SECRET SERVICE .

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 441, 25 February 1909, Page 5

SECRET SERVICE .

ASIATICS IN AUSTRAUA, A COVERNMENT AGENT'S STATEMENT* EMPHATICALLY DENIED. viii TELEamru—roEss association—cobtrmht.) Sydney, February 24. . ■ Mr. Levien, Victorian Agent.in..the East, states that he made inquiries on. behalf of, the Federal, authorities into 'the bona, fides, of a certain Japanese firm .doing business in : Sydney, and that his investigations; 'have 1 ' proved, that the businessJis a- bhnd^-.t»,ing' : kept going by Japanese Government money, to cover /tlie\ operations- of :Hhe partners,' who are-engaged by tho. Japanese Govern--went, secret' service,' underconsular super-, vision. Tho Japanese Consul ridicules the 1 ' story, and emphatically denies its truth. (Rec. Fobruary 24, 9.80 p.mi-) ->" i Sydney, February 2-f. •' . Chinese , merchants characterise Mr. Lovien's .statements as ■ "wild"- and ; "moonshine. -They , point -.out. that -' if coolies , were permitted to come 'into. Australia indiscriminately it. would simply .mean taxing heavily ; those already, here. The; new-comers would. not bo able, to obtain work, and the merchants would have to keep them or subscribe money to send them back to China.. The merchants 'state ..that ' they, are prepared, ifMr.. Levien. can provo .;that ; .organisations for smuggling Chinese into Australia exist, to render, every assistance to the Government in suppressing them. V :