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[Letterhead for ‘The Parliament of the Commonwealth’, ‘Parliament House’, ‘Melbourne’, showing the British Coat of Arms, labelled ‘HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES’.]

Sir.

I have to acknowledge with warm thanks the receipt of the handsome illuminated address from 2000 residents of the Mt Lyell district of Tasmania. I desire to ask you to convey to the gentlemen on whose behalf you have signed the address, my high appreciation of the honour they have conferred upon me, and to assure them that I shall

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ever value their gift, not only because of its high artistic merit, but still more because of the generous appreciation it indicates of my efforts on behalf of a White Australia. I am happy to say that since the address was signed, those efforts have been crowned with success: both the Immigration Restriction Act and the Pacific Island Labourers Act

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have been passed into law, and the grave danger [the following section crossed out] which threated the country we love, has been, I believe averted. The danger of a depradation of our race standard [end crossed out section. Text resumes.] which threatened our purity of race, and promised to render difficult the maintenance of honourable industrial conditions, has been averted. While I have done my best to bring about this desirable consummation,

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Australia has to thank not so much the efforts of any Minister or government, as the steady pressure of an enlightened public opinion, which refused to tolerate in our midst the presence of an element which has proved such a fruitful source of danger in other lands.

I owe my thanks to the gentlemen you represent for their very kind wishes for my personal welfare, and for the encouragement which their kind expressions bring to one

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engaged in the oft times difficult task of harmonizing the interests of the different states with the true welfare of the Commonwealth. I shall always value a gift which proves that the efforts of my colleagues and myself in that direction have been so richly appreciated by the residents of a portion of the Commonwealth so important as Mt Lyell.

Yours very truly

[End of record excerpt.]