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Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1924, Page 2

lx a late work .just reviewed “The growth of greater Britain”. Mr •>. Dilirgi'icve and Mr E. I oiing. trace the development oi the hm pi re "itli especial reference to the geographical and economic leaturcs which goicmcd it, |( j s curious to think that although we naturally magnify the glories of British history, it was not until the end of the loth, century that Britain began to be a place ot any real consequence. I'p to then the people „|' (he Continent looked ill oil Britain as an island surrounded by stormy setts, whose chief produce was wool. and. later coarse cloth. “Britain was out on the edge or the known world, and was considered of little importance hell,c rich and powerful peoples of Southern Europe. Tint when Colnnihus sailed across the Atlantic, ami still more when lhe world was discovered to he round. England ceased to lie a lonely outpost. and was found to he one of the nearest countries to lands across the oceans.” The centre of gravity shifted. The old ports on the east and south-east coasts, which gave access to l),e Continent, became (with the "Xt eptiou of London) relatively less licquented.. New ones, looking towards the west, sprang into prominence. Plymouth, Dartmouth. Bristol, and later LN'erpool and Clasgow. M hat sort of trade came to these new lauds? At first it , .insisted exclusively of luxuries. The little ships of the day could lint eari'y bulky cargoes. They brought goods that occupied little space, silks, jewels, and spices. Human vanity will always pay for artie'es of adornment, chile there was gr.od reason for the importation of spices. Vegetables were scarcely used, while European larmcrs had not learned In feed I heir livestock through the winter. The beasts were killed oil' and salted. The spires provided seasoning for an unrelieved diet of salt meat, which otherwise must have been intolerably monotonous. Then came the trade in semi-luxuries, siieli as sugar and tobacco, and nowadays the great trade of the world is bulkv tilings, such as wheat. coal, wool, limber, and the like, 'lhe authors take the various parts of the Km| ire in turn. and show how geographical and eeouomie iulliiem es hale leaded upon their development. Their hook is most interesting and instructive. but ill the chapter dealing with Australia there is an inaccuracy. MV arc told that “A traveller from Perth to Brisbane has to change trains eight times because of variations of gauge in different .sections." Actually the break in the gauge necessitates only live changes. The authors have apparently included those at Adelaide. Melbourne, and Sydney. But they are due not to a break in the gauge, hut to the fact that the trains do not run through.

In tln> world of sport, the MotlierI; 11 )Ii has to give way to tile prowess of her u helps. Tile vielorions All Blacks liave liad a trium| haut tour through England, Wales, and Ireland —and with only one match to >4O it would appear that, the Rugby foothall team will return with a clean slate. In Australia, the English XI despite a very line showing, suffered a defeat in the test match, at the outset of which the visitors were the favorites. It, is good to have these interchanges, and the nominions profit hy their success in many ways. The advertising which must accrue from the tours is a great factor. The All Blacks Imve carried the name of New Zealand far and wide, while the Australians t hnve attracted the whole interest of the sporting world in the tight to secure the ashes. The benefits are far-reaching, and though foothall in X'ew Zealand, and cricket in Australian, take up much time and interest, the games are worth while for the reason that they bring remote parts of the Empire together, and are in themselves as games, a strong link in the chain holding the British Empire together. We are sure the All Blacks will return great admirers of the Old l and and what it is doing. 'I lie men are being educated imperially and will he impressed accordingly. Probably this would have happened however the fortunes id' the game had gone, hut it is good to the other advantages to have victory on the right side also, making New Zealand more than ever lietter known.