Mr. Deakin, the Prime Minister of the Australian Common- wealth,
has announced in a letter to the Premier of Western Australia that he intends to submit proposals on the shbject of immigration at the coming Conference of Australian Premiers. He will ask the States to provide sufficient land out of the territory at their disposal. The Commonwealth Government will make arrangements for supplying immi- grants, and for this purpose will institute an extensive system of advertisements in Australia and the Mother-country, will offer subsidised passages, and will endeavour to make settle- ment profitable by giving bounties on rural produce. Mr. Deakin makes an earnest appeal on behalf of the policy of adding to the population of the country by careful immigra- tion, since without such increase Australia cannot hope to defend herself, or do justice to her great natural wealth. We are glad to mark this change in Australian sentiment, which a few years ago was inclined to a policy of exclusion. Without citizens a country is a territory, not a nation.
