XllV. 



The Review of Reviews. 



March, 1912. 



The South 

 Seas. 



would iiivm 



biood to make the present Go\-emnient alert and 

 aggressive. Tasmanian Governments have been 

 .siilTering from a coldness of blood for many 

 \ears. The fertile little island needs skilful 

 management. If she had it. she would develop 

 into one of the richest of the States. Unpro- 

 gressive government will ruin any country. The, 

 elections are almost due in the State, and tlv 

 Ciovernment, through the Premier, cast out its 

 baits. But there are signs that Tasmania is feel- 

 ing the need of a change, and signs, too, that the 

 I.alwur Party may gain a number of seats, not be- 

 cause Tasmania is turning Labour, but because the 

 ueople realise that they cannot get much in the way 

 of progressi\'eness from the present Parliament, 

 and they are willing to try anything else. Tas- 

 mania is passing through the stage of somnolent 

 Liberalism, as Australia has just done, and unless 

 Liberalism there wakes up, it will suffer the re- 

 verses that Australia did in the Federal Parliament. 

 And if it happens, Tasmanian Liberalism will de- 

 St'ive it. It needs adversity to wake peoples as well 

 as iiersons up. 



Sir Everard im Thurm, speaking 

 in England during the month, gave 

 expression to the belief that some 

 day the islands under British rule 

 part of an Australian confederation. 

 Such a suggestion wakens dreams of the future, and 

 it is permissible to imagine and hope for a change 

 which will mean a Pacific confederacy, even if 

 the idea of Commonwealth absorption, which some 

 hope for, is not realised. Indeed, the idea of a 

 Confederacy is greater. Life in the South Seas' is 

 totally different from that of Australia. And the 

 work of government is to be extended rather than 

 curtailed. But the time is hardly ripe for even 

 Confederation yet. It is better that the Imperial 

 Government should control matters for a time, until 

 the Pacific groups are more firmly established in 

 self-government. Tliey need to be much more thor- 

 oughly developed than they are yet. Bur when the 

 Confederation does take place, in the fulness of 

 time, it will be a powerful thing. In the mean 

 time, both the Commonwealth and the New ZealantI 

 Governments should kee|) a watchful eye over Brit- 

 ish interests there. The Pacific is going to be one of 

 the most important of the great oceans in the near 

 future. The opening of the Panama Canal will 

 mean an almost certain change in the disposition of 

 the men on the international chessboard. America, 

 on the one .'side, is bound to consider the Pacific 

 much more than she has done, while on the other 

 side an awakened Jajian and an awakening China 

 will keep their eyes upon the sea that washes their 

 coasts. Aprojios of this, the change that has taken 

 place in China is warmly welcomed by the Chinese 

 .of Australia. As an intelligent Chinese put it to 

 me the other day, " No one can come from China 

 to Australia, with its iiolitical freedom, without 



PEOi'iis.so:: (.ai.iruTH, 



[.4i/cr Mills. 



I'hutu.] 



Of tlie .Melbourne IJniversity, wlio 'aas been appointed 

 AdminiiitrHtor of the Northern Territory tor a term of 

 five years. 



becoming an ardent revolutionist.'' The cause re- 

 cei\-ed great help from the Australian Chinese, and 

 great was the rejoicing when the Republic was an 

 accomplished fact. What will an awakened China 

 mean to Australia? Much, without doubt, and in 

 the near future. We have been none taa considerate 

 of her citizens, an'd if she demands equality of 

 treatment with other nations, the fat is likely to gee 

 into the fire. In view of the difficulties attending 

 the mixing of races in other parts of the world, one 

 cannot help feeling that the problem will he acute, 

 and while we cannot be blamed for wishing to keep 

 our race free from Eastern admixture, we cannot 

 but wish that the treatment of those who came had 

 been on m<ire humane levels than it has been. 



The New South ^Vales Government 

 Mr. Willis and has stood behind Mr. Willis witli 

 Mr. IJohinson. regard to Mr. Robinson, and that 



gentleman is to be pensioned oft. 

 That is to l>e regretted, not simply because tlv- 

 Speaker's action appeared to be somewhat tyranni- 

 cal, but laecau.se, according to our reading, his action 

 was not in accord with his rights and privileges. 

 But what else could bo expected from a man who 

 has allowed his contract to be over-ridden, and has 

 lumg on to office after the agreement he made \yas 

 dishonoured, or of a Government that was willing 

 to make a breach of contract also. The New South 

 Wales sessions have begun, and promise to be as 

 lively as the last. An appeal to the electors isthe 

 only thing that will make government on sane lines 

 in New South Wales iiossil>'le. 



