THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13355, 3 August 1907, Page 2

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

(To the Editor of the "Timaru'Herald.") Sir, —Without desiring to open up the controversy again, yet l feel impelled to add a word concerning the strangest of all proposals : To allow ari influx of Indians into the 'Neither Territory, of Australia. The Kanaka, through his mental inferiority would not be a, menace to Australia and New Zealand as a near neighbour, but- the. Indian is a most undesirable for the> simple reason he is too brainy. They have gone to South Africa ia hundreds as coolies, and by thrift and by capable thinking they evol-ve from coolies into traders, and hence the trouble. This-and the fact that they are British subjects would eventually make the Indians a far more complex trouble than the simple one connected with the Kanakas. . The Johannesburg Star long ago wrote:—"The problem which presented itself to. England was byno means easy of solution. Morally, England was bound to uphold the rightousness of the Indian's position; ;economically she. was forced to admit the- justice of the colonists' claim; ;■ politically, it passes the wit of men .to decide which side to favour." . ■■ . • Personally, I have no optimistic views as to, the future loyalty of India.- The mutiny of years ago is still in the memory of our fathers. Any future trouble will only be enhanced by the influence of the many educational establishments in India, There will always remain a barrier between the Eastern and Western races. Some of us can recall the time when Lord Robert,') gave up his position in India and his dramatic words uttered on the floor of the Hocs-3 of Commons : "The years are not far distant when the battle of Armageddon will be, fought, somewhere in Asia between the Eastern and Western races." Many moves on the world's chessboard since then have only emphasised the (Jene-'-.rid's remarks. '■: There will come a time when, the Britisher, will only be remember,', ed in India by the roads he h<# construct-: :"ed and the art he has taught the country--, in fact.in much the same way that the ah-': eient Roman is remembered "in Britain. Ifc. is easy to 'uentimentiiliw on the loyalty of India but you can never get rid of what Meredith TOwnsend called '• the dull, unconquerable, -unmitigated"distaste of East eni.-i for whit? men." I find it extremelydifficult, to get people to see and understand that these Indians are not ignorant, heathens. When we remember the old' Sanscrit and the Indian philosophers and religions which existed when the world: was in its childhood it makes one smile. As a matter of fact much of our Christian belief has been borrowed from these old racts. ]f I wrote the truth on this matter —heresy would be hurled at me. In reverting again to North Queensland and the adjoining Territory it is more than ever forced upon me that the South Sea Island and perhaps New Guinea will supply the coloured labour. This labour would demand also thousands of "bungalow billus" for white men—billels with large pay that would enable the holders to mire to more congenial latitudes- after yeais of service. It i-i-amazing what fallacies some people will swallow. Writers- in your paper recently have stated that whatever work a coloured person can do, whii.j man can do better. To argue so is to assert that white men could be located in certain African dhlY'icts and enter into competision with those races whose germ-ceils from generation to generation have been bathed in unhealthy plasma, until in fact they have grown resistant of "yellow jack."' and a. bundle.! mti'aiial tumbles. These races breathe in this poison 365 days in th~ year, and yet show no deterioration, and why? Uecause through the ages the w'utker have gone to the wall and the lit text have survived. Let me ask the dmilitirs to j>vt from the lilnary Darwin's "Descent of Shin." mid read llie first seven chapt.r... Also th? same writers' "Origin of Sped-*." pages 164—262. It would be as sensible «to state that polar bears could thrive in Bengal or cobras breed in Iceland. It will destroy a lot of fallaci a wh'ii people wake up to ihe fact that mtn am) women are not M>paral-e from all other created things —they are simply links in the whole chain of nature —top links may be, but links for all that, and subject to the natuial laws. Until people get right on this point they will ever show irrational

criticism, p.rverU-d judgment and distoited reasoning, caused 'by having a. basis of warped opiniom;. It is the prohibit inn fallacy over again, of following up a particular proposition, by a mark of universality as : Sonic men become intoxicated. Hence. I'rohibit all intoxicants. ( In this question under discussion about the future of the Northern Territory of Australia, some White Australia extremists say : Some coloured rac.s are objectionable. IfeiiLe. Shut the door to all. Which as Euclid would nay, is ab-.urd. — I am, etc.. JAMES t'HAI'IM.K. SI. Andrews, Aug. 2.