COUNT MORNER'S WARNINGS.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12770, 11 February 1910, Page 2

COUNT MORNER'S WARNINGS.

MR WADE SURPRISED. NEWSPAPEITcOMMENT. [Piu;ss Association — CopyßiGHT.] Sydney, Feb 10. Referring to Count Morner's warning to Swedish emigrants not to go to Australia, the Premier, tho Hon C. G. Wade, states that lie is much surprised at the statement, as a reference to the Immigration Bureau shows not only that every immigrant brought out under State assistance was offered employment without delay, but that for months past ehere lias been a demand largely in excels of the supply for immigrants. Tho Government had had to bear the burdens of mistakes made by privately directed organisations, which had attempted to carry out a larger and more difficult scheme, tha Government actually finding work for immigrants brought by those organisations which, through lack of proper machinery, and experience, at times had failed to place their men. Mr Wade trusts that Count Morner would correct the impression he had convoyed, which, so far as the Government was concerned, was scarcely accurate, and was likely to do harm to a movement that ought to be encouraged. The "Sydney Morning Herald" says that "Count Morner must not be surprised if his advertisement of Australia as a good land to sta;y away from leads to some plain spealiing. Probably he has no doubt as to the policy that the Swedish Consul should pursue, and he may declare that he is responsible to nobody but his Government; but therct is such a thing as truth grounded on reason— truth which every man in public or nrivate life is expected to recognise and observe. To r.end to Sweden a copy of a spqcJch by Mr Holniaji, attacking the Government of this State, and to let it be inferred that it contains the whole truth abont Australia, is surely to forget the alphabet of fair play and honest dading.- Count Morner is not an ignoramus ;he lias lived among us long enough to understand something of our politics, and he must know very well that Mr Holman, in his capacity as deputy-Leader of the Opjposition, does not make speeches that are dispassionate and perfectly balanced. To send to Sweden statements of members of the Labour opposition without at least offsetting them by the Government defence, is either carelessness or deception. We can quite understand the Consul's point of view. He does not want agriculturists to leave Sweden, because they are as badly needed there as here. To help his Government lie lias thought it fair. to give Australia a bad name, though the Commonwealth is quite, good enough to provide him with his vocation and something in the shape of a pedestal."