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Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1933, Page 4

Vddpessint! tho African Society in London M. Albert Snrrant, Frsnrli

Minister for the Colonies, said:—“Our systems of colonial regency have each their qualities and also, without doubt, their faults. If 1 were to say all that I think, with the frankness that is my habit, I should have some difficulty in drawing a comparison which would give one of us the advantage. I think that a sentimental point of view, in which our inveterate humanism has a larger part than reason, makes us approach nearer to the life of the native. But I think just as sincerely that you are more liberal toward him than we. Your secular respect for local institutions better ensures, in fact, the regard for centralisation. You err, perhaps, by excess of septicism about the feasibility of transforming souls long steeped in heredity. We may err in our turn by excess of faith in the virtu.re of doctrines and the logic of principles. You build day by day on what already exists. We dream of new and rectilinear architectures. You listen especially to the prudent, but rather cold, counsel of experience. We warm our action in the flame of apostleship. You, in sum, wish the races to nlace themselves hi a condition to make their own hapoiness ;, we wish ■oinrselves to make their happiness, urgently and with authority. Such at least, are the appearances, which were truer yesterday than to-day. Our orientations are hourly drawing near and joining together. Their parallelism is bending toward a meeting point.” tat. \r r, v*wuaj'u