THE ALIEN RACES.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 224, 28 September 1901, Page 3

THE ALIEN RACES.

FEDERAL HOUSE REFUSES TO CONCILIATE JAPAN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Melbourne, Sept. 2G. The Federal House rejected an amendment specifying alien races under the immigration Bill by .'<o to 81. MR REID’S PROTEST. PLAYING TO CHAMBERLAIN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Melbourne, Sept. 27. Mr Reid, speaking on the Immigration Bill, vehemently protested against last night's decision, which he said was tantamount to the Subordination of the vital interests of Australia to the view of Mr Chamberlain. •M JAPAN MAY RETALIATE ON AUS- * THALIA. Sir John Quick, M.H.R.. speaking to the Melbourne] representative of the Sundav Times, said : •• As the Bill for the restriction of undesirable immigrants stands at the present time. 1 am in perfect agreement with it, _r the general principles are such that no reasonable person, whether he be of Australia or any foreign country, can fairly object to them. The Bill aims at excluding undesirable people from the Commonwealth. no matter what nationality they belong to, and such an aim must necessarily" be applauded. 1 am not prepared, however, to say that the introduction of certain drastic clauses which some members seem to desire can be done with safety in an international sense. The Bill is framed somewhat on the measure in force in Natal, having similar objects: that is to say. an educational test has to be applied for the purpose of making the Act operative in regard to persons it is desirable to exclude. Some members of the House wish to go further than an educational test. They wish the Immi-

gration Restriction Act to apply to races of men. rather than to individuals of the outer world generally. If their ideas be carried out. and races are aimed at. it is bound to lead to complications. If we pass a measure to exclude the Japanese, Chinese, and other Eastern peoples, those concerned arc certain to take umbrage, and make such representations to the British Government that it will be inclined to dissent from our proposals. Take ,-Tapau. for instance. That country is a fairly large customer of Australian and British goods. The extent of the commercial relationship I do not know, but I am aware that some of our exporters are looking to Japan for a market for their goods. 1 do not say that we are in any danger of a warlike attack from Japan if ws seek to legislate against them, but seeing that many of the international questions of the present day are settled by diplomacy and commercial war rather than by war with cannons and by bloodshed, the probabilities are that a direct legislative measure against Japan would lead the progressive people of that nation make commercial reprisals against us. It is not likely that the Japanese, would continue to take our goods if we were to proclaim that they were not worthy of association with us in our own country. In addition to blocking Australian goods from their ports, the Japanese would approach Britain, with which country they are on

friendly terms, and if the British -states*} men were to see that their commercial, relationship with Japan was likely to be endangered, they would certainly bring all possible influence to bear upon us to make us alter our law.” In conclusion, Sir John Quick said, “I do not entertain the fears some have about Japan sending over troops to compel us to let their people come mto Australia, for if they did so they would have no hope of succeeding; but a great deal of tbe remedy is in their own hands, for if we legislate specially against them they will block our goods at their ports, and we will feel the effects at our most vulnerable point, namely, in our pockets.” _____