ALLENS IN THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16265, 26 June 1916, Page 7

ALLENS IN THE NORTH.

PROPOSED segregation. OPPOSITION IN AUCKLAND. DEPUTATION TO MR. MASSEY. [BY TELEGRAPH.;— CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday, nr. protest against the Government's pro-posal-to , segregate all single unnaturalised gumdiggers who are Ausaji subjects was made to-day by deputation representing gum brokers and dealers The deputation, which was introduced by Mr. J. S. Dickson M consisted of Messrs. J. F. Montague, f! k T n^ en '. K. Morton, W. H. Wharfe, ShirtlifL V e^ a , 1 - of Auckland, and G. M Mvs ? WeHmgton. The Hon. A. M \i 10 was present. Ported %K n » taS i Ue said it was currently relntern *\ ? Gover "ment proposed to trei-s liv* IS °! ate a l! Dalmatian gumdigw2,J? y sending them to Parenga. it con^dTX that the men should be unlf»csc *i° Property of one company estabLh h T pe ° le were permitted to Another 1 01 T S and buy- gum there. ffl ° JeC .V Was that the Parenga whit« j much more black than laiuA urn .> a "d the effect of sending a ovei f r dl «e e »s there would be Ouent l n ! on of . black gum, and a conseincrease in th pn< r € ' 85 well 518 a serious increase 111 the price of white gum. The valtv "of I?"' iT ever ' WaS that of the loyalty of the i atlans - If they were or isolLs certainl y be interned hi . sc > Ja tcd, but if loyal why should they a? T? these men There had been ample \t that these men were loval. to the front. 0 " ' of them have gone No Sympathy With Austria. Mr. Montague said they had also offered to thTLT\ ti « hters to°b°e sent officers in J xi 6 trained by Servian t?fiS.'t 1 for th 1 " ?, at th °y mi g h t be able contrfbuted tlLif ** on*?- o, ss £■ Izk-k £3 sympathy with Austria, and when war ££r£ S'appSd'i bat h. '] 0 lnamr© into the matter, itself c OI ,IH deal Wlth the matter by mean of Lhot\ deal t w!th the matter by mean s ierfJSto re P<?Fts. + The - men themselves nort® q, «. m v g to be judged by the re- ? n _j 0 ?, police. To do what was proposed .would largely ruin tho gum busikeene™ as dozens ° British storeKeepers who depended upon Dalmatian gumdiggers for a living. British gumdiggers would never do work that these men d ' d , : ' n f ? c t, ™it not for Dalmatians and Maoris the industry would have been dead long ago. Proposals of the Government.

Other members of the deputation also spoke, and Mr. Massey, in replying, said he fully recognised the importance of the industry, seeing that the. value of gum exported was about*£soo,ooo annually. The Government did not wish to interfere with the industry any more than could be helped. For many months past, however, serious rumours had been current as to the attitude of so-called Austrians in the North. These reports had created considerable unrest. Although not much had been said in Parliament on the matter, he had had many representations on the subject from members of Parliament and others. Some time ago he had asked the three North Auckland members to act as a committee of advice in the matter, and they had furnished him with a great deal of valuable information and advice. The police had been instructed to take possession of all firearms owned by these people, but with the exception of a few shot-guns and revolvers nothing of any consequence had been found. For some time negotiations had bean going on between the Government and Mr. Alderton, representative of the Parenga Gum Company. As a re- ] suit the Government had given all unnaturalised single alien gumdiggers to understand that they would have to move northward of a certain line where there was very little settlement; in other words, go to the Parenga district. Married and naturalised men would not be" interfered I with. The men would be allowed to dig gum on payment of the same royalty as that paid by diggers now at Parenga. This action, it was thought, would allay public anxiety. EBect on the Gum Industry." Mr. Dickson: Will the men be tied down to buy their stores from the company? Mr. Massey said the company would have to sell stores at prices approved by the Government. The men would be allowed to .sell their gum to whom they desired. 'There would be no monopoly. Mr. Gribben: If the loyalty of the men were proved would that not allay public anxiety ? Mr. Massey: I believe that the large majority are loyal, but there is a small: proportion not loyal. Replying to a statement by Mr. Montague that the proposal would deal a death-blew to the industry, Mr. Massey said he could not agree with that opinion. In reply to the Hon. A. M. Myers, who asked what proportion of gum was produced by alien diggers, Mr. Montague said probably two-thirds. Mr. Shirtcliffe : Does this public demand come from the North of Auckland ? Mr. Massey : Yes, partly. Mr. Gribben suggested that the men might be removed from the railways and Crown lands, and allowed to dig only on private lands. Mr. Massey : I do not think that that would make any difference. - Mr. Massey, in concluding, said the step had not been taken without proper consideration or without taking advice of men who were best acquainted with the difficulties of the position. The Government was advised that there was only the one thing to do. PARENGA COMPANY'S POSITION. DIRECTOR'S VIEWPOINT. Mr. G. E. Alderton, managing director of the Parenga Gumfields, Ltd., returned from Wellington on Saturday, having completed the arrangements with the Government for the isolation of the alien diggers on the company's property at Parenga- Speaking to a Herald representative he said : "The decision of the Government to isolate men was the outcome of the representations made by the Northern people to their Parliamentary representatives, and the Government had to take action. With the pros and cons of the question our company took no part, as it was one affecting primarily the Northern people among whom these men were domiciled. Our company was approached as to whether we would consider the isolation of these aliens on our Parenga property, it being pointed out that it was the only place absolutely removed from the settled districts affording perfect isolation, and to help the Government out of a difficult position we agreed to do so. This scheme obviously will divert and dislocate to some extent the gum business; that is unavoidable and inevitable under the exigencies of war. To say that this scheme will ruin the gum industry, or even injure it, is absurd- When the matter was first suggested that these men should be isolated at Parenga, we discussed the advisability of. inviting the different merchants and gum brokers to join us in this scheme on a kind of "national" basis, so that all could take a hand in it, ancTbe generally helpful to the Government. This would not only be patriotic in a way, but would tend to prevent as far as possible any diversion of the usual current trade. The deputation to Wellington, however, has shown such a scheme" to be imposI sible."