QUEENSLAND AND BRITAIN

Otago Witness, Issue 3662, 20 May 1924, Page 22

QUEENSLAND AND BRITAIN

BETTER FEELING PREVAILING. LONDON, May 14. Mr Thomas said that he rejoiced at the settlement of the dispute between Queensland and London financial circles. He confessed that he was most apprehensive regarding this matter when Mr Theodore arrived because he believed that failure to reach a settlement was possible. The decision of any dominion to seek outside the Empire financial assistance which was available within the Empire would have been a blow from which it would have been difficult for the Empire to recover. Mr Theodore, in proposing Mr Thomas’s health, paid a tribute to his conspicuous assistance towards the recent settlement. When he came to London he found the Queensland Government and London circle’s views as far apart as the poles; but the exercise of sound commonsense on the part of all concerned, personal intercourse raid the frankest discussion of the issues involved led entirely to the overcoming of the differences which existed for four years. Mr Theodore said that the people of Great Britain, and the more distant dominions, who had lost much through their wide separation, must learn to make reasonable allowances tor their different viewpoints and mutually give credit to the bona tides of these. He declared that Australia’s population and trade were not increasing as fast as they ought, consequently Australia was unable to play the part she ought in the commonwealth of nations. The chief reason was that Australian development had hitherto been confined to Southern Australia. The half of Australia which lay to the north of the twenty-fifth latitude only contained 100,000 whites. A White Australia policy could not be justified unless use were made of this huge empty area.