WHITE AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 23, 27 July 1933, Page 21

WHITE AUSTRALIA

DEAN ATTACKS POLICY

"DOG IN THE MANGER"

LONDON, July 16,

A friend of Russia and of Mr. Gandhi's India, Dr. Hewlett Johnson, Denii of Canterbury, laughed over the telephone from the cathedral when he was told that Australia resented a suggestion ho had made for handing over portion of tropical Australia to Japan. Dr. Johnson is a Eadical Churchman and a member of the Society for Cultural Relations with Russia. He created a stir in October,, 1931, when he invited Gandhi, then wearing a loin-cloth in England, to attend evensong in Canterbury Cathedral and allotted him a place of honour in a canon's stall.

The dean listened silently while a reporter read cabled comments and remurked: "Those protests bear out what I said. Australia's attitude is typically that of the dog in the manger, Australia is so big that the people themselves have no idea of its sisje. No attempt has been made to colonise the vast unknown areas, yet, when it is suggested that people from overpopulated lands should settle in them, there is an outcry. "I repeat that if Australia, individually, or the Empire, as a whole, cannot use these great empty lands, they should bo handed over to those who can. Ido not wish to withdraw any of my remarks; they were not harmful or irresponsible."