THE YELLOW AGONY TROUBLE.

Evening Star, Issue 12163, 6 April 1904, Page 4

THE YELLOW AGONY TROUBLE.

DISCUSSED BY THE TRADES’

CONFERENCE. MR SEDDON’S PROTEST ENDORSED. [SPECT'U. to the Stak.] CHRISTCHURCH, April 6. At the conference of the New Zealand Trades’ Councils in Christchurch yesterday the South African labor question was discussed on the motion of Mr A. Rosser (an Auckland delegate), who moved—" That the Conference support the action of the Premier in protesting against the introduction of Chinese labor into the Transvaal.” stated that the recent South African War had been brought on by the capitalists, but the fact that war existed made it impossible to concede anything to the enemy so long as hostilities continued. After taking part in the acquisition of the Transvaal the colonies had a perfect right to say that the white population who had endured hardships during the war had the first right to be considered in connection with its national industry. The specious argument that the introduction of Chinese would be hedged about with so many restrictions as to make it harmless would not hold. The Premier deserved all support for being the first public man to protest in this matter. He thought they should redouble their efforts and urge the Premier to continue his protests against the scheme.

Mr J. T. Paul (Otago), in seconding the motion, said that the restrictions which had been mentioned amounted to nothing less than slavery. It was not true that the South African ore was too poor to allow of white men being paid to work it. He (Mr Paul) read extracts from the ‘South African Guardian’ with the object of showing. that the capitalists had been guilty of a gigantic swindle in their representation as regards capital. Mr Barr (Canterbnrvj said that there were enough blacks in South Africa to work mines, but even savages would not to.erate the treatment which they would receive at the mines. They were treated worse than dogs, as they bad told him themselves, ami the money which they earned practically went back again to their employers, owing to the excessive charges for provisions made by the Jewish storekeepera within the “ compound.” The " boys ” were also herded like pigs, without the least facilities for sanitation. Mr W. T. Young (Wellington) moved as an amendment—" That the Conference appreciate and endorse the Premier’s protests, as we are of opinion that the Rand mines can be profitably worked with whito ]abor 3 and that the importation of Chinese is a most deliberate attempt by the Rand mine-owners to deprive British white labor of its undoubted rights.” He said that ex-President Kruger had shown backbone in telling'the mine-owners tnat if thej’ could not work the mines without Chinese labor they must close them down, and the Government would work them. There was plenty of Kaffir labor at band, but the natives bad refused to work for the reduced wage offered to them. The mine-owners were afraid that if white labor were imported the whites would want the franchise, and that then the privileges of the capitalists would soon be at an end. It would be impossible to hem in 30,000 Chinese within a mile of Pretoria or Johannesburg, as was proposed, without causing awful disease and immorality, only to benefit the pockets of a few mine-owners.

Mr J. R. Cole (Wellington) seconded the amendment, as being rather more comprehensive than the original motion. Other speakers spoke strongly against the proposed importation of Chinese, and after a prolonged discussion Mr Rosser withdrew his motion in favor of the amendment, which was carried unanimously.

THE PREMIER’S LATEST MOVE. Long correspondence has been published at Wellington between Major M'Donald, of Johannesburg (formerly of Australia), and Mr Seddou about the coolie labor. Mr M Donald admits that he lias been converted by the capita-lists’ arguments. Mr Seddon reph; s that “if there had been, in given districts, a proper irrigation scheme, the f.-iriaing and agricultural interests would have prospered. ;uid the unemployed should, be put to work on railway .construction on the co-operative principle.” As to mining, he cannot see why a trial should not be made of working one of the mines with white labor. “ Putting it in its worst phase,” he says, ‘‘ the profits on wording a mine by white labor might oe less, nut suli there would he a fair profit, and th * n *ony would be peopled with Britishers ins re;.c of Asiatics.” “Think, dear friend, rvtr ire matter again,” remarks the Premar. “I fear you have come to a hasty conclu-’nn. Something far deeper than profit and pelf should be remembered when the best interests of our country and ibi collision r -f its inhabitants are essential to me sdioarhy of the Empire.” A JOHANNESBURG ALAN ACER’S VIEW. [Peb United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 6. Mr Bradley, manager of the Langlaate Deep Mine, Limited, Johannesburg, is visiting Wellington. Speaking to a ‘New Zealand Times’ representative, he said, with reference to Chinese labor in Hie Rand, that feeling in favor of the Chinese wvr just as strong as that against them. Native labor could not be procured in cufhcaut quantities. The work required lo i e done in the mine was niggers’ work, an.) unnoted to white men—moving rock and shovclhhig quartz; and, moreover, there was a prevailing objection to white mm w.-rkmg underground alongside of Ivilnr.' A great number of low-grade mines amid iot be profitably worked ixcept by i lack la Ur, and many of these mines were now idle for want of labor. He did n,i ih.ni tint tU employment of Chinese would oust the white man, because skilled men would always get work in the mines at decent Woges.