“Criminal” Origins Of U.S. And Australia

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28742, 13 November 1958, Page 17

“Criminal” Origins Of U.S. And Australia

(Rec. 9 p.m.) SEATTLE, November 12. Proceedings at the Colombo Plan conference have been enlivened by an exchange between British and Australian delegates on Australia’s early days as a convict settlement. It started when the Australian Ambassador (Mr Howard Beale), referring to links between Washington State and Australia, reminded other delegates that in the days of Seattle’s gold rush a collection of “qi ite choice criminal characters came from Australia, but when Australia’s gold rush came not long after. Seattle reciprocated by sending them all back, together with a few American criminals as v ell.”

The British Ministei of State (Comi..and*. Allan Noble) later referred to Mr Beale’s statement saying: “We can ch ■» to have been the source of origin of those sturdy rogues of whose trafficking across the Pacific Ocean Mr Beale spoke .vith enthusiasm. "And yet only a few years ago when one of our most celebrated malefactors appeared in a most

modern liner at Port Jackson ’n Australia, he was refused drmission to land." Commander Noble said he wondered if "even Australia can afford to forgo such an accession of technical skill from the United Kingdom one who might have unlocked who knows what untapped sources of wealth.” Asking the conference chairman, the American Secretary ot State (Mr John Foster Dulles) for permission to make “a personal explanation." Mr Beale replied amid loud laughter that the reason why this English “gangster" had >een refused permanent residence was because Australians were reluctant to deprive Britain of such persons of “enterprise and initiative."

Turning to Mr Dulles. Mr Beale added; “As a matter of history M. Secretary. I think 1 shculd point ut that the Botany Bay penal settlement was founded as a result »• the American Revolution ‘The British Government was no longer able to send its convicts to America as it had previously done in considerable numbers

"Perhaps this is the reason why Americans and Australians are so much alike.”