Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/616

* NEW ZEALAND. 524 NEXT FRIEND. the British Government, and in 1S53 a con- stitutional act was proniulffated for the colony, the first representative assembly being opened in 1S5.5. From 1860 to 18GU there were formi- dable native uprisings, and spasmodic outbreaks did not cease imtil about 1870. Since that date the relations with the native population have been almost uniformly peaceful, and the Maoris have made rai>id strides in civilization, attaining even a share in the government. In 1870 an act was passed establisliing the Xew Zealand Uni- versity. About this time, too. occurs the first beginnings of the policy of State participation in economic adairs, with the commencement of rail- way construction under public supervision in 1871, and the establishment of a Public Trust Office in 1872. An educational act providing for the free and compulsory instruction of all chil- dren was passed in lS7t>. In 187(1 a measure was enacted hniking toward the establishment of man- hooil sutirage, although the one-man one-vote principle was not in complete operation until 181I0. In September, 1803, the franchise was ex- tended to women. The movement toward State socialism came prominently to the front in 1890, in which year the labor element exercised an important influence on the elections to the General Assembly, Since that year the progress in that direction has been rapid. Numerois labor laws have been passed, looking toward the amelioration of the condition of the working classes, while land legislation has been carried on with a view of bringing the soil into the possession of small owners. Thus, in accord- ance with an act of 1892, large areas of Govern- ment land have been leased in perpetuity to small tenants, the right of purchase being denied. In the same year the Government was authorized to acquire land for the purpose of settlement, and in 1894 this power of the Government was made compulsory. In the same year an act was passed autliorizing Government loans to farmers on mortgage; in 189.5 a Family Homes Protection Act prohibited homesteads from being mort- gaged or sold for debt. As early as 1891 the property tax had been repealed, and a graduated tax on incomes and unimproved land values substituted, the income tax not being levied on in- comes derived from land. Labor legislation cul- minated in the Industrial Conciliation and Ar- bitration Act of August 31. 18!)4, by which disputes between employers and employees were subjected to the decision of State tribunals. In 1898 an Old .ge Pensions Bill was passeil. In 1900 a form of workingmen's accident in-^urance was adopted. New Zealand rendered loyal sup- port to the British Empire in the South African War, its moimted contingents constituting a very useful part of the British forces, Bim.lor.RAlMlY, Bramall. Tlir Mhirriil Rr- smirrr.i itf rir 7.Kihitu1 (London. 1888) : Hook- er. Hdiulhook tn the Flora of .Vrie Zrahind (ib., 1867) ; GrifTin, rtr Zrahnul. Ihr Commrrcr and Rciniircrs (Wellin.iton, 1884) : (Jrey. Pobinrsian Miilholopu (ib.. 1883) ; Bradshaw. cw Zrahmd ofTriDiiii (ib„ 1888) : Biiller, Itirds of yew Zen- land (ib.'. 1888) ; Green. The Hifih Mp.i of yew Zentniid (ih., 1883): Payton. h'oiiiid and About AVir Zealand (ib.. ISSS)"; llarp.-r. I'ioneer Work in the Alps of yew Zealand ( ib., 1896) : Gisborne, The Colonii of .Yeic Zealand (ib.. 1891) ; Wilson, In the Land of Tui (London, 1894) ; Sievers, 4ms- tralicH und Oxeanien (Leipzig, 1895) ; Lenden- feld, yctisccland (Berlin, n. d. ) ; Australasia, in "British Empire Series"' I London. 1900); Schanz, "Neuseeland," in Australicn and die Siidsce ( Ber- lin, 1901); Loughman, Scic Zealand: .Vo/cs on Its Geography, ,statistics, etc. (Wellington, 1901); Reeves, .Yen- Zealand (London. 1808); id., >State Kxperiments in Australia and Xew Zealand (ib., 1902) ; Irvine and Alpers. I'rofiresx of yew Zealand in the Centurii ( ib., 1902) ; .Vcio Zealand Official Year-Hook (Wellington, annual- ly) ; Chalmers, History of Currenri/ in the liritish Colonies (London, 1893) ; Sherrin, Early History of yew Zealand (Auckland, 1800) : Rusden. His- tory of yeie Zealand (ilell)ourne, 1S9G) ; Ilocken, Contributions to the Early History of yew Zru- land (London, 1898) ; The Literature h'clating t,, yen- Zealand : A Hihliofrraphy ( Wellington, 1889 i, NEW ZEALAND FLAX, See Flax, New Zkai.am). NEW ZEALAND SITBREGION. lii llie Sclater-Wallace system ul zoiigeograiiliy, a sub- region of the Australian Province, including New Zealand and all the surrounding islamls south of New Caledonia. Its faunal characterisiics are delineated in the article New Zeala.nu. para- graph Fauna. Other views have been held in regard to the faunal relations of this isolated archipelago. Huxley made it a primary subdi- vision of his hemispherical region 'Notoga'a* (q.v. ). Recent zoologists have l)een inclined to consider its features so distinct as to elevate it to primary rank and make it a full 'region,' co- ordinate with the Australian and other 'prov- inces.' Sec DisTiiiiuTiON OK Animals. NEXT FRIEND. An adult person, other than a giianlian ad litem, who represents in an action another person who, by reason of infancy or other disability, is not legally competent to maintain the suit in his own belialf. The prac- tice of permitting an incompetent person to sue by his next friend originated in England, where it was first authorized by the 'Statute of West- minster' passed in the reign of Edward I. Pre- vious to that time an action in favor of an in- fant or other incompetent person could only be conducted by his regularly appointed guardian. T)ie Norman-French term prorhein ami. of which 'next friend' is the English eipiivalent. was em- ployed in the above statute, and continues in use in many jurisdictions to-day. There is very little diirerence between the functions of a guar- dian ad litem and a person who sues as next friend, except that the latter usually represents a plaintitT, and in some jurisdictions the former is only appointed to represent a defendant. A next friend is not a party to an action, but acts solely in a representative and advisory ca- pacity, it fidlows. therefore, that most of the rules governing parties, as that the admissions of a party bind him, etc.. do not apply to a next friend. He is, however, subject to such rules as relate to the conduct of the case. . next friend is considered as an officer of the court where he is appointed to protect the interests of an incompetent defendant. In some States where an infant is otherwise represented by a guardian, he may sue by a next friend to compel an accounting by the guardian where there is reason to believe that the latter is guilty of a breach of trust. In a few jurisdictions married women and persons of unsound mind may sue bv a next friend. Usually, however, lunatics and