Chapter 109: Winning the Hearts of the People
The New Zealand colonial government had prepared a grand welcoming ceremony for Arthur. Once again, it was held at the port, but this time, the crowd was entirely made up of New Zealanders.
Though called New Zealanders, most of them were actually of British descent, just like the Australians. After living in New Zealand for decades or even centuries, they had simply come to view this land as their home.
Because of that, they were not resistant to a ruler like Arthur—someone from the British royal family who shared their language and skin color.
And with Arthur arriving alongside the Relief Committee, their welcome became all the more enthusiastic.
There, Arthur also met with General Pierce Anthony, the commander of the New Zealand garrison, as well as the New Zealand officials who had previously attended Australia's National Day celebrations.
Seeing Arthur again, the New Zealand officials were quite warm and respectful, each stepping forward to greet and salute him.
After their greetings, Arthur formally met with General Pierce.
As one of the British Empire's colonial garrison commanders, General Pierce had an impressive resume—graduating from a prestigious British military academy and serving in the homeland army, the Guard, and colonial forces for over a decade before finally being appointed commander of the New Zealand garrison.
Though he commanded only 3,000 troops in New Zealand, it was almost certain that upon returning to Britain, he would be promoted to a division-level position or higher.
Arthur held a favorable view of General Pierce—after all, it was his 3,000-man garrison that had maintained such excellent public order in New Zealand.
"Your Grace, Duke of Australia, Governor of New Zealand—welcome to New Zealand!" General Pierce stepped forward with a warm smile and respectfully greeted Arthur.
Despite commanding military power in the colony, General Pierce understood the gap between his position and Arthur's.
If, in the past, the New Zealand garrison could still hold some balance against the colonial government, that was no longer possible with Arthur's arrival. The New Zealand colonial government was no longer something his 3,000 troops could counterbalance.
If he dared to disobey orders in any way, Arthur could easily render his position as commander meaningless through administrative reform.
It should be noted that the New Zealand garrison was composed mostly of New Zealanders. While there were a few British officers, Arthur himself was also of royal British blood.
If Arthur gained the trust and support of the New Zealand people, it would be questionable whether those 3,000 troops would even obey General Pierce anymore.
After meeting all the officials, Arthur did not immediately proceed to the government building of the New Zealand colonial administration. Instead, he remained at the port, had his guards clear a space, and began delivering a public speech on the spot.
Since he had made up his mind to claim New Zealand, winning the hearts and trust of the New Zealand people was the first and most essential step.
For someone with a prominent noble title and legitimate regional authority, winning public support was actually quite simple.
Imagine this—a ruler of noble status making promises and speeches to the people would surely carry more trust than the words of politicians.
After all, monarchies were still mainstream during this era. Monarchs and rulers valued their reputation greatly and were unlikely to go back on their word in public.
A monarch's reputation and prestige determined the royal family's credibility. If the public ceased to believe in and trust the royal family, the monarchy itself could lose its ruling status.
Europe's liberal revolutions were a terrifying precedent—even France, a major power, had undergone several upheavals, changing from a monarchy to a republic.
Compared to politicians who made grand promises during elections and then did nothing once in office, most monarchs at least understood the importance of caring for their subjects.
"People of New Zealand, I am Connaught Arthur, Duke of Australia and Governor of New Zealand. It is an honor to temporarily serve as your ruler and oversee this prosperous land for the next twenty years. In my eyes, New Zealanders and Australians are the same—we are a new people, descended from European immigrants. We share the same origin and the same goal," Arthur began, addressing the crowd.
"Both Australia and New Zealand are lands of Oceania. Whether Australian or New Zealander, at our core we share a common purpose—to protect this great land and lead it toward prosperity."
"Now, Australia has completed its first step. We have raised the average income of all Australians, constructed industrial zones, and are planning a massive railway network across the continent. At this critical juncture, I believe it is time to bring this wave of development to New Zealand, so that it may rise and flourish alongside Australia," Arthur said with a smile.
"Your Grace! Your Grace! Will you also build industrial zones and railways in New Zealand? Will you raise the average income of New Zealanders as well?" the crowd called out eagerly.
They had once been part of Australia. New Zealand had once developed on similar terms with Australia.
As colonies of the British Empire, both Australians and New Zealanders had relatively low incomes.
But since Arthur's coronation as Duke of Australia, the country had changed dramatically.
Industrial zones, ports, railways, roads, hospitals, schools, universities, retirement homes, orphanages—one building after another had sprung up, significantly improving Australians' quality of life and infrastructure. These developments left a deep impression on New Zealanders.
In just over two years, Australia had transformed. Why? Because it now had a monarch.
From a colony, it had become an independent principality, and its tax burden had been substantially reduced.
Compared to their increasingly prosperous Australian counterparts, New Zealanders were far worse off.
As a colony, New Zealand's government had to send large sums of revenue to the British Empire each year—money that had largely been extracted from the people of New Zealand.
Watching their Australian "siblings" grow stronger and wealthier while they remained burdened by heavy taxes and without national independence, many New Zealanders were brought to tears by envy.
"Raising the incomes of all New Zealanders is a certainty. As your Governor, I cannot stand by while so many New Zealanders remain trapped in poverty. At the very least, I must ensure that no one in New Zealand fears going hungry," Arthur said firmly, nodding.
"But as for building industrial zones and railways, those matters must be discussed with all colonial officials. And New Zealand likely doesn't have enough capital to construct these facilities. However, if the colonial government agrees to development in New Zealand, I, as Duke of Australia and Governor of New Zealand, am willing to provide sufficient development funding in the form of loans," Arthur added, smiling as he looked at the eagerly awaiting New Zealanders.
(End of Chapter)
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