DEVELOPING ASIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14015, 24 June 1913, Page 4

DEVELOPING ASIA.

Mk H. E. Psatten, president of the .Sydney Chamber of Manufactures, has returned from a six-months’ trip to tlu near East—-Java, Malay Peninsula, and Siam—convinced that it is necessary to. Australia to realise, tnat witnm a few days' steam of her shores a political ana. social revolution is going on in the character of millions of Asiatics- that nnist hi ‘considered in connection with tUe development of Australia: lie found the East, eager lor news of Australia, and tliougi no saw one paragraph licaded “Sydney': Bobby—Strikes," he could not help being struck, by the interest taken in the com..tusOry training schemes. Home of flu prominent officials weiit bo far as to sug gost that in the not distant future tin obligation of policing and defending fin tish interest in the f'acilic would probably devolve upon Australia and Canada, iviti, assistance readily given trom tlie over nowing treasury oi Malaya. The rap-k. development of Japan- and China surpris ed him. lie saw their merchants and organisations everywhere. “In time o peace competition is good for trade," sai. Mr Pratten, “but in time of trouble, what is going to happen with the concen cration of the whole of the British fleet in the North Sea? Our Eastern empire, on the water, at all) events, is practically undefended, and it is time wc realised tiie position and set about to right it. Java is being run tor the Dutch, Japa., ■lor the Japanese, ancj even in Siam 1 heard for the first- time the cry ‘Siam for the Siamese.’ Everywhere you find evidences of the developing Asia, ana there is no doubt about it the Eastern races have to bo reckoned with. I found little animosity towards the White Australia policy, provided that Austra.iam recognise the rights of those people ft treat Europeans in the same way in their country. Even in Asia amongst the native races the mixing of eastern and western blood is not looked upon with favour because it is ahtaguostic to Emir ideals.' Mr Pratten found living as dear in the East as anywhere else, and he is convinced that the so-called cheap labour is large: y visionary, as .the) servants are unable to do as much work as a white man or woman, and tivo Chinese workmen at Is 9d a day are of loss service tlian cm white man at Bs. Asiatic labour, he declares, is ineffective and dear at any price. He expects that the growing taste tor the European stylo of living will re suit in a steadily developing market for Australia, for such articles as flour, dairy produce, fruit, and certain lines of manu--acture.