OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3464, 2 March 1912, Page 9

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

(From our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, Feb. 20: INDENTURED LABOR.

There is a great deal of disquietude among the more enlightened and thoughtful of our Commonwealth statesmen over the egregfious failure of the “White Australia” policy to adequately populate the ricli tracts and wide spaces of tropical Australia. How much greater would be our security if northern Australia, or any considerable portion of it, were peopled by a thriving population, capable of being trained to take up arms in their own defence, if need should unhappily arise, though the very existence of such a population would be, in itself, a most potent guarantee against invasion. With all our brave talk about white labor being able to develop tropical countries, it steadily declines to attempt it. Our fond expectations that it would do it have proved the wildest of chimeras. For all useful intents and purposes, tropical Australia remains empty Australia, and there is not the faintest reasonable probability, under present conditions, that it ever will be anything else. Of course, when the subject is broached we silence th doubters with the cry “Australia for the Australians.” But that short and easy method does not move the damning evidence of rank failure which is manifest to even a superficial observer. In spite of the dictum, “Vox populi, vox Dei,” statesmen who think are rapidly coming to the conclusion that the people have been misled on this point, and that it will shortly become a question whether the policy of deportation, carried out at the behest of “the people” aforesaid, will not have to be reversed.

SIR EVERARD IM THURN. To publicly swallow all one’s swelling utterance is not pleasant, an it is not likely to be done except under the direst pressure. Judging from the present tone of public feeling, we shall endure a humiliation and danger of an empty Australia, until it is plainly seen that it is a matter of life and death to get it peopled. In the meantime, however, the reasoned utterances of Sir Everard im Tliurn, lately administrator of the Crown colony of Fiji, has had an appreciable influence in intensifying the “searchings of heart” which the subject is naturally calculated to arouse. Sir Everard points out that the present prosperity of Fiji, and the marvellous progress which it has achieved, are due to the employment to the indentured colored labor, brought in, under firm and wise administration, from outside. Australia contains fertile sugar lands in which many tracts of the size of Fiji could be comfortably stowed away. How much more secure, it is argued (but only in private), would be the position of the Commonwealth if only a few such tracts were as prosperous as Fiji ? There is of course the objection that indentured colored labor is wretchedly prone to degenerate into a most abhori-ent form of slavery. But this is purely a matter of administration. On this point Sir Everard has something weighty to say, “Not only is indentured labor not abominable,” he declares, “but if, wisely and humanely managed, it is one of the highest and most praiseworthy achievements of the enlightened statesman in the realm of national eceonomy.” Sir Everard succeeded in employing the colored laborers without oppressing them. Australian statesmen are secretly beginning to ask themselves whether their scope of action is so curtailed by popular prejudice, or whether their ability is so insignificant, as to unfit them from essaying a similar task with any hope of success. It may be a law of the “Medes and Persians” that tropical Australia shall remain a source of well-grounded apprehension, and of formidable and useless expense, to the end of the chapter. But the leaven is working, and the light which now touches the highest peaks only may soon be brightening the whole of the land.

PARLIAMENT. Parliament is one more in session, and the Government is confronted by a difficulty which has its rise in its own timidity and irresolution. Rather than offend Mr Willis-, who has it in his power to make its tenure of office very insecure, the Caucus decided to retire Mr Charles Robinson, the chief of the “Hansard” staff, who has been suspended by the Speaker for the high crime, as it appears, of endeavoring to maintain the independence of the reports. Mr Robinson is a public servant of 30 years standing, who has earned the esteem and affection of the members of all shades of opinion during the whole of that time. What Mr Willis is, the brief record of his unemampled and extraordinary doings as Speaker, is sufficient to show. The The Caucus deemed that self-preserva-tion demanded that it should sacrifice Mr Robinson to Mr Wilis, and it has been done accordingly. It must not be supposed that the decision was unanimous. Many members of the party are indignant at the treatment which an old and tried public servant has received. If an unfettered vote could be taken on the motion of censure which the leader of the Opposition has moved in reference to the matter, Mr Robinson would be vindicated by an overwhelming majority. But, as the matter now stands, it seems almost certain that his condemnation will be ratified by a solid party vote. The debate, however, threatens to be as lively as any which has ever taken place. By characteristic strategy, the Government withheld any intimation of its intention in the matter of the retirement until the day of meeting. Had it allowed to leak out previously,

