Sir Henry Parkes's Protest.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 91, 28 February 1885, Page 3

Sir Henry Parkes's Protest.

The Sydney papers received to-day by the Wairarapa contain the text of the protest entered by Sir Henry Parkes, late Premier of New South Wales, against the despatch of the colonial contingent to the Soudan. It is very ably worded, as will be gathered from the extracts we give below :—: — " In the first place, I deny the existence of any national crisis calling for the interference of a colony of 900,000 souls in the military movements of the Empire. The war in Egypt ia a war of invasion against barbarous tribes, who, in comparison with us, are fighting on their own soil. There is no pretence on our part of conquest on the one hand or of the defence of human rights on the other. The whole lamentable struggle, as avowed, is to establish a government of purity and order out of elements of corruption and disorder, and then to retire from the soil of Egypt. England hasset her hand to this sad task, and if she cannot accomplish it without our aid she certainly will never succeed with our aid. In the next place, I assert that there can be no greater folly than to foster a spurious spirit of military ardour in a country like ours, where every man is wanted to take his part, in some form or other, in colonising work. The economic aspect of the question presents features which would be ludicrous if they were not suicidal. With the right hand we are expending our revenues to import able-bodied men to sub' jugate the soil, while with the left hand we propose to squander our revenues to deport men to subjugate Sir Edward Strickland's 'Saracens.' However men may delude themselves, this is not patriotism ; this is not loyalty ; this is not true British sense of duty. It is the cry of 'wolf when there is no wolf; and it is to be earnestly hoped that the fable will have no application when the wolf verily comes. All the misty talk about the 'tight little island' and 'heroic federation' will dissipate itself in the clear atmosphere of time and reason. Six months hence the colony will be ashamed of what is now being done. . . | The pride of England must have fallen very low if she is prepared to exhibit tbe spectacle before the military Powers of Europe of her armies marching against the Mahdi and his barbarous hordes, supported by 600 men from one of her colonies. But putting aside all conpiderations of national dignity, is it conceivable that the New South Wales contingent will be sent to the front, and Imperial troops left behind to do garrison duty ? In the practical settlement of matters we may be sure that, while other duties have to be performed, our Australian heroes will have little chance of distinguishing themselves on the field of battle. In confirmation of this view of the case, your telegram this morning tells us that bur men will be employed in protecting the navvies on the railway works between SuaMm and Berber."