CHINESE LABOUR ON THE RAND.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11790, 13 January 1904, Page 8

CHINESE LABOUR ON THE RAND.

SIR WILFRID LAURIER'S REPLY TO MR BEDDO2T. (SPECIAI- TO "THE TRESS.") DUNEDIN, January 12. Sir Wilfrid Laurier replies to Mr Keddon that he does not see his way to join in a protest against the introduction of Chinese labour into tb.e Transvaal. A very different story is told by the native chiefs from that contained in the report of the Rand Labour Commission. The native chiefs attribute the Bhortage of labour to the action of the Rand magnates themeelves. Chief Lincbwe says he is unable to help the mines because Le if not the Emperor of China. Chinamen arc wanted, he says, not natives. In February-he sent a batch of natives to the Rand on the understanding that they •were to work three months at £3 a month. On their arrival the natives were compelled to contract for six months at £2 ss. The conditions, too, were such that tiie n'orUlity was appalling, and the dead bodies were thrown into carts and hurled into trenches in order to terrify the natives. Chief Sekgoma says it is untrue that there is an insufficiency of native labour. But, be adds, it is useless to ask the natives to serve for six months like prisoners, under ill-treatment, and return home empty-handed.