COLOURED CREWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 959, 28 October 1910, Page 4

COLOURED CREWS.

ATTITUDE Off THE GOVEEiNMERTi

: A of;the Government's intern-', ;\,. taon \vith. respect.'..to . the , demakd: for- ~:..■. legislation regarding '.'shipping compairiee f- ':': employing Lascai , crew was made in ithov , ■ ■ ; House yesterday by the Prime Miniaxtf, in.reply to, a by Mr. C. H. '-•'' Poole. Sir Joseph Wnid 6aid tha£ as he ; had intimated t*> a doputatipn that wait--,:' ', ed ; on him, he intended to deal with the- ; matter this session. A Bill would bo in- . troduoed, and tho House would be asked to pass it. The;elfcct of this Bill ■'' would bo to extend the laws now applying to. the coastal trade, and to make tnemi ■ apply to tho Australian coast , and the. 1 Pacific Islands.' That would enable us. : to control the wages' of the crewe of ships < ■■ Zealand exactly the 6ame . as we did'on ships trading on our own : coast. - ■>; . ■■.' ■ '■ ■■ -. .'- i i ■ ■;.)-..- '■":■., Mr. Massey: How will that affect the '■'.'''■ P. and 0. Company. , ..:■.•:'. . Sir. Joseph. Ward:"l am-not going to : '■'.' discuss particular companies. If it wore -.i'-! , '" to stop them altogether I would not ol* ject if tho-Lascar crews are to compe-to against our own seamen." Continuing, Sir Joseph Ward said companies like tho ,: ' P. and 0. oujjht to respect the laws passed in- the: interests of white eeamen. '; The position was too ; serious to allow ' Sentdflientol. considerations to i prevent us '■ ■■': stopping ft system that;might sap the foundations we were nasious te presiffve.Proposals would also, be submitted dealing, with Asiatic crows. That. class of ,V crow was coming on somo of tho deep water steamers; arid was competing un- ~ ■ ■ fairly with white'-.;orovrs. The Govern- . menc suggested provision for. a, sUmfi ".':"- dutj T upon bills of lading for cargo and passengers, so as to impose some dieabil- , lty upon this class of vessel: Mr. Parata: Will it intcrfcro, with the: . Cook-Islanders?- •' : -'■:'.' ' ' ■ . . ' Sir. Joseph Wardj Isq, it will not affect . the Nativo race. ; , . ' ■' . ■ .■:: ■-'-."■