COLONIAL IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION ACTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8117, 23 May 1906, Page 3

COLONIAL IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION ACTS.

pgOPO D CURTAILMENT OE i • POWER. P ■ - r colonies protest their RIGHTS.

Melbourne, May 22. fho publication of a piper in connection with the Premiers' Conference ,-at Sydney, which shows that there was mpWposal by the B tlfonr Government as to instructing the Australian Governments to reserve all Bills subjecting to disabilities or excluding from priv'. leges natives of Asia, for the King's assent, eame as a surprise to Mr Deahn (Federal Premier), who said it wafcmarked " confidential." Mr DeaIrinnas made a protest against any ooitulment of the rights of Australian Legislatures to pass such laws. ■ From the papers it is githered that Mr Deakin telegraphed to Mr Carrnthers (N.S.W. Premier), who replied that lie had no objection to the proposal of the Imperial Government-

Seddon, however, cabled to Mr ; Oarruthers in protest, declaring that the whole thing was unnecessary, as ihi King had the powers of disallowAnee, and he had reason to believe ' that if . the self-governing colonies objected to the despatch it would be withdrawn. He added: " You will, I hope, agree with me that there is one thing above all others we should jealously guard, namely, anything infringing our action respecting the preservation of racial purity and the landing of undesirable immigrants.

•Sfe are protesting, and- hope you will tike action, in a similar direction." Mr | geddon was also of opinion thai the most objectionable feature about the whole thing, was the making of the instructions " confidentially " by the Eight Hon. A. Lyttelton. The Preogeti' Conference discussed the subject and decided to send Mr lyttelton a Draft ;Bill for submission to the House cd Commons, setting out what class of Bills should be reserved for Imperial approval.

THE MATTER SATISFACTORILY SETTLED. Received 23, 1.8 a.m. Mbi-boobse, May 22. Mr Deakin states with reference to Mr Lyttelton's despatch regarding the question of vetoing the Asiatic Aliens Bill, that si ice the decision of the Premiers' Conference to suboait a Bill to the Commons, the-matter has been satisfactorily settled, but he refused to disclose how.