NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15663, 17 July 1914, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

NOT RACIAL. PREJUDICE. The refusal of permission to a shipload of Hindoo immigrants to land at Vancouver has brought the question of 'he determination of most of tho self-gov-erning Dominions to restrict the immigration of coloured peoples prominently before the public mind in Great Britain. The Morning Post frankly admits that the opposition to Oriental immigration rests, not on mere racial prejudice, but on instincts that lie deep in the heart of man, and on a clear recognition of the fact that the civilisation of the East cannot blend with the civilisation of tho West. It quotes with approval tho dictum of Lord Gurzon, which certainly expresses the sentiments of Australia, that "the common rights of British statesmanship cannot be held to over-ride the rights of self-protection conferred on the self-govern-ing colonies." The British Australasian remarks: —"To many well-meaning people it appears as an anomaly that British subjects in India, who constitute by far the greater part of the population of the British Empire, are refused admission into Canada and Australia, and arc allowed to enter other Dominions only upon terms which are distasteful to Indian self-respect. It would, however, be hardly fair for the English, who rule India and subject the Indians—possibly for their own goodto political servitude, to ask the self-governing Dominions to make up to Hindoos abroad what they are denied at homo'. Indentured semi-servile labour has no legitimate place in the development of a free country, and we are surprised to find Mrs. Besant, as a friend of humanity, apparently blaming Australia for her re pjitriation of the South Sea Islanders, who formerly worked upon tho sugar plantations of Queensland. Humanity, we maintain, as well as self-regard, demands the maintenance for the present of a white Australia; and Europe generally should be grateful to the Commonwealth for its sturdy determination to maintain its unpeopled spaces as a heritage of the white race. The few aborigines who remain in Australia are treated with paternal kindness by the various State Governments, which do all they can to promote the comfort and well-being of a dying race. In New Zealand the Maoris are men of a different stamp, and are treated with respect by the European population. England must solve tho difficult problem of conciliating her Indian subjects, otherwise than by putting pressure upon the Dominions to admit them to lands where their presence would be destructive to the social and economic standards created by the courage of the pioneers, and the work of those who have succeeded them.''

SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS.

Scenes of disorder arose in the South ] African House of Assembly when General Smuts moved the closure on the debate on the land tax proposals. The Labour members, Mr. Creas'.vcll and Mr. Madeley, declined to obey the Chair and were ordered to withdraw. Another Labour member, Mr Boydell, similarly declined, and was named. A motion to suspend him was carried by 54 votes to 31. The amendment to the land tax, moved by General Smuts, deleting the exemption regarding the area of land occupied and substituting a tax on land not beneficially occupied, was carried by 49 votes to 20. Another amendment limiting the operation of the measure to one year was also carried by 58 votes to 17. Die scenes were renewed when, on the income and land tax proposals being reported to the House, Sir Thomas Sm&rll, Loader of the Opposition, moved that the proposals should be recommitted. Tho Opposition speakers protested against tho application of tho cloeuro within a quarter of an hour of tho moving of the amendment to limit the operation of tho land tax to one year, contending that the amendment vitally altered tho character of tho proposals. ' General Botha and General Smuts maintained that the system making the incomo tax subject to renewal year by year equally applied to tho land tax. Sir Thomas Smartt's motion was eventually rejected by 55 votes to 40.

SHACKLETON'S EXPEDITION,

The trial expedition to Norway made by Sir Ernest Shackleton and five companions proved very successful. Discussing the experiences of the party, Sir Ernest said:— am very pleased with the result of tin's test, the first made in Polar work under such conditions. Wc went out to find defects, and those wo discovered wo shall rectify. The whole test, however, has shown that our preparations arc m the right direction, and will prove of immense value in our subsequent experiences. Tho two greatest successes have proved to be our tent and the motors Wo worked, of course, in all weathers, and, as far as possible, under Antarctic conditions. One of the most exciting experiences of the trip was the capsizing of the motor-sledge while turning a steep slope, but no one was hurt. The party did a lot of sledge pulling on ski where the conditions of tho surface permitted. The surface wa,s found to be much softer than in tho Antarctic, the best surface experienced being only an average Antarctic surface. As regards' the food, this, instead of being stored in bafs, «was packed in tin cases, which'were much handier and lighter. The breakfar.t and dinner rations, each made up as small sausages, consisted of lard, sugar, powdered milk, rolled oats, and glidine, while the mid-day ration, enclosed in a square sausage skin, consisted of almonds, beecn nuts, and Brazil nuts, all compressed and mixed with oil and powdered milk. Thi ; only, drink was tea and milk."-