it would have been assailed by so,violent a storm of public protest that it is doubtful if' th eloyalty of its own dissidents would have stood the test. They are beginning to feel that they have quite enough of the sins of the C'atu.«..*> to answer for as it is. Sooner or lain .they will have to face their constituents, much in th© guise of 'Coleridge's ahcient mariner, with the dead, albatross hanging from his neck. The strain within the party must be as intense and formidable as the opposition without, and now that the dissidents, through the S.A. elections, are begin ning to perceive that the public is more likely to take their view of tile matter than that of the less instructed majority which overrides them in the Caucus, the situation is becoming so critical that anything might happen at any moment. It seems a pity, under such •circumstances, that the Caucus should gnatuitiously add to the load of obloquy which it already has to carry.

THE BRISBANE STRIKE. ' The innustrial trouble at Brisbane is not ended. In many of the less “organised” occupations the Government and the employers undoubtedly have the upper hand. The strikers are now seeking to return, and! are endeavoring to secure the dismissal of any men who may have been taken in their room. On this point, however, considerable firmness is being shown. No doubt tli© majority of th© strikers will be taken back, as they comprise many competent workers. But no competent men 1 who hav© com© to the assistance of the public in its emergency will bo discharged to make room for the strikers. This is a most salutary resolution. If the Sydney shipping companies had only liad the courage to act on it they would not be so abjectly at the mercy of the waterside unions as they are at present. The strength of the strike movement, which is more active to-day than ever it was, lies in th© belief, sedulously fostered by the agitators, that men may strike with impunity, and b© certain of being taken back again as if nothing had happened. Under firm administration this belief would be shown to be baseless, and these formidable industrial convulsions would not be entered upon so readily, or with so little thought as they are at present. It is represented that tramway employees in Melbourne have ballotted in favor of striking unless certain concessions are made to them. But, as they are already engaged in a case which is before the Arbitration Court, their attitude seems very like wilful contempt of that tribunal. The shipping of cargo to the northern port, and the coaliitg of steamers there, has not yet assume©: its normal aspect. But it is expected that it will b© restored shortly. As previously indicated', it is the better “oragnised” unions which are causing the trouble. But the conviction is rapidly gaining ground that if “ organisation” means conspiracy against the common weal, it vil be necessary to take somo very stringent measures to control its destructive vagaries.

CRICKET. In very many minds topics affecting the public welfare are crowded into the background by the cricketing Sensations to which we have been lately treated. The unexampled friction which’ has attended the attempt (of) the Board of Control to take entire charge of the proceedings in connection with the selection and management of the Australian team which is to go to England, is generally held responsible for the unusual collapse of “our boys” in the test matches against the M.C.C. visiting team. We have already lost thre out of four, and even if we win the fifth the “ashes” wil have to go to the oln country. The return match against N.S.W. at one time looked like a hollow wire for the visitors. The home team in their first innings, were al disposed of for 106 runs, hut when the other side got to work they put up 315, Rhodes making 119 off his own bat. In the second innings, however, Syd. Gregory made a gallant stand. He went in first and scored 186 not out. Emery (65) and Trumper (58) were 7 he only notable scores, if we except “sundries,” which figured for 39 1 The innings dosed for 403, leaving the Englishmen the respectable task of mak'ag 195 to win. Gregory’s effort not imy evoked an ovation, but something more substaut al in the shape of a collection, which amounted to £33. Moreover, the “little Waverley man,” as he is affectionately called, has fairly forced his way into selection for the fifth test match. Why he has been left out so long, when batsmen of his calibre were so sorely needed, is a standing puzzle to the “man in the street.” He can only conclude, which is perfectly true, that in these matters “there are wheels within wheels.” Now one or two of our men have demonstrated that they are able to stand up against the, English bowling we are beginning to breathe more freely, and to indulge the hope that the team which goes to England may be able to rescue those “ashes” once more.