MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD. Circulation, 3,200 Copies Daily. SAURDAY , MAY 26, 1906. RACE PURITY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8198, 26 May 1906, Page 4

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD. Circulation, 3,200 Copies Daily. SAURDAY , MAY 26, 1906. RACE PURITY.

Tr will he remembered that some months ago Mr fSeddon, inn speech at Palruerston North, dealt with the quest ion of raeV purity. He said Jt was his desire thai New Zealand should remain Sirm and true on this question ; that there was a cloud on the horizon to which, he wished to draw attention, and that we should sink all party differences and show a bold front in the protection of our race. No one doubled for a moment that Mr Seddon was referring to the admission of Asiatics into this colony, but in the absence of any explanation for his speech it was felt by many that he was somewhat premature as to probable danger in uie direction indicated by him. But it now transpires that there was good cause for the warning uttered by the Premier. From the publication of certain despatches submitted to the recent Premiers Conference and lately madepublic.it seems thai the Balfour Government instructed Australian Governments to reserve h-r the King's assent all bills subjecting to disabilities, or excluding from privi- | leges, natives of Asia. The Premier of ' New South \Y ales raised no objection to j the proposal, but Mr Seddon cabled a i protest to Mr Carruthers, declaring that the whole thing was unnecessary, as the King had powers of disallowance, and he had reason to believe that if the self-governing colonies objected, the despatch would be withdrawn. Be added.; —" You will, I hope, agree with me there is one thing above all others we should jealously guard—namely, anything infringing our action respecting the preservation of racial purity and the lauding of undesirable immigrants. We are protesting, and hope you will take action m a similar direction." The fact that, the papers were marked * a confidential " prevented Mr Seddon from speaking in the manner lie, no doubt, desired to do, but he wsis not debarred from uttering a warning, the import and deep significance of which was alone known to him. The Premier has on more than one ooea. sum of late dealt with the question of race purity, and the importance of his statements is now emphasised by the publication of the extraordinary proposal of the Balfour Government, Every patriot imbued with a strong'

d««« to conserve the interests of Im racc sad country will not# with satis* faction that Mr PeaJcin, I'rcmier of the t'mmnnnwealth, is in accord with the ooinion* of Mr beddon, and the action of these statesmen is in striking contrast to the pusillanimous anil shortsighted policy of Mr Carruther*. The influx of Asiatics into Mii* country I* ® matter which.'demand* tlus *eriouH at tent ion of our legislators, ond it h too grnve a question to be trifled with, if the price of the Anglo Japanese alliance is to. be the orer-niimtng • of. these, colome* by .hordes of-■ .Eastern .people, and granting them all the facilities they dffiijre ti* settlers;.'then' th.©"''-iioot»*r that treaty it renounced the* .better it will be for the British raeif m this part of tlitr Empire. Once admitted on the terms A*:«ties are seeking, race purity in these eoloniei. can be counted a thing of the past. But Ihe policy which should be adopted in so clear that patriotic* Britisher* should be prepared to Kink party differi'tice* and stand shoulder to shoulder in the maintenanct' of tho>e rights which form pari of their inheritance.