Chapter 180: Chapter 174: Stable Reconstruction, Turbulent Situation

On December 1,1903, with the help of Arthur, New Zealand received a loan of two million pounds from Australia to rebuild the economy and various infrastructures after the disaster.

To demonstrate the good relationship between Australia and New Zealand, the loan was interest-free with a repayment date set for twenty years later.

The news was widely publicized in New Zealand newspapers, promoting the prosperous relations between Australia and New Zealand.

Indeed, due to this huge amount of funds, New Zealand’s rebuilding work progressed smoothly, with towns and pastoral areas systematically reconstructed.

On December 3, Arthur designated November Sth, the day the typhoon had made landfall in New Zealand, as the annual Disaster Memorial Day and established a Disaster Memorial Monument at Opunaki, the first point of the typhoon’s arrival.

Engraved on the monument were clear details about the exact time and location the typhoon occurred and the full extent of the damage and injuries caused by the disaster in New Zealand.

On the day the monument was established, Arthur attended the ceremony and personally expressed his condolences to all New Zealanders.

This move won the hearts of all New Zealanders as Arthur had provided immediate assistance during the disaster and swiftly arrived in New Zealand.

As members of the Australian royal family and the Governor of New Zealand, both Arthur and the New Zealand government donated funds, and a large number of personnel and resources were mobilized from Australia to save as many New Zealanders as possible from the catastrophe.

Arthur’s attention to New Zealand made the people feel the joy of having an excellent ruler.

There was a growing sentiment among the residents of New Zealand, wishing that Arthur could be their monarch.

Although Arthur is currently the Governor of New Zealand, his term lasts only twenty years, with New Zealand still nominally under the administration of the British Empire.

Arthur’s Australia, with its unstoppable growth momentum, has already achieved more than the historical peak of New Zealand’s development.

Moreover, the different attitudes of Australia and the British Empire toward the disaster in New Zealand gradually changed the thoughts of most New

Zealanders.

On December 13,1903, Arthur merged the Advisory Council with the House of Commons in New Zealand and renamed the Commons as the House of Representatives.

At the same time, Grant and Joshua were appointed as lifetime members of the Upper House.

The Legislative Council was the Upper House of New Zealand, appointed directly by the Governor of New Zealand and serving for life.

As one could tell from the name, the Legislative Council’s functions included drafting and revising existing laws in New Zealand and overseeing the powers of New Zealand officials.

No changes had been made to the Legislative Council since Arthur took office as Governor of New Zealand.

There were six members in the Legislative Council, including Garrison Commander Piers, Grant, and Joshua, with the remaining three being lifetime members appointed by the previous Governor.

Fortunately, these three expressed their utmost obedience to Arthur, aware that their fates remained in his hands, even as the Governor of New Zealand.

This was, in fact, a counter-balancing measure by the British Empire for self- governing colonies like New Zealand.

In colonies like New Zealand, the Governor’s position was equivalent to that of a head of state, representing the British Royal Family and the King.

The Governor was appointed directly by the King of Britain and not elected from among New Zealanders, which meant that the policies enacted would favor the British Empire since everyone knew who their boss was.

This situation actually benefited Arthur, who, as an irreplaceable Governor of New Zealand, held vast powers in the country, with no individual or power in New Zealand able to resist his authority.

Perhaps Military Commander Piers could have been considered an exception, but he was acutely aware of his abilities and had yet to engage in any conflict with Arthur.

Under the premise that every New Zealand government official was intelligent, no one obstructed Arthur’s merger of the Advisory Council and the House of Commons, which essentially allowed Arthur to infiltrate the Lower House with a substantial number of loyal followers.

As New Zealand’s reconstruction work stabilized, its political situation grew increasingly turbulent.

On December 17, a member of the Alliance Party delivered a speech in his hometown that shook the entire nation. He extolled Arthur’s greatness and advocated that New Zealand should join Australia, just like it had sixty years ago.

The member unveiled detailed development records of various Australian states from the time before Australia’s independence up to the latest summary of the third quarter of the current year. Amidst the data was a reality— Australia’s six states all underwent high-level, rapid development, and they had advanced far beyond New Zealand.

Of course, what the New Zealanders paid attention to was another reality confirmed by this data.

Australia achieved parallel development in its six states, and even in the smallest populated state of Tasmania, people’s living standards had improved significantly.

While Tasmania had the smallest population, its rapid and effective economic growth was evident.

After building hospitals, schools, nursing homes, orphanages, and highways, life in Tasmania and people’s incomes experienced explosive growth, with the current per capita annual income reaching fifteen pounds, exceeding that of New Zealand.

Not to mention the Australian mainland’s other states due to their rich mineral resources, the development of the five states on the Australian continent has been swift. The state with the lowest per capita income, South Australia, has already exceeded fourteen pounds.

This income level has made the people of New Zealand envious. From the time New Zealand separated from Australia, the highest per capita income was only sixteen pounds, and it has been gradually decreasing with the downturn in the New Zealand economy.

Especially after this typhoon, the impact on New Zealand’s economy would be severe, and its per capita income would face a cliff-like decline.

According to bold predictions by some New Zealand newspapers, per capita annual income at the end of 1903 in New Zealand would fall to eleven pounds.

Things didn’t seem to be getting better. The most significant impact would certainly be felt in 1904, with estimates for the per capita annual income of New Zealanders in 1904 not expected to exceed eleven pounds; maintaining it at ten pounds would already be a relatively good result.