DEPORTED LABOURITES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 26 February 1914, Page 5

DEPORTED LABOURITES.

DECIDE TO LAND. AFTER MUCH PARLEYING. (Received Last Night, 11.20 o'clock.) LONDON, February 20. . The newspapers comment with humour on the seven hours parleying, resulting in labour leaders persuading tho deporteds to obey the captain's orders, other wise the elaborate reception arrangements would he disarranged. After compliments and introductory speeches were exchanged between the labourites aboard a launch and the deporteds on the Umgemi, Mr Bain, one of tlie deporteds, explained:— "We were placed on this vessel against our wishes, and do not intend to leave until we are taken back to South Africa."

Mr Henderson urged that the wholo British Labour movement was expecting tho party. Despite the recital of labourite hospitality, Mr Bain was adamant, and Henderson and his colleagues returned to tho hotel, chagrined at their failure. 'They returned later and threw a letter aboard the Urn*gemi, embodying arguments which proved resultless. The labourites returned to (havesend on their launch. «• .

Meanwhile a number of journalists chartered boats and secured disjointed" interviews with tho deporteds over tho ship's side. Finally Henderson and Bowerman were allowed aboard in order to persuade Bain to leave the ship. When the officers suggested that their efforts had been fruitless Mr Henderson pleaded for a little more true, and finally he was successful, and the deporteds left tho vessel carrying small handbags and parcels. The party are staying at the Grafton Hotel as the guests of the reception comittee.

STATEMMENT by poutsma. REASON FOR HIS DEPORTATION Received This Morn'ng, 12.30 o clock. LONDON, February 25' ■ Poutsma, one of tho men who arrived from South Africa by the steamer Umgemi, states that he was deported because ho would have won General Smuts' seat for Pretoria East at the general election. He denies that lie attempted to form a Labour Republic. r ; The-'passengers by the Umgemi state that the deporteds were very cheerful on the voyage. The captain treated them with the utmost courtesy. They had the best of food, and entered heartily into the deck games. They frequently sang militant songs, ' marching the deck until late at night. They also appeared to be well supplied with ipoiicy. . The Daily Chronicle says, that the landing of the deporteds was badly stage-managed. Anything impressive" about the proceedings was drowned in farce. The rush of eminent labour leaders to Gravesend \vn.« not dignified, and the -deporteds striking a heroic attitude and then climbing down in order to partake o) the potted calves was an unrehearsed absurdity.- Nevertheless the "Chronicle adds, the problem is a serious one.