The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1926. AN ITALIAN INVASION.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1926. AN ITALIAN INVASION.

Italy’s popu l:it ion is increasing at the rate of oOO.tX'O souls a- year. In the past she lias readily found outlets for the excess. The United States absorbed from 300,(100 to -JOO.OOO annually. This was one reason why Italy did not colonise. The territories that she possesses overseas mere chosen chiefly on account of their strategic value. Now all is changed. America wftl take only -10.000 a year. The rest have had to go elsewhere. Hundreds of thousands have crossed into France, where there lias been abundant work for them at rebuilding the derusted aneas. Of the remainder, a proportion has migrated to South America, and a comparative handful has come to Australia. The residuum left behind in Italy is being added to each year, and the dilfieultie.s in the way of their disposal becomes more and moii? formidable. Writing in the “Nineteenth Century'’ for December, Dr Heckles Wilson takes up the problem at this point. Importance, he says, is being shown, and the issue has become a live one both on the platform and in the Press. Eyes are turned in all directions. One writer in the Fascist organ declares: --- “The existing map of the 'Mediterranean must be altered. And this change can he brought about only by an act of force.” He is thinking of Anatolia certainly, and of North-West Africa possibly. The interested Power" in those particular instances would he Turkey. Greece, France, and ultimately Great Britain. Looking further afield, the •Caineroons are mentioned as a likely haven for Italy’s surplus workers. T]*?re Japan, which hold* tlic* mandate, is chiefly concerncd. Wliat was formerly German Eolith-\\ est Africa is coveted as a source of raw materials which Italy badly needs, and in this case the Ftiion of South Africa becomes involved. But there are other parts of the British Empire which are receiving attention, and, to judge by the length of the newspaper extracts supplied in the article, they are attracting more notice than any other country. Describing Canada as a “vast country with an existing, population of only a fifth of that of Italy,” tlvj “Progrcsso Italia” asks:—“Why should they seek to eloso the harrier to our industrious and sober people? A hat lights does this small population possess to half a continent which would survive an appeal to the conscience of the world? M hat are they doing with Nova Scotia, so rich in coal and grazing lands, but .so poor in workers that after a century and a half it has only the population id' the Italian city of Turin ? This is pointed critcism indeed. But what will he thought- of Dr Barzini, a well-known publicist, who, after ranging over the world in quest of likely resting places, lias this to say of Australia: “Why should n country like Australia, which is manifestly unequal to the task of developing its vast vacant spaces, bar out the immigrants of a European country, who possess strong arms, resolute wills and intelligence? What gave them this right? Not Great Britain. Have they the power in themselves to enforce it ? Ts there any justice in such exclusion ? Think of what a million industrious Italians would have made of the vast-, fertile, but empty spares of Queensland, five times the size of Italy, and yet which in the course of a "‘hole century tlio British immigrants

have only scratched. . The only reason Australians can urge for their dog-in-tlio-manger policy is the geographical unity of their country. Australia is an island. If there had been four islands instead of one! The argument is childish. And. in any case, what of Papua and New Guinea? Why have not we been granted tl«? mandate for those islands?” Italy, as the writer of the article in “Nineteenth Century” points out, could find room for many millions more if she made better use of her agricultural lands. Hut that would only case the problem. Mo reover. the urgency of finding raw materials for the industries which arc .springing up would remain. It is well that Australia should know of Italy’s plight. Time could lie .spent profitably in thinking about it ns it affects Australia.