Co-Operative Colonisation.

Mr. Rees' mission to England was to try to turn into fact a splendid vision of his mind. He and Wi Pere were entrusted with a quarter of a million acres of land in this district on which it was hoped to settle two or three thousand families from Great Britain, on the principle of what is now called “Group Settlement,” but which Mr. Rees, its first apostle, called “Co-operative Colonisation.” The money for such an Imperial project could well be expected from the Imperial Parliament. page 142 Payments for the use of land, for services, and for the use of money respectively would be made partly in cash and partly in shares in the Company. Mr. Rees also hoped to establish business relations with the English and Scottish Wholesale Cooperative Societies and to open direct markets between producing shareholders out here and purchasing shareholders in the Homeland, and so escape the menace of the trusts.

Mr. Rees and Wi Pere went to London, Wi Pere being much perturbed when he saw the shipping in the Channel, by the thought that all the people in England were going away, just when he and Mr. Rees had come so far to speak to them! Petitions from pakehas and Maoris were presented to the House. The big world listened eagerly to Mr. Rees' facts, theories and plans. Cabinet Ministers gave him attentive hearings. The House of Commons discussed the propositions. Several hundred crofter families were likely to be nominated and assisted by the owner of the Island of Lews. The British and Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Societies invited Mr. Rees to explain his proposals.