CROWDED HOUSE EXCITED MEMBERS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 28, 3 February 1914, Page 7

CROWDED HOUSE EXCITED MEMBERS

SOUTH AFRICAN PARLIAMENT INDEMNITY 1 BILL. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) (Received February 3, 10 a.m.) CAPETOWN, 2nd February. When the "Union House of Representatives resumed there were crowded galleries and much excitement among members. The Speaker disallowed the Labour motion for an adjournment with a view to instructing the Government to intercept the Uirigeni, in which are the deported Labour leaders. t General Smuts, Defence Minister, moved for leave to introduce an indemnity Bill. * Sir Thomas Smftrtt, Leader of the Opposition, said he had no desire to oppose the motion, because it was the Government's duty to maintain law and order at all hazards ; but General Smuts should first have explained the reasons for martial law being proclaimed and the Government actions under that law. Mr, Cresswell's (Labour) amendment, which was equivalent to a motion of censure, was rejected, Only the Labourites supported it. The Bill was read a first time, the voting being similar to that on the amendment. RAILWAY MEN BEING DEALT GENEROUSLY WITH. MARTIAL LAW IN BLOEMFONTEIN. JOHANNESBURG, 2nd Feb. The Government has returned the Railway Society's books, and the railway administration is dealing generously with re-engaged strikers. On the other hand, the situation in the Orange River Colony is depicted as less satisfactory. A message from Bloettifontein alleges that martial law was more drastically administered at Bloemfontein than anywhere 'in the Transvaal. Strikers are forbidden to leave' their houses at any time withouti special leave. It was an offence to supply a. striker with food, funds, or assistance except that which was dealing with his ordinary course of business. This is one of the matters which Gen* eral Hertzog wishes the proposed Select Committee to investigate. A Hertzogite candidate for the Provincial Council in Orange River Colony told the electors that it was impossible to trust General Botha because they might wake up some morning and find General Hertzog deported. EXPLOSION AT BENONI DEPORTED MEN'S LETTERS. OPENED BY THE POLICE, CAPETOWN, 2nd February,'" When the fuse was ignited and one of the improvised bombs discovered at Benoni on Saturday was thrown into the Kleinfontein dam, the explosion threw up dense volumes of water, showing the violence of the charges. The police opened the deported men's final letters toi their families before the letters were delivered, but apparently they did not throw any new light on the Government's coup. It is understood that the captain of 'the Umgent was ordered to steam off tho usual line of route in order to avoid risks of the boat being' stopped. A fund is being organised in Johan nesburg for the deported men's families. Two detectives accompany the men, who are travelling first-class, and who are being specially well treated, It is stated that their only corfipldint is that they were not provided with linen collars. Three of them, reported to be suffering from miners' phthisis, occupy an "upperdeck stateroom. , The Umgeni" will probably reach' England On 22nd February. BRITISH LABOUR VIEWS INTERFERENCE WOULD NOT BE CONSTITUTIONAL. LORD GLADSTONE'S RECALL DEMANDED. LONDON, 2nd February. My. ( Roberts, M.P. (Labour Whip), speaking at Oldham, emphasised the importance of not neglecting political for trade union action. He argued that if the workers Jeft Parliament to the employers »and i declared a, general strike, as was done in South Africa, some Botha in Britain would immediately declare martial law and assume control of the community. While sympathising with the South African workers, they were constitutionally not entitled to interfere with a self-governing Dominion. It was lamentable that General Botha, who gallantly led the troops in the cause of the workers during the Boer War, should now be destroying the citizens' liberty. Mr. Will Thorne, M.P., at the building trade demonstration in Trafalgar-square, said that Lord Gladstone in July last had made a blunder, but now he had made a bigger one, and it was the greatest outrage ever perpetrated on the liberties of the people. If the Government dared they would prevent the deported men from being landed in* England. A resolution demanding Lord Gladstone's recall was carried unanimously. IN HOUSE OP COMMONS LABOUR AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. <LEGAL~ADVICE. v (Received February 3, ll#a.m.) * LONDON, 2nd February. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, Labour M.P., states that an official Labour amendment will be moved to the Address-in-Reply in the House of Commons concerning the deportations. The Labour Party's -Executive is obtaining legal advice with_ a view to proceeding against the Umgetti's captain and owners for illegal detention.