CONAN DOYLE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 59, 3 December 1920, Page 7

CONAN DOYLE

IMPRESSIONS OF AUSTRALIA

MORE POPULATION VITALLY

NECESSARY

By Telegriph-l'resi ABjoofation--Oo j>yrJ*ht

(Rec. December 2, 8.20 p.m.)

I Sydney, December 2. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a passengor by the Manuka, which sailed, for Wellington this afternoon. Ho stated, in the course of an interview, that ho would make a lightning tour of the Dominion, covering T»th islands in fifteen days, and delivering eight lectures. Ho is now engaged io writing a book on his travels in Australia.

Dealing with his impressions of Australia, Sir Arthur said that suppose ing it were possiblo that Anything should occur to wenkon the power of Britain, or supposing, for example, that a Labour Government were to take a low view of Imperial responsibility in England, which was quite possiblo, and not throw tho whole weight of the Empire into a purely Australian quarrel, the situation in Australia, with, its enormous unpeopled territories, would be desperately dangerous among the teeming swarms of. the Paoinc. Ho urged the absolutely vital necessity of securing more population, even though it might lower the value of labour or have other temporary effects, and considered that the construction of a great strategic railway across the northern coast of Australia would be, perhaps, a better investment than an investment in. warships. . , Sir Arthur stated that he was surprised at the strength of tho spiritualistic- movement in Sydney, where he was informed there- were ten thousand adherents, »and prodicted great growth of the movement.— Pre* Assn.