EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 91, 20 April 1915, Page 2

EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

The New Zealand agency of the "Hound Table" lias published a selection of passages from that review dealing with urgent problems oi Empire. NEW ZEALAND'S SHARE T\ THE WAR. The object of the publication is explained in the preface, which is as follows : "Those who are unable to undertake military duties during the war can yet render a great service to the Empire by facing and thinking out certain practical questions relating to Defence and Koreign Policy. "It will be found that many of these questions are covered or raised by the single question. "What share are we in'New Zealand to bear of the general burden of the war?" "We undoubtedly desire to bear our fair share of the cost, however large that share may be. The problem lis to find a sound, practical means of settling how the cost is to be shav-

"A basis of agreement will have to be found with the other self-governing parts of the Empire as to what parts of the respective war expenditures of these Dominions are to be treated as general expenses of the Empire. It will then be necessary to decide upon the relative ability of the different parts to bear a share. "The question of sharing with the other Dominions and with the United Kingdom in the cost of the war will inevitably raise the question of our sharing with them the future cost of Defence and Foreign Policy. That, in its turn, will naturally raise the question of our sharing with them the responsibility of maintaining the existence of the Empire as a whole.

"New Zealand's immediate desire is to contribute to the war her fair share of men. Precisely the same questions as are mentioned above arise, however, upon any attempt to \ find a sound, practical means of settling how the numbers—required now and boreflfter—are to be apportioned between New Zealand and the other self-go-verning parts of the Empire. "Jn considering these problems, it is essential always to remember that the existence of the Empire gives "peace and the opportunity of selfdevelopment to one-quarter of the human race." The "stupendous responsibility" for this at present rests solely upon our fellow-citizens in the British Isles. We shall have to decide whether we are or are not to continue to stand aside from sharing the burden of this noblest part of our heritage, which includes the trusteeship for those races who have not yet achieved self-government. "No doubt all these questions involve great difficulties, but it will only be by consideration and discussion that we can ascertain exactly what are the difficulties, and what are the issues actually involved. "As a contribution to the consideration and discussion of the pressing problems of Empire, it has been decided to reprint from the "Round Table" a number of passages dealing with such problems. "Our self-respect will spur us to great effort when we recall the fact that we in New Zealand, before the war, were paying about lis a head for defence, while the British taxpayer was paying over four times as much. "With the interest on the debt incurred in building up the Empire (which the Dominions do not share in any way), he is indeed paying more than £2 10s per head of the population ; and his country, long weighted with this burden, stands in greater need than any, Dominion of liberal expenditure on social reform. . ." "Great Britain is no longer able to maintain a preponderant navy on all the chief oceans of the globe and unity in foreign policy and defence, which has been the fundamental basis of the exteranl policy of the Empire hitherto, is gradually being impaired." "The truth is that the safety of the imperial system cannot be maintained much longer by the arrangements which exist at present."