WHITE RACE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1921, Page 1

WHITE RACE

IN TIIOPICAR^AUSTRAL.IA. SIR DAVID H ARDIE’S VIEWS,

'The retiring president of the Queensland.!) ranch of the Medical A.ss6. elation (Sir fiuvid Bardie, L.’L.JD) referring at' the 1 Annual 'meeting of' tlii? branch'a few day s'a go to the question of tlic settlement of the white race in tropical Australia, and to the resolutions of the Medical Congress on the subject, said he could not but applaud

tho'liopefuj spirit that Found expression in these resolutions!' 1 “Personally,” .lie added, “I am not so .sanguine 1 , 1 and would have been more guarded in the expression of that opinion, liii’t if an error lias been made' in that respect, it is an error in the right direction. Far better it is to be 'ombuecl with the spirit of faith and hope than with the feeling that our'efforts are doomed to fail. This sanguine attitude ha.s but -one drawback, ainf that is that if we are so cocksure of success the public is apt. to make light of obstacles that will certainly he encounter' ed, and so make the'’measure of success all the less secure. For while we as medical men realise the importance of the saving clause, the public may lose sight of it. They are under the impression that the congress has decided in favour of white colonisation, forgetful of the proviso that we insist upon for success. It is absolutely necessary for us to drive home into their minds the expressed opinion of congress that, unless certain 'conditions arc complied with, the settlement of a white race’in tropical Australia cannot fail to result in ultimate disaster. The public must be niade to realise that tlfere are obstacles abend in the occupation of tropical Australia. f>y the+white race, .and it seems to me the more we pay heed to these the more likely shall our experiment be crowned with success. Let us be hopeful ihv all means—the more so the better—so long as our hopefulness is tempered 'with forethought against those forces that will exist and obstruct

us by the way. Let us see what justification there is for the faith that is in us. At the congress meetings the question was discussed from the Historical, statistical, physiological, and economic points of view, and 1 shall briefly take up these points seriatim. TROPICAL HYGIENE. "Up to the present the’Anglo-Saxon race has not succeeded in permanently settling in the tropics. That, however, is not conclusive evidence against the success of such settlement in Queensland. In the first place, although a, large [tart of this State is within the tropics, only a comparatjvoly ismnll portion of that area—the coastal area—can be said tit have a tropical climate. On the highlands th -climate is ideally perfect all the year round, whjle the western plateaux, if hot in summer, are dry

and well suited for the maintenance of

a strong, virile race. The coastal climate is the only one in doubt. 'Flint embraces but a small arha,\andiis within easy reach of the highland ranges, were we wise enough to take advantage of their proximity during the .summer months. Personally, f look on these mountain resorts as >a most valuable, asset, in tlie'jpernianeiU occupation (if our coastal areas by the while race. This point received confirmation from Professor Osborne, when lie expressed doubt as to the suitability of northwestern Australia for white colonisation, because (amongst- other reasons) there is ‘no escape to high altitudes. In the second place, tropical hygiene, which is really our sheet anchor of hope for settlement in the tropics, is still in its infancy. It lias already done much in other tropical countries. It is capable of doing much more in the future, so much that we are justified in believing that what has been impossible in the past may he so no longer. In Queensland, hygiene has played but a small part in settlement —almost a negligible quantity. There is here a w ide field open for its application that should yield a rich reward, Again, tropical disease, as usually met with elsewhere, is, until the exception of hookworm disease, practically non-ex-istent or, at ahy rate, as Dr Breinl says, is ‘scarce and easily controlled.’ Altogether, it may safely he stated that the'’failure of the Anglo-Saxon race do occupy elsewhere a tropical area permanently in the (past is’ho proof that it will fail in Queensland, “The statistical aspect of the question was dealt with’ by Dr Cnmpston and Dr Breinl, who showed that the dealt rate and birth rate of tropical Queensland compared favourably with those of the southern States, and that according to the chief actuary of the Australian Mutual Provident Societyg proponents who like in other parts of Australia. This is highly’ satisfactory, but I qm sure that peither of these authorities would aclvqnce the claim that the health statieios ‘of the first of second generation of life in the tropics can possibly give nny indication as to what these may he in the tenth or one hundredth generation, or that, because they are favourable for the oreseht.

they will be equally favourable a diousan'd years hence or for all time lo come. If any such claim were made l>v any one, I can only say that I uould admire the claimant more for Ins auda-

city than his judgment, and if no inch claim be made statistics of the 1 ind arc worthless! “ft is well to know that for the present the birth and death rates are favourable. That is a point, worth emphasising, to cheer us on our way, hut they offe|r no justification Redrawing inferences that can have ro substantial significance for tho generations to come. . . One would like to know what the cumulative effect- of physiological changes, slight though they are for the present, may lie throujgli suiecesfelvo generations. That belongs to tbe future. LABOUR,' STANDPOINT. “So far as efficiency is concerned, we

have Dr Bread's authority that ‘the working efficiency during winter showed no difference from that during the suminer.’ On the other- hand Lie tells us that the shipping‘companies in Townsville estimate a decrease of 11 per cent, in elfioiency among wharf labourers during the hottest month of the j car Further evidence is required in this direction. What may bo the test of labour no one knows. We know that in the sugar* industry it has been 1 ;gh —so high that' 1 but for a protective tariff. the industry would have collapsed years ago. Protection may enable the industry to supply the Australian population, but is powerless to help ft to compete in the world’s markets. Should a similar protective'tariff or a s ibsidv be required to bolster up other industries, 1 are ’ bur southern friends ‘prepared to pay the fir ice ? if in the words of the resolution, the Australian nation wills the eild, it must also will the meaids. Looked at, therefore', from all points of view, while' 'the'‘outlook, is hopeful, there is uncertainty as to the ultimate result of our attempt to settle a white race permanently in tropicalQueensland. It is this uneetrtainiy that should make us guarded in giving expression to our opinion, and, with Professor Osborne, to declare honestly that we do not know. Nor, to my ii ed. can this be known during our Vfelinenor for many years thereafter. We, all agree that* the case against Tropical' Queensland has not been proved, flat verdict I thotrou’ghly endorse. Nor. may I add, has the case in favour been proved.’*