THE ASIATIC PROBLEM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9304, 3 August 1908, Page 1

THE ASIATIC PROBLEM.

VIEWS OF THE UNDERSECRETARY FOR THE COLONIES. STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. trailed Press Association— By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. LONDON, August 1. In the House of Commons, Colonel fjeely, speaking on the motion for adjournment to October 12, admitted that the Asiatic question in the colonies was overwhelmingly important. Ike whole future of the Empire depended on present steps. A falso j move might shatter it. Britain ought not to adopt a superior tone towards the colonies with whom the question was more acute than here. Britain was bound to admit that the selfgoverning colonies could exclude whom they would, and Britain could not interfere; but certain principles might be laid down. If immigrants were admitted they must sooner or later be given civil rights. They must be admitted free or not at all. If the self-governing colonies sought to exclude British subjects owing to economic reasons to prevent wages being out down, or because of climatio conditions, or social antipathy causing riots, they ought at any rate to treat with the utmost generosity the coloured immigrants already there. The Imperial Government asked that for them, and the request had been mot by Canada in the friendliest spirit. He was confident that the Governments of Australasia and South Africa would ■now the same epirit, realising the necessity for mutual forbearance. He agreed that the Imperial Secretariat Khould take the matter up. He 'believed that it was necessary to make the secretariat real, namely, a clearinghouse of the Empire, avhore all tho flifferent laws might be examined and reported on, enabling every part of the Empire to know what was being Bone in other parts. Sir Gilbert Parker 6aid it was essential that the structure of national life ihould bo built from the beginning by whites, otherwise it would be rotten. Colonel Seely's words were re-echoed In every corner of the Empire. He Hominended tho Government for taking the right view, appealing to the colonies and conferring with them.