VERBAL CONTRACTS WITH IMMIGRANTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1650, 17 January 1913, Page 6

VERBAL CONTRACTS WITH IMMIGRANTS.

DOES TIIE US.'W. GOVERNMENTS , ; REPUDIATE? .' ; /; < . At tho opening of tho British Immigra-: Hon League's depot,at tho Glebe. Svdney, joJtfll'stoufiry %' tiifc'allcge'd repudiation by 'the New South Wales Government; of .its .undertakings towards would-bo. immigrants, carao up. It was first raiscd : .by a voice from the crowd, r and ..the comments upon it were particularly vigorous. Just as Mr. A. A, Danger, ,who ; officially opened the depot, finished speaking of tho conditions imposed upon tho ; immigration of army reservists, 'T was taken in," a. voice cried out. "I was given to understand that after I camo out hero I would bo ablo to get my wife and family, out for £fi.'. Now I find I havei to pay full fare!" ■[ .-,, "Perfectly true," Mr. Dangar answered. "You aro quite right." ' . Later on tho secretary of the league; Mr. H. E. Easton,' can(o to tho attack. The Government, ho said, through its Agent-General in London, Mr. Coghlnn, made verbal contracts with would-bo immigrants, and - then ' repudiated them. Three meu were amongst them now—("l'm one," a voice, apparently tho voice heard tefore, shouted from • the crowd)—who were t.old that if thoy camo out unassisted they would be allowed later to nominate their wives and families for assisted pas ; sages. ■•' Thoy carried out their part of tho contract—but what did tho Government do? It disclaimed, the statements of its Agent-Genorah (Cries of "Shame.") "I say,," Mr. Easton continued, "that nothing can bo moro disgraceful to any Government than, tho Repudiation of theso contracts. I believe ■ that such a state of fceliiig will:bo aroused that tho contracts will liavo to' bo carried, out." (Applause.) "I can siiow. you tho request," tho same voice from tho crowd.shouted.' : ■

"Wo aro going to get it all set right," said the- president of- tho, league, Professor Anderson Stuart.. "For vre .believe this country is gasping for labour,' from dno end of it-to tho other. But don't let us bo too hard ;on the politicians. They're, not their own'masters; there's an unseen power. behind them. And, any way, politicians wero made, as Lowell 6'ays:— '< '

... ".. holler, So that they might their, principles sw'aller!-