WHITE MAN'S LAND

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1923, Page 6

WHITE MAN'S LAND

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

■MEDICAL OPINION.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT..)

SYDNEY,' 24th October:

Apropos of the White Australia policy, under which all coloured races are excluded from Australia save those persons who were domiciled here prior to this legislation, and a few who are admitted under special trade agreements, much controversy has raged round the question of whether the northern portions of: the continent, where tropical conditions exist, are suitable for® white settlement. Advocates of the introduction of cheap coloured labour on an indenture system, or contracts for specified- periods of years, have strenuously contended the white man is constitutionally unfitted to develop that part of' Australia, and that it is a meve dog-in-the-manger policy to exclude those able to do so. Medical opinion has been milch strengthened: by recent research in the view that-"the white races, are not only fitted to develop the northern areas, but are-able themselves to thrive under the- conditions and produce a, sturdy type. The matter is interestingly dealt with in the Commonwealth Health pamphlet for the current month. In this it is stated that it can fairly be claimed that, after a generation's trial, ' the white races can live and work in the tropical areafe^of Australia without the labour of the coloured man. The next' question that arises, the pamphlet states, is, which branch of the white races is best suited for a tropical life, and, in particular, can, the people of British stock hold their own with the others.' " The answer,''it proceeds, "is of vital importance to the British race. After a century of immigration 98 per cent, of the population of Australia is still compose! of the same stock as that of the British Isles—and there-is every desire amongst Australians themselves to keep this preponderance in the future. So much so that if it could be shown that people of our own race must here give way to other European races, it may be doubted whether the very policy itself of White Australia would long survive." Queensland claims 95 per cent, of the total tropic dwelling population of Australia, the mafor portion of whom are scattered aWg the coast north of Rockhampton. In all the centres of population up to and including Tpwnsville, the British race predominate absolutely. No comparative test is possible until we reach the sugar districts north of- Towns ville, where the climate is much more or less of a pronounced tropical character. Here we find a considerable number of Italians and small numbers of Greeks, Spaniards, Russians, and Maltese, and other nationalities, who generally keep together in small bands. Individual members of the Teutonic and Scandinavian races are also scattered along the coast. The Eastern races have been represented chiefly by Chinese (once present in considerable numbers) and in a lesser degree by the Japanese, and by the natives of India, the latter chiefly from the Punjaub. All these different people have been employed at some time or other in the work of the sugar industry. At the same work and under the same conditions during the past 20 years men of the British race have worked- alongside' arid in > competition with each and ali of them. On the; whole, the British" gangs head the list against all-comers. The cane inspectors, whose business it is to supervise this work and to know intimately the capabilities of all the different gangs, are practically unanimous in. holding that the speediest and toughest of the cut-; ters are British. They are the most independent, however, and sometimes cause trouble. Hence the. preference which has sometimes been accorded to other • nationalities. The term British is used irrespective of whether the men are born in Australia,, or the British Isles. The British proved that in speed and stamina they were- the equal of any other race, snd certainly superior in intelligence and adaptability. > - ■■