§ MR. M'GHEE (Louth, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been directed to the manifesto of the mining immigrants of West Australia invoking the aid of their fellow citizens of the British Empire against the treatment to which they are subjected by the old agricultural population of the country—namely, taxation without representation, the enforcement of railway traffic by special lines at rates specially imposed, in differential tariffs to Perth and Fremantle; and what steps, if any, the Government propose to take in the matter.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINMy attention has been called to the manifesto to which the hon. Member refers, and I have also received the comments on it of the Prime Minister for Western Australia. These comments will, I understand, be made public shortly, and when they are available it will be seen that almost all the statements are directly challenged. In these circumstances, and as there is now a prospect that Western Australia may decide to become a part of the Commonwealth, the time has not arrived for coming to a final decision on this matter.