INTRODUCTORY 



has hardly found her feet ; though every day she gets a 

 surer foothold. The reason of this is twofold. She 

 suffers as yet from the extraordinary variety and 

 difference of the numerous commodities that offer 

 possibilities, and more than possibilities, of profit. 

 Also, she suffers from the form of Government under 

 which she labours. Both matters will right themselves. 

 At the present day, as each enterprise is proved, it 

 offers a smaller profit than the original speculators 

 anticipated. Except in fairy tales and occasionally in 

 mines, this is the invariable experience throughout the 

 world. As a consequence, the next speculation, as yet 

 untried, finds numerous adherents. Every day, 

 however, certain products get hall-marked as staple 

 industries, and every year it gets more and more realised 

 that in a small country we must stand by the extra 

 fine quality of a few productions rather than by their 

 quantity and variety. With regard to the system of 

 Government, the Protectorate subsists mainly at the 

 present day on faith and hope. The principal ground 

 for complaint lies in the quantity of cooks who contrive 

 to spoil the flavour of so excellent a soup. It is 

 extremely difficult to get an answer, or at any rate a 

 quick, definite answer, to any question or complaint 

 through the long chain of links which separate the 

 settler from the Colonial Office. Thus a small 

 privilege or exemption may be wanted from the 

 District Commissioner. The District Commissioner 

 approves, but must ask the Provincial Commis- 

 sioner. The Provincial Commissioner, though 

 personally in favour of the request, is somewhat 

 doubtful as to how far native rights will be infringed, 

 and must inquire of the Land Officer and Crown 

 Advocate. Fortune favouring the settler, the Crown 





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