The Guardian. AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd., 1921. THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1921, Page 2

The Guardian. AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd., 1921. THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

I Ihk name oi histories of Britain and I the Umpire is legion, but “A Short J History of the British Commonwealth,” • by Professor Hanisav Muir, is disj tingtiished, says an exchange, by its i special scope and purpose. Its.aim is ilo tell, within a moderate compass, the story of the British Commonwealth re- | yarded as a single whole, hut also as a | part of the greater commonwealth of Western civilisation. As Professor i Muir conceives it, it is the story of a ■ number of peoples gradually learning I to live together in a free partnership, inspired by their common enjoyment of the institutions of political 'liberty. The first volume goes down to the year 17(>3, when Ungland emerged triumphant from the ordeal of war manifestly the greatest Power in the world, with a m.ighty Empire, a substantial part of which she was to lose before the century was out. In this volume the hulk of the space is naturally and necessarily devoted to the history of England herself, because it was in England that the institutions and ideas characteristic of the whole commonwealth had their birth and early development.

But in approaching the subject Professor Muir has kept before him certain objectives which serve to differentiate his history from others.,ln the first place he gives clear and distinctive treatment to the histories of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, and as his narrative proceeds .lays an increasing degree of emphasis upon the history of the colonies, the expansion of trade overseas, and the part played by the navy in determining the fortunes of tlie commonwealth as a whole. He toddies on the most significant features of contemporary European history, and

shows the influence which Europeai events exercised upon the developmen of the commonwealth. In particua he describes the share taken by othei European countries in spreading Euro pean civilisation to the non-Europear world, and he contrasts the method; adoptep by tlie rivals in this field. Ti the earlier portion of his story Professor Muir is chiefly concerned with tin grtowth of institutions, and "'ith tin gradual change in the social organisation of the British people. Minor war* he dismisses in rather a summary fashion, but he deals* fully with the great struggles which have marked the principal epochs in British history. He utterly disagrees with J. R- Green's dictum: “War plays a small part in the real story of European nations, and in that of England its part is smaller than in any.” Green wrote in a period of long-established peace ; wo, who have lived through tlie great war, are better able to appreciate bow profoundly war may affect not only the external fortunes of States, but their character, their institutions, and their social order. Britain has known four wars that aro decisive in the sense that they have left an ineffaceable impression on tlie fibre and fabric of the nation—the

. Elizabeth war against Spain, the Civil War, the wars against Louis XIV, and the Great War. No one who under- , rates their influence can hope to under- ' stand the course that British history j lias taken. This volume is divided into . six books, eaoh of which is concerned | with a clearly defined period. One of i the most interesting deals with what 1 Professor Muir terms the beginning of I'the modern age; that is to say, Britain of the 16th century, of the Reformation, and of the Elizabethan glories. This was, he observes, the turning point | in the history of tlie island peoples, and * “it was a fortunate thing that in an ! age so critical the direction of English affairs fell into the hands of a succession of the ablest princes who have ever occupied the English throne. All the Tudors had great qualities; Henry VIII and Elizabeth had gifts of a very high order indeed—courage, resolution, imagination, sublety, and daring. They were purely English, and genuinely patriotic. They bad an intuitive understanding of their subjects, and tor these reasons they were rewarded with a devoted lovnltv which was not shaken

even by their manifest failings. They were trusted with a degree of independent power which no ruler had enjoyed since Edward I, or was ever to enjoy again. Hence their rule has been-.de-scribed as the ‘Tudor despotism,’ but. . . . . . this phrase is misleading. The Tudors never attempted to overthrow the system of self-government which had been created in England. They ruled through Parliament and the justices of the peace, and were abTe to get their own way because they were trusted—because their wav was on the whole the way which the nation desired to follow. Hence England, the most powerful of the, four nations, faced the many and grave perils of the new age ns a united nation, inspired bv a very strong sense of national uftity, and under extremely powerful leadership.”

It vas mentioned in the telegraphic news last week that the parliamentary party making lan extensive tour of the North Island had passed over the Hauraki Swamp, and saw what was once a vast morass carrying thousands of head of stock. There is in New Zealand vast tracks of swamp lands, • and Westland has its share of this j country, valuable onfce drains are put into it. The soil is invariably good once the moisture' is drained out of it, and it responds very quickly to cultivation. There is nil example of this at Hari Hari. where on McLean’s farm hundreds of acres formally impassable swamp country is now good solid paddock land, bearing excellent teed, and carrying considerable stock. The land has been cropped and is now bearing the second growth of grass and excellent it is in quality and quantity. There are many similar tracts of swamp land scattered all over the Coast. Hereabouts at Kokatahi and Koiterangi there are considerable areas of such country: These have bet n partiull} treated in the way of drainage and give promise of excellent results. A comprehensive scheme of drainage, no less thorough than that at Hauraki is necessary. To begin with a complete survey is requisite and having defined the levels, determine the drainage possibilities. The rest will follow. This is the procedure necessary for Groves Swamp up the Hokitika river, for Mikonui swamp, La Fontaine swamp, and the other considerable areas stretching into South Westland. If this territory were won hack to usefulness, thousands of acres of first class land would heroine available for profitable* settlement. The Government has done so liltle lor land settlement in Westland that there is a special claim now to request attention to the special asset we refer to. There will he wealth in return for the expenditure to be incurred, and the Government will derive as they arc doing in the North Island a .good return for the money invested. The people should demand this legitimate attention.

In the booklet, issued by the Canterbury Progress League Westland is described as “a land of scenic surprises.” There is always something new and enchanting to be seen in the glories nature has endowed us with at every turn. Westland is a natural wonderland, but though she is so beautiful%and entrancing, her charms and attractions are now boomed and glorified as are so many of the artificially made places in New Zealand. The Government never censes to pour money into Rotorua and such like places to boom and boost these favoured spots. The Tourist Department seems to expend all its resources on such places, with the result

that there is but «Jittle left for such places as Westland. We may be at the moment out of the beaten track of the tourist who is being hurried from the Bluff to Auckland or vice versa.

by tlie directing hand of the Tourist Department, but we will soon be coming into our own when shortly linked up with the South Island railway system by means of the Otira Tunnel. There will not be any excuse then for the Tourist Department ignoring the Westland wonderland, as is done so often. Only lately when a party of English tourists passed through the Dominion, all they knew of the Coast through the Tourist authorities was of the Otira and Boiler Gorges. The lakes and glaciers of Westland were an unknown quantity and it is certainly time possible itineraries of New Zealand were revised to include the different side tours which are practicable in Westland. The time is long overdue for the Tourist Department to pay a little marked attention to this side of j the ranges, not so much to make am- j ends for the past neglect, as to prepare for the great volume of traffic which will he possible westward as soon as the railway is through. That traffic is growing now despite the continued ne- j gleet of the authorities, but once fostered as it should lie and fully advertised, f the volume of traffic will increase by e leaps and bounds. , 11