THE MINES LABOUR QUESTION IN THE TRANSVAAL.a

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13543, 16 March 1906, Page 2

THE MINES LABOUR QUESTION IN THE TRANSVAAL.a

Our Johannesburg correspondent writes: The whole question of Chinese labour on the Transvaal mines has been reopened by the accession of the Liberal Government. Tho Liberals had denounced in unmeasured terms the ordinance permitting the importation of alien labour, so it was inevitable when the party eamo into power some movo would be mado to mend or end the employment of tho foreign labourers. The influential press in South Africa is in tho hands of tho mining houses, and naturally the organs of the capitalists were very much exercised as regards the situation, giving vent lo diatribes of foreboding. . It would be a case of shutting down the mines if the Homo Government gave heed to the extremist section of their party, which advocated not merely the stoppage of further landing of Chinese in the country, but tho immediate deportation of those already working on the mines. . . This was, of course, an extravagant, a. jaundiced view to take. The ordinance permitting importation had received the assent of Parliament, and could not rudely bo mado inoperative. It was imperative, to respect tho indentures entered into with tho coolies on the mines. No matter bow opposed tho present Home Government was to tho flooding of a British colony with Chinese, or how anxious it might bo for ridding tho Transvaal of tile yellow hordes, the law sanctioning their presence was on the Statute Book. Such was a patent fact that had to be recognised. It was thon vain talk, a beating of tho air. indulged in by a section of the local press, to say the Liberals were about to ruin the gold mining industry by the withdrawal of the Chinese. Those who from the outset were vehement against Chinese labour and eontinuo of the conviction that tho sconer it is dispensed with tho better, readily concede that the industry has to a, great extent been built up with the foreign labour, and that it would be suicidal—allowing it were practical or lawful—to suddenly withdraw one-half of the workers on whom the mines are dependent, Though seriously put in print, it was only the excited imagination of a few that conjured the notion that the Liberal Government would seek to in a twinkling sweep away the Cliincse from tho mines.

No "tyranny" can so far at all events b9 laid to the charge of the Liberals in connection with the labour on the Transvaal mines. The Government ot Sir Campbell Banncrman has .really been more kind to the "Randlords" than was'looked for, inasmuch as tho requisitions for additional Chinese that had been sent in on the evo of the new Colonial Scorctary (Lord Elgin) taking office are to bo allowed to stand. We will therefore havo an addition of from 12,000 to M 000 to the present number of yellow men within tho next few months. This will bring tho army of Chinese on the main reef to well over 60,000, or 5000 in excess of the number originally estimated as the maximum wanted to fulfil requirements. Surely tho mineowners cannot xmiplain. They will, however, havo to whistle for more until such time as a Transvaal Parliament has a sayin the matter. . . . Six months back there were just on 45,000 Chinese on tho field, and importation was so slack during tho latter part of 1905 as to favour the assumption that the mines had received as full a complement df,-ioreign labour as was for some time needed. There had been a virtual halt in recruiting in China. It would almost appear then as if tho sending in of requisitions for a big addition to the number of alien coolies at the time the Balfour Ministry resigned was a movo to embarrass the present Government. Some havo it that a refusal to help tho mines with labour would constitute a sufficient pretext for repudiation of tho £30,000,000 obligation !

THE TREATMENT OF THK COOLIES. If, as is said, the slavery cry did ought to influence the swelling of the Liberal majority at Home, the elections wore won on a false issue. The Chinese are, as a' matter of fact, pampered to an excessive extent. The complaint of the dwellers on the Rand is that they are allowed far too much liberty. Chinese holidays and the giving of the national holidays aro provided for in the contract terms, they flaunt about the streets of Johannesburg in cabs, and generally make themselves objectionable. Slaves? On these days, at anyrate, they appear as misters. On the mines they are much totter house.) and much lietter fed than the Kaffirs. What ordinary mortals object to is that our own natives are not half so well treated. It. is passing strange that the people of England, while so solicitous about the Chinese, have no word to say in regard to the blacks. Comparisons are odious in respset to the differentiation of tho treatment of the two races. This leads me to sa-y the accepted characteristics of the yellow man have been nullified by the experience on the Rand mines. Instead of the Chinese turning out frugal, patient workers, they are just the opposite. They are indolent, have to be driven to their service, and have little or no desire to improve their station. Far from being content to live "on th" smell cf an oily nig." they dissipate all their earnings. One at least of the minor conni*; against, the employment of Chinese—that they would spend nothing and conseouenlly 1» of no becfif to the white community—falls to the ground.

— Micky: "Well, at. anyrate,' ye can't say that I'm double-faced, liko some I knows of." Patsy: "Well, man, that's the truth ye're sayin' If ve hud another face ye wouldn't' he walkin' abroad wid them fayturs of yours."