466 



The Review of Reviews. 



June 1, 1906. 



thought the presence of at least one experienced 

 Australian capable of judging of the quality and 

 capability of land would be of much advantage to 

 all concerned. 



Sir John asked how it came about that there 

 appeared in the press misstatements and exaggerat- 

 ed accounts of trivial occurrences, adverse to Aus- 

 tralia, manufactured by political partisans for poli- 

 tical purposes, and why it was that Australia seemed 

 to suffer from this source to a greater extent than 

 Canada and New Zealand, notwithstanding the affec- 

 tion and loyalty of the people of Australia to the ■ 

 Motherland. 



" The reason is obvious,' I replied. " What is 

 everybody's business is nobody's business. The six 

 Agents-General are naturally concerned only with 

 their own States, and do not see that inaccurate 

 statements about Australia as a whole are cor- 

 rected. What is needed here is someone who repre- 

 sents the Commonwealth of Australia, like Lord 

 Strathcona and Mr. Reeves, Canada and New Zea- 

 land respectively. Both these gentlemen promptly 

 put misstatements about their respective countries 

 right. Again, there is at present no one here who 

 can speak authoritativelv for Australia. Cables 

 about events happening there, published in the 

 newspapers here, are as a rjle all that the Agents- 

 General have to go upon themselves. To contra- 

 dict an erroneous cable when the mail comes in, a 

 month later, is of course useless. Such a High Com- 

 missioner would also be able to see about systematic 

 emigration to Australia." 



I next asked Sir John what he thought about 

 the question of Australian immigration. 



" I still hold to what I said in my budget speech, 

 the first part of which dealt with the best means of 

 increasing the population of Australia. The falling 

 off of immigration during the last ten years is, in 

 mv opinion, principallv due to the competition of 

 tht- United States anil Canada, their nearness to 

 Europe, and the consequent cheapness of passage, 

 and the facilities they offer of assisted passages and 

 free grants of land. We recognise that we want 

 more people of the right sort in Australia, and to 

 bring that about, three things, in my opinion, are 

 necessary. The first is cheap passages to the 

 countrv ; the next cheap land on arrival, and the 

 third assistance from a Government Land Bank to 

 wr.rk the land." 



■' But," I asked, " I understand that the Common- 

 wealth has no land ?" 



■ That is so," replied .Sir John, " and in England 

 that fact is not, I believe, fully realised. The States 

 own all the Crown lands, the mines, the railways, 

 and in fact all means of transit. The Common- 

 wealth's proposal is that it should select the emi- 

 grants in this country, and, without cost to the 

 States, land them where required in Australia. 

 When landed the Commonwealth's responsibility 

 would cease. The States would then take charge. 



provide the land, and make advances on loan to 

 the new settlers through the Land Banks, such ad- 

 vances to be made on the easiest terms, both as to 

 interest and terms for repayment of principal." 



" To do that the Commonwealth would have to 

 have an emigration department here?" 



" Yes, but it would be a branch of the High Com- 

 missioner's Department, and could be easily organ- 

 ised and arranged. Competent men would select 

 the emigrants, and see them on board ship. Ar- 

 rangements wth shipping companies for cheap 

 fares could also be made." 



" Have any steps already been taken in this 

 matter ?" 



" Not by the Commonwealth. We are, however, 

 anxious to begin so soon as we come to a mutual 

 agreement with the States." 



'• Would the State Land Banks not require much 

 capital ?" 



" No ; the system has worked splendidly in West 

 Australia, and there is little risk. The money is 

 always paid back." 



'• Why did General Booth's offer to obtain emi- 

 grants fall through?" 



" Because the States did not at that time fall in 

 with the plan proposed. The Commonwealth was 

 favourable, and was willing to assist in carrying out 

 the scheme. I am afraid that there was a feeling 

 that General Booth would send out reformed charac- 

 ters, who might relapse again. That had a good 

 deal to do with it." 



" I understand," I asked, " that Australia is 

 flourishing at present?" 



"Yes," replied Sir John, " to a greater extent 

 than at any time previously. The external trade is 

 increasing year by year, and has increased 8o per 

 cent, during the past ten years ; and is at present 

 about loo millions a year, 75 per cent, of which is 

 done with the British people. All the primary in- 

 dustries are prospering, and if we include manufac- 

 tures, the total value for this year will probably be 

 120 millions. The gold production is worth 16 

 millions, the wool 20 millions, while every industry 

 is doing well." 



•' Is the Imperial connection much valued in Aus- 

 tralia ?" 



" It is always regarded as a matter of course, and 

 the contrary is never even thought of. We are 

 Britishers heart and soul, and are proud of it — 

 proud of our race, proud of their achieve- 

 ments, proud of our free institutions. We 

 are ■ bone of your bone.' Our feeling is, ' Our 

 country, may she be always in the right — but our 

 country, right or wrong.' We are, howe\er, proud 

 of our self-governing powers, of our political free- 

 dom and independence, and will guard them most 

 jealously from interference or infringement, of 

 which, however, we know there is not even the re- 

 motest danger." H.S. 



