THE AUSTRIAN INFLUX.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 14, 18 January 1899, Page 2

THE AUSTRIAN INFLUX.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lt is interesting in the light of E present day politics, to read the report of Saturday's open air meeting antago- :^ nistic to the Austrian influx. There ■ is scarcely a day that does not bring ! us information r e the necessity for an 'open door' policy in the East. Men-V of-war are stationed in Chineses waters as a protest against Russian selfishness, and no means are spared on the part- of Britain, France and Germany to secure an 'open.door' for the produce of their countless factories. : ■■Vfffif.

What the Englishman most resenft m the Transvaal is the 'closed door' policy of the Dutch. He, the. outlaider, has called in British arms to assist him m monopolising' the privileges of the Eepublic; yet the patient Eorr tolerates him and has passed no Act of Parliament to put a cash limit upon the stranger. ~^l What the working man most zealously advocates is evidently the polil of' New Zealand for the New Zealander, or at anyrate for the British-borri: subject; but is he quite convince-! that h 6 can afford such cut-thro;f tactics? Does h e not rather pin- ; , himself m the position of the 'degra<~ ed Chinaman, who for centuries }r - kept China for the Chinese, until t' present day condition of the coynfi and-the people cries loudly agair ■' the isolating selfishness, which H made of the nation a bye-word and • kiughing stock. Who can tell what Clnna, with her natural resources anrl her teeming population, would have been to-day if it had not been for that wall which they built awnittd - their country to prohibit the influx of strangers.

The real wealth of a community* lies in the intelligence of its members. There is no need to limit this intelli- i jrence to one family. As the differpnt colours of the rainbow produce the harmony which has become an emblem of peace, so i e t th e mental powers of the Englishman, the Aiiejtnari, the Frenchman, combine until' hinited they produce a force that nothimr can resist, -Reserve for the. tvno-hshman only the privileges of your community and you debar that community of ihe best means to de-' velop its natural wealth. The tendency of the individual will always be to sacrifice the commnnitv to himself, wherens the highest ola.ira of a community demands that the inf^vidnal should sacrifice himself for the common weal of all.—T am, etc.. ;

A BRITISH SUBJECT.