Considering the distorted view of the above question held by various English and other papers, some remarks made by Victorian ex-premier Irvine at. a banquet tendered him by the Australian Mercantile. Associations in London are worthy of note. In reply to the toast of his health, Mr. Irvine remarked that "English investors had no reason to be apprehensive of Australia's financial stability. In connection with the white Australia question much misapprehension existed as to the Commonwealth government's attitude on the subject of. immigration. He was not an apologist for the law as applied in the celebrated "six hatters'" case (who by the way wore eventually admitted), this law he considered was unnecessarily drastic,..but might have been administered with more tact by the late.administration., It was a mistake to suppose that the act was intended to exclude British artisans. The intention of the act was to prevent the country being swamped with contract immigrants, in the event of an industrial intention was the determination to prevent an alien and inferior-race from acquiring dominant- influence on Australian destiny,"
Pressed to state his opinion on the fiscal question Mr. Irvine thought it was right to admit that the majority of his countrymen were motherland: together, the former to 001 tribute ger measure to the burden of defence, receiving in, return therefor a larger voice in the "opntrol of the Empire.
The. New Guinea Affray..
One of the earliest duties. devolving.on the now Minister. of Home:. Affairs: (Mr. Batchelor) will be to arrango:, for a judi cial inquiry into a conflict: that: recently i occurred at: Goaribari.in. New Gum between. the "crew of the Goveram; steamer Merrie England: and the' native, tribes: inhabiting the district: The steamer, it appears, with the: Governor natives in 1901. 'Arrived at: Goaribari, the Acting Governor sent word. to. the chief of the tribe to hand over the' actual murderers, whose naines wore alroady.in possession of the police. At daybreak the steamer was surrounded by hundreds of canoes and some half-dozen natives were put on board; whilst. the police were examining these men, the crew of, the vessel were attacked. by i shower of arrows from the congos. A brisk rifle fire was then returned by the.armed party on the steamer which was further returned by the natives, who sustained. many casual-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.