JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9118, 11 April 1901, Page 4

JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA.

There hi every indication (says the BiisLave Observer) that the Federal Government at asi tarly daie will have io take into consideration the question of the position of the Japanese m regard to Australia. To Queensland -a certain amount of immigration of Japanese took j-Jar-o, but before the numbers had increaof<l to a/i abnormal degree the Government wafc aisle to come to an agreement with the Japanese Government to prevent the uumoers, bercming greater. That is to say, the number of arrivals was resti-i-.cd to the same number as of departures. Tin- agivfintiu. so far as can be learned, has been kejn by the Japanese Government, .hut it i> now understood that' the J.-ipaiicxe Government is looking for soinetliii.i; the, no ie.-* than » full recognition of Ihe position to which they, .is ;i |«oj>ie. have attained. They are' claiming rhi/t i.'icy cannot be looked upon as Asiatics m the ordinary sense of the word : that they are now among tin, foremost Powers; and that, if Japauese Cimie to Australia, they must be as fvee frr-m restrictions iis tile people of ;;ut utliT Power who come to this country. In Queen.-lan • m particular this vi>'v, - Haws to have beeu impressed. It is u<>t nete.->J>y Io refer to recent discus-ions mi the <;irmr>h ii> Queensland, or to )xi : iit out the difficulties m dealing with the matter.' It is one of the duties of the Fcder-i! Government to deal with the questioi:, and, as stated, they will U>: re- j quired to give .attention to it, prob.ilily a< an aarly date. * i