AUSTRALIA AND HATTERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7628, 15 December 1902, Page 2

AUSTRALIA AND HATTERS.

Received 14, 5.55 p.m. . SYDNEY, December 14. The detention of the hatters has given rise to a deal of adverse criticism in certain quarters. Sir John See has strongly protested to Sir Edmund Barton against the detention of white labour imported under coni tract for a special industry, as being opposed to the spirit of the Immigration Restriction Act. Sir E. Barton after a lengthy consideration of the case, last night ordered the hatters' reloass. Previously the Federal authorities had becm advised that six more hatters had arrived by the Oruba at Fremantle for the same firm, but were not allowed to land. Permission was also ;*cfused to an Indian firm of importers at Melbourne to bring out a number of Rishinia expert workers in silk and eastern goods. Received 14 fc 5.37 p.m. LONDON. December 33. The Economist newspaper says: ''The exclusion of the hatters is inconsistent with the principles of the Imperial Conference which' arrived at maximum facilities for Imperial intercommunication, and maximum identity in legal rights enjoyed in each part of the Emppre by the citizens mall. The law as enforced at Sydney is a dangerous, encouragement to the South African labour party to shut Australians out of the Rand." Ueceived 15, 10.9 a.m. MELBOURNE, December 15. " [Sir E. Barton, in a minute on the hatters difficulty, points out that no application for exemption was made till the 10th. Then the appiie*a«ion was opposed by the president and sec- . retary of the Australasian Association of Felt Hatters. Sir E, Barton expressed regret that the applijation was made so late. The Right Hon. G. H. Reid, speaking at Maitland, scathingly denounced Sir E. Barton's attitude on the hatter difficulty. There was a point on which Australians would neither forgive or forget, and that was when' statesmen filling high offices administered the law so as to attract the ridicule and odium of the whole British Empire. 1 .