THE ASIATIC-QUESTION. AS IT AFFKCTS THE COLONIES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 9 April 1908, Page 5

THE ASIATIC-QUESTION. AS IT A FFKCTS THE COLONIES.

(Received April 9, 9 a-in.) . LONDON, April 8. Presiding at a mooting of the colonial .section- of the Society of Arts, at which v number of representative Australians verei present, Professor Richard Jebb, a\lio locently visited the colonies, read a paper advocating -the general adoption of the Natal Act (for excluding Aaiatics) in . stdf -governing colones. . i Hon Alfred Lyttelton agreed that Jebb's conclusion that .tile self-govern-ing colonies had irrevocably determined not to admit effective competition from Asiatics was su I*l initially true, but he preceedtd to utter a grave -warning that we must be j rtpared for tho cca'sequenees. He remarked that when we Gcoj&ider what a tretueaidou^ thing it would be for the Empire, it' all Eastern races,* including India* united &gair.et the pittensdccos of the Western nations,, who practically demand a monopoly of the Western people in the lepds of westerns ;ind their free competition 'on teams of absolute equality with Eastern peoples. He felt that ; thottgUilho .colonies might be able to maintain that position for 20 or 25 yeers, it v;aa douutrul if we would bo able to support them indefinitely in a policy of Asiatic exclusion, lie described, aa pregnant, Professor Jebb's suggestion that India might bo compensated with iiecal freedom. x Lord Ampthill urgtd the need of an Imperial conference on the whole subject.