AUSTRALIANS FOR CHINA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 78, 21 August 1914, Page 6

AUSTRALIANS FOR CHINA.

DR/ MORRISON'S ADVICE. APPOINT A HIGH COMMISSIONER. (Sydney Sun Representative). London July 10. Unity in objective and action is required in China as well as in England —if we are to believe Dr. G. E. Morrison, political adviser to the President of the Chinese. Government. In England at this moment we are having an excellent demonstration of the lack of cohesion between the States. Mr Herbert Easton started a campaign for more emigrants, iffis scheme was attacked. Sir Newton Moore immediately rushed into type to gild the refined" gold of Western Australia. He was assailed. Sir John MeColl instantly entered the area to naint the lily in Tasmania. If the controversy lasts a fortnight longer every agent-general will presumably have boosted his qwn state to the general detriment of Australia as a whole. Dr. Morrison maintains that much th" same thing is happening in China at th-j present, time. -"There ought," he says. "to be an accredited representative (if all Australia, who would have a proper | position in association with the British 1 Legation there, a proper official position." In the Flowery Land there are immense opportunities for Australian products, according to Chinese Morrison. A colleague who interviewed him yesterday has generously supplied me with the following excerpts from their conversation:— "Let it be understood that I am passing no reflections upon the gentlemen who have acted as State Commissioners." said Dr. Morrison. "They have done their best, but .not under such conditions of advantage as I have in mind in talking of u High Commissioner for Australia." "You think that such an official would be acceptable to the Chinese authprities?" he was asked. "Yes, because be -would be competent and authorised to explain features of Australian policy of concern to China, and to remove misunderstandings arising from the restriction of immigration or from other causes; and he could give information from time to time such ns would encourage a good class of Chinese student to visit Australia, to the ultimate advantage of Australian trade and commerce. I think it would be of great value to have a proper representative of the Commonwealth in :Pekin to answer questions and to explain as the case might require, the attitude of the Government—a man, in short, who would foe compet"from the Australian point of view. At present information required has to he got by the cumbersome method of applying to the British Legation, which has to turn to London, while London, on its part, has, through the Colonial office, to obtain the information from Australia. Surely some more direct dealing would be of obvious advantage." "What is the feeling towards Australia?" "Well, there is no acute question just now, but at any' time there niav be." "May the Australians judge the Chinese generally by those already settled in the Commonwealth?'' '•_Yo, they may not. There are. of course, many admirable Chinese in Australia —men of good class —but the great majority of them arc from the coolie class of Kwangtung province. This chv.s cannot in any way be. regarded as representative of the 'Chinese people, as they are at present. I doubt whether there arc a dozen northern Chinese in the whole of Australia. The emigration to Australia has been confined to the coolie class, who have gone from the thickly-populated districts of Cantoii and Macao."

"And let me say heir that the Chinese (iovernment realise quite as much as do thi! people of Australia, that the intermingling of the races by marriage is wholly undesirable. I repeat that there is no acute question between the two countries. The question which has arisen in Canada will probably be settled by some agreement, such -as that in force between Canada and Japan, under which only a restricted number of authorisations are issued aiid only to a selected class of Japanese. While there is at present no acute question with regard to Australia, obviously it would be an advantage if there were a High Commissioner who would be in a jKisition to smooth away difficulties should any arise. "Great .Britain is represented by a very able Minister,' Sir John Jordan, who is naturally, both by inclination and duty, sympathetic to the Australian point of view; but 1 think it would be a great ossis'taiicc. to liini it Australia had in l'ekin a duly accredited High Commissioner, whiise main function, however, would not be diplomacy, but trade and commerce, -hid the development of direct trade between China and the Commonwealth." "You see great possibilities ill that direction-, Dr. Morrison?" "Yes; I see very great possibiliti's. And there is another point I should mention. It would be an advantage if more Australians entered the Consular service in China. An Australian, Mr 11. G. Fulford, of Melbourne, has risen to one of the highest posts in that servi-". but has now had to retire through illhealth. In the .Maritime Customs Service of China there aVc. no Australians that 1 know of—that is, in the service. The Inspector-General is ,:)]* Englishman and 'conducts the servic': with great impartiality, lie would always listen to a recommendation made by'an authorised person, as, for instance, as accredited High Commissioner. This service is a vcrv honorable one to enter and oilers an excellent career to a voting man of good character and education. 1 would stroiiL'l-.- recommend it to the attention of Australian fauiers who are looking out for careers for their sons.