This book was first conceived as a collection of readings traversing
the main phases of the history of Australian attitudes to nonEuropean immigration. It was soon seen that 'documentS sere
to be an indispensable complement to the readings. They offer
vivid and undiluted samples of public opinion, and they can
portray at the same time the continuity and the discontinuity of
views expressed in debate on a great national issue. What has
emerged is a compromise, embracing historical interpretations
that combine to form as near as may be a continuous narrative,
and docurnen§ that illustrate the historical process and bear
witness to the cornrnunity's attitudes over a period of 120 years.