THE GUM-DIGGERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2824, 15 July 1916, Page 11

THE GUM-DIGGERS

QUESTION OF LICENSES

A petition signed by 370 persons asking that gumdiggiug licenses iicld' by. alien 'subjects on the northern gumfiol'ds bo cancelled .was roported upon by the Lands Committee in tho Houso of Representatives on Wednesday. Tho committee reported that in: its opinion the petition shouldJjo referred to tho Government for consideration and inquiry. Mr. C. H. Poolo urged that prompt steps should bo taken to effect tfio cancellation of the guiu licenses held by those aliens who could, not bo trusted. Maily of the British settlers in tho far north lived in constant fear of a rising on tho part of soino of theso enemy subjects. Whilst a great many of tho British youiig men in tlie north Uad gono to tho war, a groat deal of encouragement was being given to alien gumdiggers. Mr. F. Mandor said that if tho Government denied these men tho right to dig gum, what was to bo done with them 'i if they were employed at other work, thcro would bo complaints. If tho men ■wore interned they would cost tho country a groat deal of niouoy. Tho men must l»o found work of soino kind, or sent 4o their own country. It was prekeep them hero and to. allow them t:o dig gum. Ho thought that tho talk about theso men being a danger to tile community, was an exaggeration. Some pooplo complained about tho Government's proposal t-o segregate _ these, men, but, nobody ottered any practical alternative!' Thero was a German settlement in his electorate, and tho sons of several of theso settlers aro fighting for us. at tho fronts whilst others had intermarried witli our own people. It was far more profitablo to allow theso .aliens to earn their-own living. Thero was a scarcity of labour iu tho north, but settlers were afraid to employ Dalmatians becauso ot' tho public outcry that wag being raised.

Mr. A. Harris said that he believed that a majority of tho Dalmatians and in North Auckland were loyal to tho Bfitish Empire, but there were a number who fverc not loyal. He thought that tho Government had actedwi?ely in 'deciding to segregate tho men at Paerenga, and he believed that its action would l)o genorally appreciated by the people in tho North of Auckland. The position, however, showed tho. wisdom of nationalising tho gum industry. A stop in this direction had already been taken.

Mr. Poole: But foreigners aro getting all the benefit.

Air. Harris said that the privileges that had been .extended to.these aliens in tho past as British subjects could not bo lightly taken away. Ho wint on to speak of the policy of tho Government in regard to gum, and the large nuantity tliat it now had stored in Auckland.

Mr. Payne: Do you think tho Government will ever got its money back for it? Mr. _ Harps thought that it would 1)6 wise if tho Government took steps to realise on the gum, wdiiclr lost a great deal from evaporation. '

Mr. Payno said lie did, not doubt tho existence of good Germans and good Austrians, but it was difficult to sort them out. They should not take any chanccs arid ho thought that a military guard should bo provided-to seo that "the British residents were protected. Mr. ,T. A. Young said thnt tho presence of 6ueh a large number of enemy subjects in the north, was, causing a great deal of anxiety. Many of those people were loyal to the cause of the Allies, and it seemed extraordinary that some use could not be -made* of tho services of these men in fighting for Serbia, or in some otlior way. If, their services could' not bo accepted, .tie pooplo should be given a clear explanation why it was not possible'.

Mr. E. Newman, Chairman. of the Committee, said that tho Under-Secretary of Lauds had stated that instruction's had been given that no more gum licenses should be granted to unnaturalised aliens.