BANNED

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 39, 14 August 1930, Page 9

BANNED

THE CHINESE FLAG

DARWIN" EPISODE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, sth August.

An "international situation" has developed at Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. The Civil Administrator, the official who was appointed to. take the place of the Town Council when the latter had a dispute with the Government, recently refused to give the Chinese at Darwin permission to fly their national flag half-mast in commemoration of the heroes who died in the cause of the National revolution. The flag was actually hoisted, but the order soon went forth that it was to be hauled down. The Chinese, of whom there are many at Darwin, were disgusted, and certainly felt that they had been insulted. There was an indignation meeting, and, judging by the babel of tongues they were not going to take any insult lying down. Anyway, they have written to their Consul-General, Mr. F. T. Sung, a real champion of the cause of the Chinese in Australia, and ho in turn has communicated with the Prime Minister.

"The drastic action by the Administrator," says Mr. Sung in his letter to Mr. Scullin, "is explained as justifiable on the grounds that no matter what memorial day it may bo the only flag that is allowed to be flown is the Union Jack. My nationals are incensed with the Civil Administrator's unfriendly act, particularly since such a practice is unheard of in any other country. The Chinese of Northern Australia are industrious and law-abid-ing citizens, and 1 feel that the action on the part of the Civil Administrator has unnecessarily and unwisely aroused their feelings. On their behalf I wish to make a strong protest against the measure, and I would respectfully request that no further interference of this kind be mado with the Chinese."

Explaining the new flag of the Nationalist Government of China, a white sun in a blue sky in the corner and a red field, Mr. Sung said that, as in the French flag, tne colours denoted red for liberty, bSue for equality, and white for fraternity. In addition, the three colours also denoted the three principles of the people—nationalism, democracy, and livelihood. The white sun in the corner denoted that tho Chinese Nationalist Party was the centre of the world's political thought, as the sun was the centre of the planetary system. Tho rays, twelve in number, were equal to the hours of tho clock, and denoted the eternity of the Chinese Nationalist Party. The rays of tho sun reached all parts impartially and signified liberty and equality.