THE EXCLUSION POLICY. IMPORTANT SPEECHES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13671, 9 April 1908, Page 5

THE EXCLUSION POLICY. IMPORTANT SPEECHES.

WILL BRITAIN SUPPORT THE COLONIES ?. , (Received April 9, B.S3' a.m.) London; April 8. . Presiding at a meeting, pf the Cole- ~ t nial Section of 'the Society. v ißf' Arts, at \whioh a number of rearesentafcivo Australians were present, "Sir Richard Jobb read a paper advocating ,^e general adoption of the Natat ! Act in the - selfgoverning colonies, t? ISltt Alfred Lyttelton, M.l*., agreed that Sir R. Jebb's conclusion' that tho self-governing colonies were' irrevocably determined ntot^b admit effective competition from Asiatics was^bstantially true, but he proceeded to Titt<T a grave warning. •* " "We must be prepared for the consequence<" h& t remarked; "when we consider what a tremendous thing it would be for Empire if all tho races of India united against th<* pretensions, of the Western nations, who -practically demand a monopoly for Western people in the lands' of the Westerns and their free competition! on terms of absolute equality, with the Eastern neoples in their lands." . .7 He felt that, though the colonies might be able to maintain ,that position for twenty or twent3 r -£ve j-ears it, was doubtful if Britain would/ be able to. support them indefinitely in a policy of. Asiatic exclusion. He described, as pregnant Sir R. Jebb's suggestion, that India might be compensated with fiscal freedom. ' ,Lbrd AmpthiH urged the need of an\ Imperial conference to' discuss tho whole subject. ' [The Natal Act referred ,to by Sir Richard Jebb is probably the measure passed by the legislature of British Columbia, forbidding the entry of immigrants except'from the country of their nativity. The law was passed to projvent Japanese 'and other Asiatics entering Canada by way of the United States.]