Zea-, land had the assurajice of' purity, and a guarantee of soundness that could not be surpassed in any way by a*iy country in the world. Dealing with tho trade, Sir George Reid had stated that the. British people* instead of discussing so much the qu€6 fcion of tariffs, should at 'once begin by vising.. in . every way the foods within the Empire. He thought. Sir George was going to wind up with a recommendation that they should forthwith order joints of Australian mutton. (Laughter.) Had he done so, Mr. Mackenzie would have felt it incumbent upon him to bring to the front Now Zealand's unapproachable prime Canterbury lamb— (renewed laughter)— which would, of course, havo settted the question of ■ merit beyond dispute. , , - • * NEW ZEALAND AND" " ' . . EDUCATION. . , Last night the High Commissioner presented the prizes to the successful students of: Pitman's School, Southampton-row. "Tho function took place in the Queen's Hall, and the Hon. Harry Lawson, M.Pr, presided over a gathering numbering about 3500. Mr. Mackenzie said he believed that,' considering their means a the people of New Zealand had done a very great deal in the direction of working out their system of education. Their primary schools were now conducted upon such excellent lines that the children of all in the colony could go to them and receive a sound primary education. Secondary schools, high ■schools, and universities co-ordinated their work, and were turning out young men and women to carry, on colonisation. 'With regard to specialisation-, they en* deavoured after a certain age to.guida those who intended to follow certain ocf cupations on the. lines of .those occupa l,tions. In recent yea ! rs.they had estabf lished agricultural schools.. Theirs was an agricultural country,' and if they were to hold their own in the race oLcpjnpetition with other countries so much nearer the -markets of the world, ti£ meant that they mußt have specialisation and high scientific methods. The report of the Pitman School was a splendid record. It was really marvellous that .tho girls ,and young women should carry the prizes away from the young men and lads. (Laughter and cheers.) He most heartily congratulated them. Of course, in New Zealand they expected that sort of thing to be done, but here, where equal rights were not extended to women, one almost felt that there was some justification in the suffragists claim. ' A NEW ZEALAND PLANT. ,Th 6 Hon.i T. attended the,. Worshipful* Company* of Gardeners" dinner oh Wednesday evening, and was enabled to make a neat score for. New Zealand. In responding to the toast,Sir Harry Veitch referred to the splendid Horticultural Show which had been held that year, the greatest that had ' ever taken place in Britain, the sum of

£25,000 having been received in admittance fees. Mr. Mackenzie said that it was 'pleasant to read that the plant which was the greatest novelty and most admired of all came from New Zealandj 'its name being Liptospermum ericoides. On Thursday the High Commissioner was present at Sir George Reid's luncheon party given, at the British Empire Club, to 'meet" Prof essor Wyndham Dunstan, Director of the Imperial Institute. The distinguished company present included the German • Ambassador, the Duke of Argyll, the Earl of Halsbufy, Lord Ashbourne, Lord Allerton, Lord Blyth, Lord Mersey, Lord Cowdray, Lord Emmott, the Right Hon. A. Bonar Law., M.P., the Right Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, K.C., M.P., and Sir Charles Lucas