NEW DOORS

Evening Star, Issue 24284, 27 August 1942, Page 6

NEW DOORS

LIONEL CURTIS ON FEDERAL UNION , A number of people in Dunedin will remember the setting up in the year 1910 of the round table groups formed for the study of the Imperial problem. Among the outstanding personages associated with this movement, were Mr Philip Kerr (afterwards Lord Lothian) and Mr Lionel Curtis. ‘The Problem of tho Commonwealth,’ published by Mr Curtis in 1916, dealt with an aspect, of the subject; and tho ‘ Round Table Magazine ’ developed into one of tho weightiest of British quarterly magazines. Since that time Mr Curtis has filled many high positions. He had much to do with the settlement of South Africa after the war there, and he assisted iu the establishment of responsible government in India. In 1921 be was secretary of the conference which settled the Irish Treaty, and until 1924 he was Advisor to the British Government, on Irish Affairs. In 1938 he was a delegate to a conference in New South Wales for the consideration of British Commonwealth Relations, and since that time ho has edited Lord Lothian’s speeches and written a book entitled ‘ Decision and Action.’ Republished in Australia last year by Messrs Angus and Robertson Ltd., this work is now before us. It directs its attention to the practical ways and means of securing world peace m future years. How is it possible to restore to the world that degree of security from war which followed the defeat of Napoleon? The sea power of Great Britain was the determining factor at: that lime. After the war of 1914 the attempt to re-establish a world peace failed because the available forces were not capable of holding the nations in check. The relative success of the British Commonwealth system, Mr Curtis points out, contains an indication of how the end may he accomplished. “ The system adumbrated hy tlio present Commonwealth arraugeinents must be made so strong that its enemies will not dare to attack it, and its example will influence potential enemies themselves to demand responsible government.” The problem, Mr Curtis thinks, is one of defence and security (and the cost thereof) for a group or union of democratic States against tho dangers of attack. “ Onlv by a federal organisation can the democracies of the world confront and daunt the forces of aggression with the invincible fact of a common decision io apply a common force to the vindication of a common order.” But Mr Curtis does not go so far as Streit, Dr Beveridge, and others in this matter. His measure of union is limited to (he problems of defence and security. The student, therefore, must visualise a' sufficiently powerful group of democratic nations who are prepared to stand together in foreign policy and defence in order to prevent the outbreak of foreign wars and lead tho world to a true reign of peace. Some day, we believe, this object will be accomplished: but just at present it takes a lot of faith io believe that the end will bo achieved quickly. The book is published at 2s 6d. BUSBY OF WAITANGI Except for a tribute paid him by Governor Hobson, it is only within (lie last few years that proper appreciation in the country which he helped to found has been shown "for tho services of James Busby, the first and only British Resident to New Zealand. -It was not his fault that he was a “ man-of-war without guns.” In the circumstances of his appointment he was almost incredibly mistreated, and _ be was unfortunate when be was not mistreated during the rest of his career. He was appointed by the Colonial Department, without any reference to Governor Bourke, of New South Wales, his immediate superior, who knew also that all the costs of his position, including his £SOO salary, must be grudged by New South Wales, required to pay them. His task was to keep law and order among the unruly members of two races, without power of arrest against British subjects, or the smallest guard. Except for the quite inadequate amount of £2OO a year which was allowed him to make presents and to entertain the chiefs. . everything had to be done by moral suasion, and by moral suasion it was well done, with only pinpricks from superiors, for seven years. Tho Confederation of Chiefs which he formed and Declaration of Independence when ho feared the designs of tho French Baron de Thierry, were natural and prudent measures in the circumstances that brought them about, and, after he had been succeeded by tho first Governor, it was Busby who drafted the Treaty of Waitangi, a service for which he was warmly thanked by Hobson. In the last year of his office —and not till then —knowing that no retiring allowance was to be made to him, ho had bought land in New Zealand for the future support of his family. Scores of others did so, for much smaller considerations, and Sir George Gipps, who succeeded Bourke, passed a Bill to cancel all land titles. The remaining 30 years of Busby’s life were passed largely in appeals to successive Governments, to the General Assembly when it was established, and to the courts for the satisfaction of his own and others’ land claims. The political career which he might have had was sacrificed to this crusade, though he sat for some years in the Auck--1 land Provincial Council. Ho had all tho unpopularity of a man with a grievance. ■ When his claims were substantially granted, m the last year of his life, it was too late for him to reap the benefit. From the time of laying down his office he was financially embarrassed, though apparently he had business talents which, if he had never accepted office, might have made him a rich man. Mr Eric Rarasden, in a biography of 400 pages, strives to do justice to this “ forgotten man.” Much research has gone to his book, which is thorough, well documented, well illustrated, and most valuable. He makes Busby admirable; perhaps it would be too much to say that he makes him attractive. With all his high-rainded-ness and ability there must have been something angular as well as unaccommodating in his character when wo find that so few men —Henry Williams, at most periods, was the best-known of them, and Sir George Grey, from (bo time be comes on the scene, Ills greatest “ betc noir ” who could get on with him. But ho gave rare services to New Zealand, he did as much for South Australia in preparing the way for it 3 groat vine-growing industry, and he deserved Mr Rarasden’s book, which makes a worthy memorial of him. Lord Bledidoo writes a foreword. A. H. and A. W. Reed, Wellington and Dunedin, publishers. Price. 15s.

Ken Alexander has followed up his first collection of humorous prose and sketches.