Chapter 111: Grain Distribution and Relief
Currently, the party with the most influence in New Zealand is the Unionist Party.
First of all, the Unionist Party is composed mostly of New Zealand's retired soldiers and government officials, including some who are still in office. While most of them hold minor positions, their authority and influence surpass that of the Labour Party, which is mainly made up of workers.
Secondly, both New Zealanders and Australians are descended from predominantly British immigrants with a mix of other Europeans. Though they bear different national identities due to geography, they essentially belong to the same people.
Many New Zealanders envy the pace of development Australia enjoys today, and they also admire Arthur, Australia's monarch.
That is why they support the Unionist Party. If New Zealand were to join Australia—just as it had been part of it decades ago—they could share in the rapid development brought about by Arthur's capable rule.
For this reason, the Unionist Party submitted an application to the British Empire to merge with Australia shortly after the Principality of Australia was established, though it was rejected by the British government at the time.
This setback hurt the party's popularity, and some New Zealanders became disillusioned with the idea of unification.
However, after Arthur was appointed Governor of New Zealand, the desire for union grew louder, allowing the Unionist Party to rise again and regain influence beyond that of the Labour Party.
Reviewing the documents on the New Zealand colony, Arthur pondered.
As it stands, the hope for Australia to annex New Zealand is quite high. It might even be possible to turn New Zealand into an official region of Australia and achieve full integration.
But there's one problem: Arthur cannot directly incite the New Zealanders. The issue of New Zealand must be resolved by the New Zealanders themselves.
With Australia's influence not able to be openly involved, the Unionist Party seems to be an ideal tool. It is a local party with influence and favors unification with Australia.
With this in mind, Arthur decided to arrange a meeting with the leader of the Unionist Party to indirectly promote the idea of unification.
On April 7, 1902, after more than ten days of investigation and data gathering, the Royal Relief Committee finalized the first relief plan for New Zealand.
Compared to Australia's original relief efforts, New Zealand's plan resembled a blend of the first and second rounds of the Australian relief model.
The Royal Relief Committee would provide a five-pound subsidy to every family in New Zealand earning less than thirty pounds annually, along with new job opportunities.
But where would these job opportunities come from? In addition to existing roles in New Zealand's factories and construction projects, Arthur added another option—allowing New Zealanders to work in Australia.
Though not exactly close, Australia isn't too far either—at most a two- to three-day sea voyage.
For those in New Zealand struggling to find work, migrating to Australia for employment was an appealing alternative.
Securing colonial government approval for this plan required considerable effort on Arthur's part.
Still, the results were favorable. Under pressure from Arthur's position as Governor and the intimidating presence of nearby guards, the colonial government quickly approved the proposal.
Arthur had his reasons. Encouraging some New Zealanders to work in Australia would deepen ties between the two nations.
Those who worked in Australia could return home during holidays and share their experiences with friends and family, making others more eager to seek a life there.
Over time, that cultural and economic connection would naturally soften resistance to union with Australia.
And for those New Zealanders already working in Australia, if the two countries unified, their lives and careers would become much smoother.
Given enough time, these individuals would become strong advocates for unification.
Initially, New Zealanders were not very receptive to working in Australia. After all, it meant leaving home for another country.
And although Australia's per capita income wasn't high, most jobs paid above the average—around eleven or twelve pounds—which was comparable to New Zealand wages.
Still, the relief payments from the Committee were very well received. In just three days, several thousand low-income individuals in Wellington alone received aid from the Royal Relief Committee.
Expanding across all of New Zealand, more than 8,000 people had received relief, and the number was growing rapidly.
As the saying goes, "Those who take gifts feel obliged." After receiving aid, many New Zealanders became more welcoming toward Arthur and the Committee's members and even began spreading stories about Australia on their own initiative.
This outcome surprised Arthur. Thanks to word-of-mouth from those who had received aid, more and more New Zealanders developed favorable impressions of Australia, and the Unionist Party's popularity soared.
There was even public discussion about the possibility of Arthur becoming their monarch, reflecting just how popular he had become in New Zealand.
Seeing this, Arthur had no reason not to push further.
Under Arthur's direction, the Royal Relief Committee added another item to the aid package—free food for low-income citizens.
Because each recipient was already receiving five pounds in aid, the food gift was modest: a large sack of flour and five pounds of mutton.
Given that New Zealand's livestock industry was highly developed, acquiring sufficient relief supplies was easy.
Beef and mutton were particularly affordable in New Zealand, especially when purchased in bulk.
So this expanded relief program didn't actually require much more funding. On top of the original cost, it only added about one pound per recipient.
Still, it generated even more goodwill from the New Zealand public.
A relief program that distributed money, food, and job opportunities was something they had never seen before.
As the saying goes, comparison reveals the difference. Even though the colonial government had already made significant efforts to revive the economy, those efforts paled in comparison to Arthur's generous and practical aid campaign.
Faced with money, food, and jobs, many New Zealanders suddenly found their own government and officials lacking.
Seeking support! Let's fully annex New Zealand. After consulting extensive data, I've found it's a very feasible plan. New Zealand and Australia share common roots, mutual recognition is high, and since New Zealand is not yet independent, this can still be achieved.
(End of Chapter)
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