THE ENGLISH IN EGYPT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2045, 13 May 1890, Page 4

THE ENGLISH IN EGYPT.

Mr Halkett Dawson, erstwhile , rector of the Timaru High hchooi, has contributed a number of most interesting articles to the Otago Daily limes on his trip to the Old Country* via Ceylon, Egypt, etc. With regard to England’s occupation, of Egypt he says:—“ Seven years for such a purpose as we have in Egypt is a. short enough space of time to do much, much less to generalise about it. Nevertheless, the results' of seyea years’ occupation have been brilliant; beyond expectation, and from these) results, accomplished in so short a' time may safely draw certain conclusions. Well, what have we done? I spoke to scores of fellaheen, I spoke to many artisans and traders ini Cairo, and the story in every case wasj the same. The English. had done) good—more good than thev could

possibly have thought possible.; Several who took part in the Arabic) insurrection told me they now see the folly of the movement—truly; enough named national. They admit, that purely national ideas could never have saved or regenerated Egypt Such a state of feeling in Egypt shows that the reforms achieved have been considerable. These are well summarised by a writer in the January number of the Edinburgh Eeview, and to this really able article I would direct my readers for further information than I can give in the space at my command. It will suffice to say that we have abolished the bastinado. The poor fellaheen are no longer subjected to the cow-leash because they cannot pay their taxes, or give evidence, false or true, as desired by the authorities, j

r l hen corvee, or forced labor, has been 1 partly done away with. From 1882 ' to 1885 nearly a quarter of a million of men were compelled to work one hundred days for nothing. Another capital reform is the abolition of the slave mart. In vain the curious traveller may search for a human auction mart now. No eunuchs are now offered for sale; no kidnapped Soudanese children are put up to the highest bidder. A few slaves there are still, but they can get their freedom by going to the manumission bureaux. The lot of the poor fellaheen has been very much improved by converting them in many cases into absolute owners of their patch of ground, which they cultivate with so much care and industry. Again, life is now quite safe. Brigandage has been put down by a thoroughly efficient and obliging police force. One can go anywhere now in perfect safety. Cairo gains by this ; in fact, the whole country gains by it. Crowds of Europeans now winter in Egypt. Cook’s agent at Ismailia told me as I came through the Suez Canal in March that the number of tourists this season had been unprecendented, and they will go in increasing numbers every year now. In five days the Londoner can go to Cairo. Great reforms have been effected in prisons, hospitals, and lunatic asylums. The railways are made more remunerative. Water distribution is more effectively carried out. The public finance has been put on a sound basis. Expenditure is no longer in excess of receipts. Six years ago Egypt could borrow with difficulty at 7 per cent.; now she can borrow nearly as well as the Government of New Zealand. If one had bought TJnifieds in! 1884 at 69, one could now sell out at a profit of £25, for they now command 94. That is good work for seven years. My readers will begin to think that we have been very much in Egypt. What is more, we have fully justified our occupation. And our further tenure is justified on three distinct grounds : (1) We cannot leave off now and ) allow the fruits of our labors to be destroyed; (2) there is still much good work to be done ; and (3) Egypt’s position is such that without the justification, past and future, alluded to we must hold it, As to the work still before us, the great questions of the administration of justice and education remain in native hands. Need I say both are unsatisfactory ? Many of the native tribunals are presided over by men who have had no proper legal training. Moreover, there is much extortion and corruption. As for education, unless we take up the subject, and train the young Egyptians, we indefinitely postpone the proper regeneration of the country. Hitherto it may have been advisable to stay our hands respecting these two departments, for around at least one of them there is a circle of much prejudice in the Mohammedan mind. But now that they see our good works in other things they may take more readily to Western ideas and Western methods of education.”