CHINESE LABOUR ON THE RAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 12

CHINESE LABOUR ON THE RAND.

Speaking at a dinnor in his honour given by tho Progressives of Boksburg; Sir Georgo Farrar made an important declaration as to tho attitude of the leadors of tho mining industry with regard to tho Chinese labour question. Ho said: —"So far as this industry is concorned, Chinese labour is absolutely doad. The experiment has cost, a million and a-half, and though, perhaps, this has beon repaid by tho reduction of the working costs, tho' vested interests created by tho ronowal of tho contracts havo been ruthlessly legislated away by this Government pt tho dictation of tho Liberals in England. Therefore, nover in tho future will tho leadors of tho mining industry contemplate' a renewal ' of tho importation of Chinese. Thoir only hope is that the Transvaal Government will not livo to regret the stop^" Criticising tho appointments to the Council, 1 Sir George Farrar declared that ho blamed tho Liberals more , than Mr. Botha's Government for the non-fulfilment of tiio promiso mado by tho Ridgoway Commission to tho Progressives firmly to establish an Dppar House as a safoguard to British interests and a check upon hasty partisan legislation. Dealing with the Education Board and the Land Bank, Sir Georgo Farrar. related how, aftor tho assistance rendered by tho Opposition, in tho matter'of the Educa : '.ion Bill and the Bank Bill, Mr. Smuts ugreod to consult tho 'Opposition with regard to tho appointments to tho Council. Ho (Sir Georgo Farrar) received a lotter from Mr. Smuts submitting cortain names, and he thoreupon consulted his colleagues, and then repliod, objecting to somo of the names and suggesting othors. "Tlio result," said tho speaker, "was that not a single suggestion made by mo was adopted by tho Government, nor did I ever recoivo an acknowledgment of my lotter." In concluding a long and vigorous speech, in tho courso of which ho declnrod that his visit to Rhodesia had convinced him that it wns destined to bo a grc.it country, and urged tho peoplo of the Rand to disappoint tho attempts of tho Government to maintain divisions amongst the British. Sir Georgo Farrar declared that if the Goycrnmont woro sincere in thoir expressed desiro for tho cooperation of all sections of the community tho Frogrossivos would render overy assistance 1 and tho future of tho country would bo assurod. DISTRESSED INDIA. The Secrotary of Stato for India has received the following telegram from tho Gov-ornor-Genoral Fairly general rain foil during tho wopJc

in Madras and Lower Burma, but in tho lattor province the falls wore light. Elsewhere tho woolt was rainless, and tho outlook is steadily growing worse. There' mugfc now, wo foar, bo considerable contraction in tho area of spring crops throughout North-West a.nd Contral India. Tho demand for labour still continues in tho United Provinces, and gctior&l distress has not yet mado its appearance, but tost works liavo already been opened in ono district of this province, and aro on tho point of being started in anothor. Tho prospect of tho winter rico orops in Bengal aro getting most unfavourable, but, though tho shortago of food stocks causes anxiety in somo districts thero is at present uo Apprehension of a general scarcity.