BONDS OF EMPIRE

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 57, 9 March 1922, Page 7

BONDS OF EMPIRE

CUT - THE ■ PAINTER ADVOCATES

MR. BARWELL'S INDICTMENT

(UNIISD TRB3S ASSOCIATION.—COPTItIOHT.)

(AtHTRAUAH - !«£W KAUND CABLs'aSJOCUTIOJI.)

(Received March 9, 9.30 a,.m.) LONDON, Bth March,

Mr. H. N. Barwell (Premier of South AttetraliaOoyas entertained at luncheon ■it the Boyal Colonial Institute by the Grocers' Hall. Sir Godfrey Lagden presided, and the Australian. Agents-Gen-» er»l and large nambevs of Soath Australians were present. Mr. Barwell voiced a strong indictment of those Australians who said the time had come to cut the painter and east..adrift from !tho Mother Country. The man in Australia who said that was either a fool or a traitor. There were people in Australia v;ho would perhaps glory in England's downfall, but they were few. The averap Australian was too hard-headed to take a step which was clearly suicidal. Where would Australia.be without Britain's Navy ? She would undoubtedly be the prey of the first foreign Power seeking to extend its territory. Cut the painter and Australia's doom would be immediately sealed. But who would dare say that Australia was not alive to its obligations to the Motherland? After the part played in the war, Australia desired to strengthen the bonds with England. , ■' . . ■ '■Referring to Australia's production, Mr. Barwell deplored the fact that' it was nowa less> than'in 1913, due to the, policy of go-slow practised by Labour extremists. "Some people in Australia," he said "strongly object to my referring to these matters; but while they are prepared to continue to live in a fool's paradise I am not."

Mr. Barwell, in alluding to post-war depression consequent on falling prices, remarked, "Wages are still on the high level, but they must'come down. I earned the name of the Low-Wage Premier, but I don't deserve it."