MINER MIGRANTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17501, 7 September 1928, Page 8

MINER MIGRANTS.

RECEIVE BAD TREATMENT. i MR KIRKWOOD’S STRONG PROTEST INADEQUATE ARRANGEMENTS. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian Press Association). (Received Sept. 7, 12.45 p.m.) WINNIPEG, Sept. 6. The men who left Britain to undertake harvesting operations in Canada under the scheme proposed by the Canadian Government and endorsed by the Home authorities, are stranded and receiving rough treatment. Mr David Kirkwood, Labour Member for Dumbarton, conferred with the Dominion immigration officials, and representatives of the railways to-day. I-Ie termed the system of looking a.fter the men as disgraceful, and described Mr Baldwin’s plan for sending British miners to Canada as criminal in view of the absence of organised efforts to see the men were looked after. HERDED LIKE SHEEP SENSATIONAL ALLEGATIONS. ! CAGED AND GUARDED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian Press Association). (Received Sept. 7, 1.5 p.m.) WINNIPEG, Sept. 6. At a conference on colonisation today between the British Labour members and delegates of the Empire Parliamentary Association, a bombshell was dropped by Mr Thcmas .Johnson (Labour member for Sterling), who declared that he had witnessed the spectacle of British harvesters being kept in underground cages at the Winnipeg railway station. They were guarded by an armed soldier and two dozen policemen, and were not permitted to leave. They were herded together like sheep. “British citizens are not in the habit or being treated in this way,” Mr Johnson declared. Mr Thomas Shaw, Minister of Labour and Mr Ramsay MacDonald, declared that they had accompanied Mr Johnson and had seen the conditions with their own eyes. Viscount Peel said he had no personal knowledge of the conditions, but felt it a proper time for an investigation to be held and charges aired thoroughly. The Winnipeg Board of Trade is likely to petition the Federal Gov-, ernment to investigate the matter.