ADVERTISING AUSTRALIA.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 136, 6 December 1905, Page 5

ADVERTISING AUSTRALIA.

REPORT OF THE AGENTS. GENERAL. THE IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION ACT. [press association.] (Received December 6, 9.37 a.m.) MELBOURNE, his Day. A memorandum by the Agents-General on the question of advertising the resources and development of the Commonwealth was tabled in the. House of Representatives by the Prime Minister (Mr. Doakih). The Agents-General commence by saying that to deal with specific misrepresentations as they arise was not sufficient. The object must be to alter the prevailing tendency which accepts misrepresentation more readily than it appreciates facts. Australia is not ,in this connection any worse oft' than other countries of equal importance, but it is questionable whether any other country has so much to gain from enlightened public opinion in its eftVct ' upon all financial transactions influenced by the English investor. They proceed to show the necessity of enlightening public opinion in Australia, and allege that it is not wholly her fault that she is not popular to-day. They add : " These enormous demands upon the pres3 in England, particularly in London, mako it impossible to refer to but a small portion of what occurs in the Commonwealth papers. Tho papers deal with us on the same lines as they do with other places, < and caterers for "the public can hardly be expected to be constantly thrusting our statistics upon their readers." The Agents-General next express their conviction that tho far-reaohins* effects exercised by the language test and contract clause in the Immigration Restriction Act proved veritable stumblingblocks to their work and hare irritated public opinion. The contract clause, they allege, serves to remind the poopjo of a provision wTiich grates upon every British susceptibility by treating, tho British worker- under contract as an industrial pariah in a, British community. The Agents-General consider it desirable that a general propaganda should be undertaken by the Commonwealth, leaving each State free to adopt such further and supplementary advertising as it may think fit. With regard to tho amount to be expended they relied upon the judgment of the Agent-General of Western Australia, who advised an expenditure of £5000 per annum, and that it would be wise to limit the first effofF to advertising pure and simple, leaving a systematic course of lectures, exhibits, and travelling exhibitions to stand over until the initial work is in going order. They consider that the services of a press agency which can command the services of journalists accustomed to this special work would give better results at less cost than could be obtained by special salaried officers.