BRITISH LIBERTY NOT MOCKED

Southland Times, Issue 23537, 17 June 1938, Page 7

BRITISH LIBERTY NOT MOCKED

AUSTRALIAN’S SPEECH MISREPRESENTED APPEAL ON BEHALF OF YOUTH (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received June 16, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, June. 15. The report of a speech at Cardiff on May 12 dealing with Britons in Australia misrepresented Sir Hal Colebatch, Agent-General for Western Australia, in substance and tone. Sir Hal did not suggest that Britons were degenerate, and he did not advocate compulsory military training. Sir Hal strongly appealed for better opportunities for youth, urging that what the totalitarian nations, were forcing on their youth in the interests of the State should be available to all classes of children in the democratic countries, for the children’s good.. . Sir Hal did not make sport of British liberty, but recalled cases in .which liberty had degenerated into licence, and emphasized the responsibilities attached to enjoyment of democratic liberty. The audience did not sit either in silence or in dumb amazement. The speech was received with warmest appreciation. There have been numerous requests to Sir Hal to address similar meetings in England under the auspices of the Overseas League.

A cable message received on May 13 stated:—

Addressing the Cardiff branch of the Overseas League, Sir Hal Colebatch, Agent General for Western Australia, expressed the opinion that present-day Britons were incapable of founding a new empire. Sir Hal drew a comparison between the Britons who settled in Australia and found the life too hard and the gains too few and the Southern Eujppeans who were entering the country without official encouragement and making good by hard work. His hearers sat in silence as Sir Hal made sport of Britain’s so-called liberty. “What is wanted in this country is a 10year plan aimed at building up the people’s mental, moral and physical standard," he said. “I advocate compulsory training." Sir Hal added that Australia wanted a 98 per cent. British population, but must have Britons of the right sort.