“Gifts” of Land

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 180, 2 August 1938, Page 8

“Gifts” of Land

JAPAN AND GERMANY SUGGESTIONS TO AUSTRALIA SYDNEY, July 22. Two public men who have suggested the “gift" of territory in which Australia is interested to foreign nations have aroused resentment of people in this country. The suggestion by Bishop Cherrington, of W aikato, that Australia should give the Northern Territory to Japan as a “bloodless means of defence* * lias appealed to Tokio, according to Press cablegrams, but in Australia the only comment on it has been of an extremely austic nature. Only a few days after Bishop Cheriington, the second of the would-be |*‘givers,*’ came to light, lie is Air. It. IW. G. Aiackay, a former Sydney solici- ! tor, who, before going to London bent [on a politico-legal career, gained some lienown as a member of the Labour Party's “intclligensia. ’’ Mr. Mackay, here on a short visit, said in a luncheon address, that general opinion in England was that Australia should give back her ex-German colonies to Germany.

Mr. Mackay said he considered that the colonies should be given back. “The issues of peace or war depend on AngloGerman relations," he said. “A policy of appeasement is necessary. If great Powers are entitled to have colonies, Germany should have her own back. Is Australia sufficiently interested in preserving world peace to surrender the mandate of New Guinea? A Labour Government in England would not hesitate to support this proposal." The war-time Prime Minister, Mr. W M. Hughes, is Australia’s “defender oi the faith" in such matters, and ho was one of the few eminent public men who considered the suggestions of Bishop Cherrington and Mr. Mackay worthy of comment.

“Mr. Mackay evidently stands in close spiritual kinship with Bishop Cherrington, who, in an ecstasy of inverted patriotism, proposed to hand over half of Australia to Japan," said Mr. Hughes. “There is something about this vicarious generosity that is a trifle nauseating. Air. Mackay proposes that we should hand over New Guinea to the Germans, and the Bishop suggests giving half of Australia to Japan. And we are to do theso incredibly stupid things in the sacred cause of peace. “Where do we stop? Air. Mackay says the surrender of New Guinea will give us peace in our time; but the Bishop’s price goes one better, or one worse. We must give up half of Australia in order to keep the other half. In a week or two some other bannerbearer will come here and bid us get out of the country altogether."