INNISFAIL INCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 11, 14 January 1929, Page 9

INNISFAIL INCIDENT.

REMOVAL OF COAT-OF-AftMS.

ITALIANS HOT UNANIMOUS. RIVAL NEWSPAPERS' OPINIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 10. The aftermath of the incident at Innisfail, Queensland, when the Italian coat-of-arms over the Vice-Consular office was removed during Christmas festivities, is still creating a deal of interest in Australia. Rival Italian newspapers have devoted most of their space to discussion of the episode.

A sequel to the affair, which almost precipitated an international crisis in consular circle?, came at Innisfail Court last Friday, when the two youths who were responsible tor the removal of the sign were fined 10/ each.

Commenting on the episode, one of the Italian newspaper? in Sydney, the "Corriere Degli Italiani in Australia," states: "'The outrageous act reveals itself in all its significant gravity, and has deeply wounded the national feeling of the entire Italian community. In the Innisfail district it has created a grave state of ferment. It is incumbent upon those concerned to take immediate action -o thai the responsibility may be allocated ami the responsible persons may he identified and adequately punished. We wish t< , state that he who committed the outrage, whoever he is. had the r-ure knowledge that his act wa< not against a j«ers_un. but -was a manifest insult to the Italian nation. We are. however, surprised that in sane Australian newspaper- it is attempted to treat the matter as a practical joke occasioned by the Chnstmajollity."

An Opposite View. The "Italo-Auetralian." another weekly ItJlian newspaper published in Sydney Italian ne y r incident as trivial. bu iS?dsSti con - illar amhori " ties for attaching ?o much importance to it. "Let us say at once." states the "Italo4ustralian."' %i that it is a r-ouree of great regret to us that so much should have been made of an incident the reporting of which in the terms in which it was reported could do nothing else than disurb the happy relationships between the Italians resident in. Australia and. the Australian people." "

"It is almost needless for us to say that had the incident any true international significance, we should have been the first to show resentment of an action that could reasonably be oftnstrued as an insult to the Italian flag, and incidentally to a people who are striving to maintain friendly relations with the Australian people. In face of the facts as reported in responsible newspapers, -we are confident that the perpetrators of the 'outrage , on the Italian consular agency in Innisfail were absolutely innocent of any wish to do an injury or to hurt the feelings of Italians, and in their stupid prank they did not realise the significance that might be placed on their action. "Wβ cannot say how deeply we deplore that Italian consular authorities in 'doing everything that it was their duty to do' should have seen fit to take any action that mipht endanger the good relationships between the Australian and the Italian resident in Australia. We believe that the matter could have been dealt with in an unobtrusive I>ut nevertheless effective manner by simply reporting it to the Focal police and in=i~tin£ that there should be no recurrence of such S regrettalile incident." .

"Consuls Come and Consuls Go." Tn conclusion, the article in the "Italo-AiMialian" >rates: "After all, con-uls crtine and consul? g< l . but Italian- who have made their homes in Australia have to stay and face the niu-ii- Naturally enough their object

i- to live in the rjo-est and most friendly relation-hip wiih the Australian people. Anything that will injpair their happy association with the people of tLi-= country they hk-t deeply resent, and they object nl-u to being left behind to face the results of the errors of indirnierit of itinerant officialdom." There wa< a ]nrnp gathering at the Jnnisfail < curt on the day that the two youths were before the court on the charge of removing unlawfully the sign mm the Italian Consulate. In fining the youths, the magistrate eaid that he did not take a serious view of the incident <-Xo doubt," he said, "the youths have suffered a good deal of worry and suspense as the result of the wtn ir ' '"A,! think ,, that * nominal fine will meet the case."

. A large force of police was present attempt at public meetings o f indie'withV- f ?I Otter «*««■ concerted with the incident were squashed firmlv