WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18051, 27 September 1920, Page 6

WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY

ONE (COMMONWEALTH REPRESENTATIVE GOING TO GENEVA.

(Feom Odb Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 15 Many people in Australia are expressing concern because only one Australian representative is going to look after the commonwealth s interests at the Geneva Conference bcnator Millen, who has undertaken the S W*?Z ca -^ hl ° and competent Minister. But ,t is understood that Japan, at thi S conference, is going to make another most determined attack on the White Australia policy, and it is believed that tho man best qualified to meet the Japanese is the man who met and defeated them at the Pans Conference—Mr Hughes. It was confidently anticipated that Mr Hughes wonld attend the Geneva Conference but it appears that he deems it advisable to remain here and meet Mr Watt now on his way across the Pacific from Vancouver. Mr Watt, since he resigned his miss.on m London after a, quarrel with Mr Hughes, has refused to say anythinabout the quarrel being determined 1? £ n When he Sets home. Ho is the strongest man i n the Federal Parliament, apart from Mr Hughes and -"f he is so inclined, ho can certainly prove nimself to be a disturbing and disruptive influence. Mr Hughes considers it more &% h0 - 3 he ™ a°l fi&ht Mr Watt, with -whatever weapon Mr Watt'selects, than that he should <m to Geneva and defend the White Australia policy \Austraha generally regards the situation with the eye of a cynic- "Hi 3 mv 1 mor!! consequence to Billy than a White Australia" is a frequent comment, ./-kit. ther * ] s hkely to be a particularly lively political row when Mr Watt arrives and the champions meet-and Australia nnds consolation in that. Australia is completely wedded to the White Australia policy, and most Australians think they will some dav have to fight for it. In that connection one notices here and there lately a suspicion of New Zealand. There are stories apparently groundless, that New Zealand is permitting Hindu immigration. Recentlv somo Jittlo excitement was caused by "an influx of Chinese int-o Sydney." It was said that many new Chinese face s were to be seen in tho Chinese quarters. Inquiries wwo made and it was stated that these Ohmese were simply passing through p n route to New Zealand. "Thpre has boon an influx to New Zealand of late." s aid a prominent Chinese Mr Yinson Txv. "infrrviowed by the Daily Telegraph, "which explains the reason for so many new faces in the Chinese community here, as these im-mi-Sfrn-nts tranship fit Svdnev for tho r'omimon;, Australia obviously does not lil-e this tolerance of Chinese by New Zealand.