THE PEOPLING OF TROPICAL AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 13, 9 February 1909, Page 2

THE PEOPLING OF TROPICAL AUSTRALIA.

A Loudon journal, evidently moved to speculative comment by Lord Northcote's recent speech about the necessity of peopling the Commonwealth, makes two suggestions for the lienelit; of Australia. One is thai Chinese might be admitted within districts ill the tropical territory; the o.thcr is that tbe Iniperi.il Ooverninent miglit order an enquiry iulo

the rc-itlt of experiments in connection witb "native races in British colonies and dependencies. The Sydney Telegraph days that neither suggestion is or the least value to Australia. Australians are not concerned in the result of experiments made in other provinces of the Empire. They have their own experience, and kiiiow their own mind. They have pronounced for a White Australia —1101 because thev are against color as color, not because their attitude to the Asiatic races is one of insulting contempt, but because Austra-

lians cannot shut their eyes to the fact that behind the color there is a profoundly dill'erenit conception of life, and because there are hundreds of millions' of Asiatics, gcogranhical neighbors of Australia, and the alternative to a White Australia is that Australia will become an extension of Asia. The Teleurapli goes on to say: There may be British colonics or dependencies to which Asiatic races could be admitted

without creating the dangers that are dreaded here. What they do or don t do is not our all'air. But our affair is of vital importance. We dare not trifle with it. As to letting Chinese come into some of our northern districts, it is evidently the suggestion ol a writer who has an imperfect knowledge of our circumstances. Australia could not with inipunitv discriminate between Chinese and other Asiatics. All in or all out. Kor could Australia liope to maintain auv limit to tbe numbers of Asiatics : allowed to enter. The immigration ' would Ik> a stream with an irreststibb

momentum, llio momentum of pressing millions, behind it. iiow could enlaigc* meut of tbe stream be prevented? And how could the Asiatics be conlined wtih , the specified districts in the north/ They would resent the confinement. They would make for the; south, and jiothiu" we could do would stop them. But wheu all this is said the problem of peopling tropical Australia remains. How is it to be doue? We cry aloud our fixed resolution to maintain a White Australia, and take care not to settle in the north ourselves. Nothing lias been done to fill the north with white folk. And there is no everlasting justication for an- empty north.