2l8 
A COLONY IN THE MAKING 
CHAP. 
I submit that the position of the non-official members 
corresponds with that of the Opposition in Parliament 
—though here it is a permanent opposition. Even that 
opposition is, I imagine, really in existence ostensibly 
for the government of the Empire ; but though they 
are presumably ready to give advice when called on, 
yet naturally their help is given almost entirely by 
criticism of, or direct attack on, faulty or unnecessary 
legislation. I cannot believe that this objection to 
legitimate criticism is likely to continue long. 
The bodies that have in the past and do at the 
present day represent the purely settler element are 
many and various. The most notable one in the past, 
and certainly the body that has done more spade-work 
than any other, has been undoubtedly the Colonists’ 
Association. This body fought an uphill fight in the 
settlers’ interests during what may be termed their 
struggle for existence. It was representative of the 
whole body of settlers, who in those days of course 
occupied a much smaller tract of country than they do 
at present. Under the presidency of Lord Delamere 
and of Mr. Grogan, it placed the settlers’points of view 
before the Government again and again, and though 
in the course of events it made a few mistakes, the 
work it did for the country can never be forgotten. 
When the recognition of the settler was complete the 
need for this body diminished. The area under 
white occupation was growing, the population increas¬ 
ing, and new interests were springing up almost daily. 
Each of these interests began forming its own associa¬ 
tion. Perhaps through no fault of its own the Colonists’ 
Association lost touch with these outside bodies, and 
indeed became somewhat unpopular. The newer and 
more local bodies resented its assumption of authority. 
