THE VALUED SHEEP.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 196, 26 August 1901, Page 2

THE VALUED SHEEP.

The well-known war correspondent, Mr Donald Macdonald, has been saying something interesting about New Zealand. He shows that the valued sheep has been having a great deal to do with New Zealand’s boasted prosperity. It is not so mur! l tho superior statesmanship in Now Zealand th°t is making it so prosperous. “ I have,” says Mr Macdonald, “ been all oyer New Zealand. I give precedence to no New Zealander in my admiration -for it. It is, in my opinion, the best and brightest little country on earth. It is not only prosperous, but as a consequence of prosperity a higher domestic life and greater domestic culture have followed.” Then he goes on to give a good illustration of his meaning. “ Take,” says Mr Macdonald, a “ single illustration. New Zealand buys more books than twice the population of any other part of Australasia. It can spend twice as much money in entertainments. Wherever you go|abroad you find the travelling New Zealander out of all proportion to the Australians. It is not altogether the intellect of a statesman, but the carcase of a frozen sheep, that has made New Zealand. Take away the sheep, and you will not legislate it j into affluence iu a lifetime. Sir Julius Vogel tried that and failed. Sir | George Grey found a happier state of things for his experiments. Mr Seddon, who is at once a fortunate and a wise man, got the full flood tide of prosperity, and had an easy time as a political pilot. If you want to imitate

New Zealand’s advanced legislation, imitate first her developments, ’’ is the advice given by Mr Macdonald.