THE AUSTRIANS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8409, 7 January 1899, Page 2

THE AUSTRIANS.

THE PREMIER'S ILLEGAL ACTION. (Electric Telcgraph-Copyright-Unlted Preaj Association.) Sydney, Jan. 6. The Austrian Consul here has cabled to the Imperial authorities at Vienna requesting them to bring pressure to bear on the British Government with regard to the action of the New Zealand Government in stopping the arrival of Austrians. The cable to the Ministry at Vienna is to the effect that Mr Seddon, without authority; was refusing entry of Austrians into New Zealand. Replying to a cable from the North German Lloyds Company, the Austrian Consul at Auckland wires that there is absolutely no act whatever governing the action of the New Zealand Government, which was quite illegal. A solicitor's letter has been sent to the Union Company by the German Company, and approved by the Orient Company. • It says : " We are informed that there is- no Act in New Zealand specially prohibiting Austrians landing there, and that the ' Government have no legal authority to prevent Austrians landing. Our clients therefore wish accommodation reserved in the next Auckland boat for forty Austrians... Unless a written intimation is received of the Union Company' 6 willingness to carry them, the men have no alternative but to institute proceedings for damages." Brisbane, Jan. 6. It has transpired that Mr Seddon cabled to the Premier with reference to the Austrian immigrants. Mr Dickson replied : — ' "If the Austrians came to Queensland there would be no legal difficulty to prevent them landing, but at the same time no inducement would be held out for them to do so. " Commenting upon the action of the Government in preventing the landing of Austrians in Auckland, the Christchurcli Press says: — "We have said that a democracy cannot afford to violate the law. If we cease to have ' reverence for the laws ourselves have made' we cease to be a democracy in fact, by whatever name we may call ourselves. The year is beginning badly by this pronouncement of the Ministry, and we do not see how the police and officials of justice can be expected to enforce laws when the Ministry are setting an example to the community of violating them. It is a bad training for a people when the Ministers of Justice are guilty of injustice, and the far-reaching effects of a Ministry setting aside laws cannot be measured. It may be popular amongst some people in Auckland to thus attack the Austrian Dalmatians, but it is a bad outlook for free government and for liberty when any Ministry imitates tho actions of French despots, and sets aside the law when it conflicts with its notions of expediency. The object is apparent. It has been done to get votes, and this getting of votes is deemed by the present Ministry the whole aim of a politician's life." The Auckland Herald says : — "The farce was "-that while half-a-dozen soldiers and policemen were standing guard over these two Austrians, to prevent them putting a foot on New Zealand soil, because they were erroneously assumed to be without means, a destitute stowaway was being incontinently bundled ashore by another detachment, so that he might be maintained at the public expense."