[Letterhead:] OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA IN PAKISTAN.

[Stamped in red ink: ‘DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS’, ‘Rec’d [received] 17 FEB 1950’, ‘File No.’, with handwritten file number ‘555/1/7’.]

File No. 431.

Memo. No. 98/50.

Clifton, KARACHI. [underlined]

9^th February, 1950.

MEMORANDUM [underlined] for:

The Secretary,

Department of External Affairs,

CANBERRA. [underlined] A.C.T.

[Underlined:] Article on Australian Immigration Policy by Mr. Harold Dale.

I refer to my telegram No. 51 of 8th February, 1950, requesting information regarding the career of Mr. Harold Dale, author of an article which appeared in “Dawn”, Karachi, on the same date. A copy of this article, which is headed “Australia at a Glance – Europe’s all-white outpost in Pacific: Anomalies of ‘dreaded’ Dictation Test”, is attached.

There is, I am sure, no need to stress the immeasurable harm which can be done by an article of this nature, particularly in view of the fact that Pakistanis are not, under the Australian immigration policy, acceptable as migrants.

This High Commission has, since its inception, built up a substantial amount of goodwill, not only in Governmental circles, but with the Pakistani people generally. This goodwill can, to a great extent, be destroyed by the appearance in the Press here of such articles as that under reference. As an example, the High Commissioner during a luncheon at the Residence of the Governor of Sind yesterday was put in a difficult position by the discussion of the article by Mr. Dale. If the discussion had not taken place while guests, including the Editor of Dawn, were enjoying the hospitality of the Governor of Sind, the High Commissioner would of course have had no difficulty in putting Australia’s case. In the circumstances, however, beyond saying that the article portrayed a false picture of the subject but that [the word ‘this’ is inserted] was not the place for discussion, the High Commissioner had to remain silent.

It may be mentioned that this is not the first time that “Dawn” has displayed an attidue [sic] detrimental to the fostering of better relations between Pakistan and Australia and between Pakistan and the British Commonwealth. It is therefore considered that if any steps can be taken to prevent the release to the Pakistan press of articles such as Mr. Dale’s, it would be helpful to this High Commission, which (for the most part) is not worried by undesirable and one-sided attacks on Australia’s migration policy.

[Handwritten signature:] John Oldham

High Commissioner. [underlined]