AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12960, 13 November 1907, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION.

ENGLISH TRESS COIIXENT. United Press Elsctrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 11. The "Pall Mall Gazette" says:—"Wβ ere glad that Mr Deakin is alire to the need for encouraging the development of Australia's latent resources. The Commonwealth mu*t show a readiness equalling that of Canada to assist immigrants. If she fails, tnere will come 4 time when the doors will be forced, probably by a race leas welcome than ours." Following upon the news of a thousand eingle women going out in one shipment to Canada, ac domestic servants comes tho ennual estimate of emigration from Great Britain (saye the London correspondent of the "Sydney Morning Herald.") The report just issued showt. tho exodus to have totality! 194,000 last year, the largest number for twenty years. Canada rooeived 91,263. the United States 85,941. nnd but 1>920 went to Australia and New Zealand. Commenting on tho proportionate attractiveness tho several' countries, the "Daily News' •has roused itself to a white heat of anger against Australia, and makes a feiocioue attack upon us unhappy Australians. Australia, according to this typical example of English popular journalism, "has grown effete without ever having had a prime. , ' That is hot {badi as a beginning, but it is as nothing to what follows. Thus: "Australia makes uo appeal to the imagination. It hoe ceased to increase and multiply itself, and it wants no increase from the external world. lie attitude is cold and exclusive, and ita population is only a thin fringe of a vast continent." Australians, further, "have grown too suddenly comfortable, immersed too much in material satisfaction, wholly indifferent to that richer life which is tho basic note of great and enduring States. It has produced no voice, no literature, no art. It is a dumb and uninspired people." That at least has the refreshing mer»t of vigour, whatever it mny lack in tho way of accuracy. Nor is it possible to entirely withhold admiration of the imaginativeness displayed in the argument from tho particular to the general, by which so appalling a picture is ingeniously evolved from a simple table of emigration statistics. The final summing up was scarcely needed: "Australia is a. country without a 'past; at present it seerne to be also a country without a future." From our critic's point of view the contingency last suggested would appear to be the most satisfactory solution for all concerned! Australians in London, official and otherwise, are protesting 'vigorously in reply, but—oui bonoH As far as adequate knowledge of Australia is concerned , , this is a people that walks in darkness.