AUSTRIAN IMMIGRATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1403, 19 January 1899, Page 26

AUSTRIAN IMMIGRATION.

Sydney, JaPimry 11

A contingent of Austrian* left; to-riay for Nhw Zealand by the Mokoia, which *&iL,d for Auckland.

Melbourne. January 11

The " Arfrus," it) r*fViriug to th« Austrian difficulty in Nhw Z'wlaud, B*ys tb»i the colonies are Hgrwd that th«ve can be no unchecked (>n\iy of Asiatics, but in tltis cue a different question is involved —the advantages and disadvantages . f offering an open duor to the Continental European. It asks: "Can we shut the door in their faces without bringing shnu»' on ourselves ?'' As to whether :>r »or> "><-v are a menace to our civilisation, the paper says that the best and most deserving colonists in Victori* arH the hardy German pioneers of the Wiinniara district. " It cannot be said," continues the article, " that there is no room for these foreigners either in New Zealand or Australia. Such a statement is too preposterous for pretence. Poverty in merely a pecuniary Reuse should be no bar to the admission of healthy immigrants." Auckland, January 12. About 100 Austrians aro on board the Mokoia, which is due here on Sunday. The Austrian Consul is not prepared to enter into the bond for their landing. The Government has issued instructions that the Union Steam Ship Company must execute a bond of £lO per head before the Austrians are allowed to land. The local agent of the Union Company declines to give any information as to what action the company will take on the arrival of the Austrians by the Mokoia on Sunday, and the action of the Government is looked forward to with interest. Auckland, January 13. Pending the arrival of the 100 Austrians aboard the Mokoia from Sydney, Mr E. Langguth, the Austrian Consul here, is endeavouring to arrange for employment for

the men. He has had many offers for the employment of the immigrants. A number could get farm work in the Waikato, and there is work for at least 60 at ,£1 per week and found on a drainage contract also in the Waikato. From the North, moreover, comes an offer to employ ji batch of Austrians at gum-digging on private land at Kaeo, Whangaroa. The Consul, in fact, can arrange for the employment of the whole hundred for three months, during which they are forbidden by the Act to dig gum, but the prospect of so many foreigners obtaining employment here has led some of the representatives of labour to represent to the Consul that his action will tend to lower the price of labour and to keep colonials out of work, because Austrians will accept a lower wage. Mr Langguth, on the other hand, emphasises the fact that he cannot leave his countrymen to starve, and if he can get work for them he must do so<

However, it is probable that friction oyer this question of labour will be avoided, for to-day Mr Langguth received from Tasmania a cable offering employment to several hundred pick and shovel men on railway construction at seven shillings a day. He says that if he can induce his countrymen to go to Tasmania on those terms he will send the whole batch away. It is good pay, and they will be far better off than they would be here at £1 a week. The Consul will accordingly try to persuade the Austrians to accept the offer. Mr Langguth, the Austro-llungarian Consul, has received a cable from tho Austro-llungarian Ambassador in London stating that he has communicated with tho British Government With regard to Austrian immigration to New Zealand/

STATEMENT BY THE PEEMIER Hokitika, January 13

In addressing a meeting here to-night, Mr Seddon said that the Austrian difficulty had been settled. The Imperial Government had asked that those on the way out should be allowed to land, and the Union Company had entered into a bond to maintain those already landed for throe months.

Sydney, January 15. The manager of the North German Lloyds Company has cabled to Mr Seddon stating that ho has been informed by the Union Company that it would in future refuse to carry all Austrians, with or without means. As this means the exclusion of all Austrians —even distinguished and prominent men —he asks the Premier to cable under what Act they are excluded, and whether it is a fact that there shad be no exceptions or limits to the money required. Mr Lohmann, in an interview, says that the exclusion of prominent wealthy Austrians is an absurdity. Under the Premier's edict an Archduke may be excluded. Had the Premier, with an Act of Parliament at his back, fixed the condition that Austrians should possess £lO, it might be a reasonable position, but the present policy of total prohibition without Parliamentary sanction was beyond comprehension. The question which now presented itself to him was what will be the position of the officers and men of the Austrian warship which arrives in the colonies in a month —will they be prevented from landing in New Zealand ?

Launceston, January 16. ■ At a meeting held at Zeehan, the mining district of Western Tasmania, a resolution was passed strongly protesting against the threatened influx of Austrians from New Zealand,

Auckland, January 16. Eighty-eight Austrians arrived by tho Mokoia from Sydney last night. They were landed quietly, and their names taken by a Customs officer. Sixty will go at once to draining work in the Waikato to qualify by the three months' residence which is required to obtain licenses to dig gum. The others are expected to be similarly provided for.

A great crowd witnessed the arrival of the steamer, but the Austrians delayed their landing until midnight, when everything was quiet, and then proceeded to various boarding-houses.

These are believed to be the last of tho Austrians who left Dalmatia before the authorities notified the passing of the restrictive legislation. Auckland, January 16.'

A f an open air meeting, Mr W. Crowt-her, M 1t. 1 !.., presiding, a resolution wxsomied to i (u- fffv-ct that the Government be. thanked t'.>r its services in Hie matter of pr-vtiitiny the Austrian influx, and that it be asked to further use its influence to keep Austrians out of New Zealand. Launceston, January 17. The protest of the Zeehan miners against Austrian immigration was tho outcome of a cablegram stating that work csuld be found for several lumdvcd men in rahv. >y construction, and Laafc tne i'.i.ht; ;.a;;s refused admission to New Zealand were coining to this colony, whore local labour is superabundant. Auckland, January 17. Ten Austrians left to-day for Taupiri, where some of them previously resided. It is stated that 80 leave by the early goods train at daylight to-morrow for Onewhiro, to dig gum for a private speculator on private lands. The question still has an international aspect. Mr Langguth, the Austrian Consul, states that he received a cable today from the Imperial Ambassador in London (Count Franz Deym) to the effect that he was still pushing Ids protest on behalf of the Austrians under the notice of the British Government.