THE Grey River Argus AND BLACKBALL NEWS, (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY APRIL 8, 1904.

Grey River Argus, 8 April 1904, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus AND BLACKBALL NEWS, (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY APRIL 8, 1904.

That dreadful Rand-cum-Chinky question is like the "d d spot" in Macbeth; it will not out. In dealing with this subject on a previous occasion we expressed a fear that the Asiatics would yet have to be introduced to save a bad situation. Even yet, though the opposition has greatly increased, we are not at all sure that circumstances will nob be found coin™ pulsory . in the end. The natural instincts of all Anglo-Saxons, in whatever part of the world they may be be found, are ' profoundly against Chinese or the introduction of Asiatics of any kind. Ifc is a pure question of keeping a pure race, and is as stronsjly felt in the United States as iv this colouy, Australia or South Africa, though, singular to say, the British Columbian sees nothing to object to in Chinese labour, and finds room for lots of ifc. But we hold with every effort that will contribute to prevent amalgamation of the races, though we see less danger of it than many may. However, that phase of the subject cannot be argued here.

Bub to come to the real text of our article : we see thab a, Mr Bradley, manager of the Langlaate Deep Mine (Ltd) Johannesburg, has just stated at Wellington that feeling in South Africa is just as much in favor of the Chinese as it is against them ; that Kaffir labour is scarce, and that the low grade mines could not be worked without cheap, labour. It may be said, perhaps with some degree of truth, that Mr Bradley's sympathies are with the mineowncrs. But he is not the only one back from South Africa who tells the same tale. Only a few days ago a returned New ZeV lander who seemed to be independent of any kind of influence, expressed precisely the same opinion as MiBradley, though all experienced worker.3 will" smile at the remark that' moving and shovelling rock is only "nigger's work." The white miner that cannot shovel rock in the Johannesburg mines must be a pretty poor specimen of a man.

The real position i 3 this : the mine, owners have boeu retaliated on by the Kaffirs, who have practically gone on strike. They were treated scandalously in the compounds, where the death I average waa something abnormal. j Apart from that their wages were re-% duced 50 per cent. This was quite enough to send the niggers back to their kraals to live on mealies and the labour of their wives. Besides, the general work of colonising outside mining has swallowed up mosb of the stray cheap labour going and is still crying out for more. There is black labour enough to be got in the country if ifc were only sure of good pay and good treatment But the Band Barons have, set their hearts upon tho Asiatic and are keeping up a lockout in order to have their way. The mines can pay for white.and black labour as before ; they are getting richer as they deepen even ; but the Ecksteims, the Beits, the Wernkers, and all the rest of them, are simply determined to have their way; and how they are to be compelled to work their mines as others want them to do, is a problem that the most advanced labour leader might be uns able to solve, especially in a Crown colony. The ease of the Europeans now in Transvaal is really paitifgl to r^adpf. Thousands of Australians and Jfew Zealanders do not know where to get

a meal, and work to men in such a situation would be bliss. But the magnates are obdurate, and we have no doubt tuat Lord Mitner. and all who are with him on this question firmly believe what they are told — that noth. ing but a good supply of Asiatic labour will save the country. They can see with their own eyes that at everything is languishing and more likely to gee worse. The mine owners hold the whip hand, and they can go on wringing the vitals of the people until their desires are complied with. It is. very clear that no unity of opinion exists on the question, so that if a referendum were granted it is doubtful whether a vote againsb the introduction of Chin* ese would be carried. However, the experiment would be worth trying. It might have the effect of consolidating public opinion now in a vacillating state. The question rests entirely in the hands of the Gold Kings of the Rand, and the only way in which they are likely to be constitutionally and successfully dealt with is by at once giving the Transvaal a free constitutional government. As this is to be done at some not very remote date in any case, why not hasten a solution of the one great difficulty now existing by granting a constitution at once. If this were done matters would very soon adjust themselves. It might certainly issue in a set-back to the Rand Barons, But they need not be considered, as they will do well in any case. The South African war was fought in the interests of white men, though no one thought of interfering with the blacks of the soil. But there is a decided repugnance to see Chinese invade the country under what is practically a system of degrading slavery and under which the poor blacks died like rotten sheep. The people of the Transvaal should be allowed to settle this question fer themselves in a constitutional way as a beginning. The denunciation that has been evoked all round AngloSaxondom is sufficient to show that it will never cheerfully settle down to the admission that the Chinaman is a necessity in South Africa now nor likely to be at any time. Finally, we are perfectly satisfied that, even if once introduced, he would nob be allowed to remain.