THE COLOR QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 333, 21 June 1911, Page 5

THE COLOR QUESTION.

WITHIN THE EMPIRE. A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. DISCUSSED BY THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

By Cable—Press Asspciation—Copyright. Received 20, 0.35 p.m. Losdon, June 20.

At the Imperial Conference to-day Mr. L. Harcourt (Secretary for the Colonies) presiding, Sir Joseph Ward, Bart., moved in the direction of the Dominions being entrusted with full powers in respect to the employment of lascars and other aliens in ships trading between tlve Dominion and Britain and other countries.

Lord Crewe (Secretary for India) suggested the possibility of the Dominions acting within the restrictions imposed to make the admission of Indians easier and pleasanter than now. Thi9 would do much to improve the relations with India. Otherwise, we were far from being a united Empire. If the Dominions displayed a friendly spirit, the best public opinion in India would do its best to peacefully solve any difficulties arising.

Sir J. G. Ward, Bart., in moving the resolution, said that New Zealand entertained a loyal friendliness to India. The resolution was directed against the lowpriced colored raee competing with Brit-ish-manned ships in New Zealand waters. Lord Crewe had admitted tlie undeniable right of the Dominions in regard to citizenship, but if the present conditions continued there were two alternatives. New Zealand shipping must transfer its registrations to a place where they were not subject to the law, and employ lascars at low wages, or repeal the whole of the laws passed in the interests of white crews. Either proposition was unthinkable. Personally, he believed New Zealanders felt they ought to urge upon all the nations the policy of every color going back to its own zone.

Sir J. G. Findlay said the question was not at all racial, but economic. Sir W. Laurier supported the motion, declaring he was not anxious to impair the spirit of loyalty of native populations, so as to make it difficult for Britain to maintain good relations; but the fact remained: the moment Asiatic labor competed with white labor it disturbed existing conditions and seriously jeopardised the Empire. It was not a matter of color prejudice, but the Asiatics had a different civilisation and living standard.

Lord Crewe desired, before Sir Joseph Ward submitted the resolution, to refer the question to India and come to some conclusion. The Conference could not discuss any question more difficult or critical than the treatment of the native race within the Dominions. He had previously expressed the opinion that the differences between whites and natives seemed to threaten not only the well being but the actual existence of the Empire. In one sense the question was insoluble. The Government recognised the absolute impossibility of a free interchange between all the subjects of the Crown. Xobody disputed the Dominions' right whom to admit to citizenship. It was also recognised that it was easy for Britain to underrate the difficulties confronting the Dominions, because she was not troubled with a similar problem. The Dominions had two separate but closely interwoven objections, namely, the large influence of the native population, which might mean rivalry with cheap labor; and secondly the color bar. Indians, by pride of 'descent and personal qualities, claimed consideration, and submitted' that while the problem might not be solved by heroic legislation, relations might be materially improved by the cultivation of mutual understanding.. India always did its utmost to explain to Indians their position in the Dominions. They were entitled, on the other hand, to ask the Dominions to make known in their own areas the widespread feeling in India about the treatment of their people, a fact which those objecting to British in India did not seldom use to damage the Government. Received 20, 10.45 p.m.

Mr. Batchelor declared that the Australian view was similar to New Zealand's. There had been much agitation in the past through a misunderstanding of the Dominions' position. They were anxious to .remove the anomalous restrictions, but they must consider local necessities.

Mr. Pearce said all their shipping laws aimed at was to prevent foreigners having an advantage over their own shipping waters. Mr. Malan stated that the labor aspect troubled Canada, Australia and New Zealand, but self-preservation was not a labor question in South Africa, where the overwhelming African population made it impossible to allow the introduction of another colored race. The problem as far as the employment of Lnscars was concerned was chiefly the labor difficulty, but from the Indian standpoint the difficult was not diminished.

Sir Joseph Ward said the difficulty was lint racial hut economic The Indians had the undoubted right to deal with their own economic conditions, and they could not legitimately complain at New Zealand doing the same.

Lord Crewe, referring to the suggestions ns to colored people renminbi" in (heir own area, slated that, as Colonial Secretary, he had instructed the committee to ascertain the conditions for encouraging emigration of Indians to the Crown colonies. He hoped good results would accrue. That was a move in the suggested direction, but the probability of the different races being finally eonfined to their areas was a larger question.

Mr. Fisher regarded the motion as an admission that the. Dominions did not possess the fullest powers now. He disagreed with that view. The motion was adopted, the Australian representatives abstaining from voting , - - ' ;

Mr. Y[Au'V -loved That, as the Suez Canal dues constitute a liea-vv chnrjre. tending to retard trade within trie •Empire and other countries, the Conference invites the Home Government to continue their efforts to obtain a substantial reduction. The motion was carried.