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Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1933, Page 4

At a recent meeting hold in London, Sir John Harris, parliamentary secretary of the anti-slavery society stated the abolitionists an:l enancipato.s of 100 years a<n created a n<nv spiritual atmosphere and saved the soul of England. Wo inherited that spirit, and by that same spirit have broken systems of hide, oroteeted native

land right,s, pa rilled native labour systems, while within the lest 20 years we leave witnessed the liberation of not les; than 465,080 slaves. Under British, leadership the civili-od nations of tiie world have been persuaded to adopt- as their governing colonial principle the policy that the government of native races is, for the civilised peoples, not exploitation, but a

sacred trust— a development which makes it incumbent that we should he doubly careful lest we ourselves fall holer that high .standard. Again under British leadership we have witnessed the consummation of a longsought British ileal—namely, an intet'i i.ticmal effort to abolish slavery. The British Foreign Office during- the first 100 year, 3 lias patiently framed and negotiated with other Powers over 630 anti-slavery treaties. During the same period Groat Britain has spent in police work against the slave tiyde on the high scn« well over £50,003,000. That was a burden which for ICO years was laid almost exclusively upon the British people. Now, as a result of the work -done at Geneva during the last 10 years, this heavy burden has been shifted from our national shoulders to 'those of sixty nations, who arc now, In- a solemn instrument, bound to undertake collectively the great ta.sk of the abolition of some twenty systems of slavery and the emancipation of at least 5,009,000 slaves.”