How Returned Men View White Australia Policy And Migration

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 March 1949, Page 5

How Returned Men View White Australia Policy And Migration

BRISBANE, March 28.—Concern for the preservation of Australia’s selective immigration policy was expressed at the south-eastern division conference of the Returned Servicemen’s League. The president of the Queensland League, Mr. R. D. Huish, said the policy could be maintained only by adequate defence forces. Tlit' White Australia policy was adopted by the league in 1924 and until the league compromised he would he glad to support it. Since the Asiatic nations had been given some form of self-government they had been inclined to rescind the Australian policy, but the solution to the over-popula-tion of Asia would not be found by clumping millions into Australia. He believed Australians would depose any government which had the temerity to interfere with the White Australia policy. The Queensland Pre-

mier, Mr. E. Hanlon, suggested that the term “migration restriction policy” should be substituted for “White Australia policy,” and that the words white and black should be dropped in discussions on policy. He deplored the publicity given to the recent controversies about migration.