THE STRANDED EXILES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 234, 27 June 1919, Page 8

THE STRANDED EXILES

I ' • ■ ♦ . f / HOPES OF RETURN I THE MANUKA AND MOERAKI ! . There is now a' ray of hope for the f stranded, New Zealanders in Sydney, tor ; there is, a." prospect of; both the Manuka j and the Moeraki sailing from that port ! in the; course of a few days. The Niagara j has got'away from Auckland, and the j." Manuka, whioh lias been in quarantine : at' Auckland, begaa to unload yesterday. The Union- Company hope to got the 11a- ! suka.away to Sydney on Sunday. Her i crew is understood to be a New Zealand j crew, so that there should bo some ! chance that they will not go ashore to |' join the strike on the Australian coast. I 'As to 'the 'Moeraki, the position ia not j so definite. The stranded.New Zealandi ers have been taking a hand in regard ! i.to this, Teasel, "and have asked .- to bo nlJ Uowed w man the boat themselves. The i 1! Seamen's Union in Australia has been I ; in communication with tho Seamen's : ! ,Union in New Zealand as to whether this I 'should-/be permitted, and the New Zea-

[ .land union has replied, it is understood, I 'that the question is one for the Austrai lian .Union to settle. This information i was communicated yesterday by the Actj ing-Prinie Minister (Sir James Allen). He i said that he did not know what the

\ decision of the Australian Union, would I :be, but he was hopeful that both ships' [ would be able to sail. If they both''did }-.'. succeed in away they would,. be | nble to bring back practically all the I stranded .New Zealanders in Sydney.

f Referring to. the matter the Hon. G. | -W..Russell said that it had been ar- '. , ranged 'with the Union Company that if •'.; jboth steamers were able to sail one of ■'. them would be sent to Auckland and one v to Wellington. He had arranged also that '.- . a New Zealand Government doctor should > v sail by the Manuka : for the' purpose 'of j 'examining all the passengers and crew l oh-the ship prior to her.'leaving-for New | 'Zealand. He honed.that within the next ! ten days some 500 of tlie stranded people [. would be nble to leave Sydney. . *.. I \ Mr. Russell made a'statement also,re- ! ; earding the alleged distress among Vthe 1 New Zealanders. "Tn eonseauence-. of the ! alarmist reports published in the newsS papers regarding the necessitous condi- ;' tion of the New Zealanders stranded," ';■ said' Mr. Russell, "the Government agent ■ 'in Sydney was asked to supply a full t report on the posit-on.' He states that | '■ the stranded New Zealanders' Commit-' !• ,tee in Sydney have publicly invited api } plications for monetary assistance to be 'sent to them,-in order that .they may | .refer the same to the Government agent. I Yesterday afternoon, the committee i brought'several cases, to his notice,/but' : he found that there, were only a few } case 3 outside of those already dealt •with, l and none of these had previously applied ' ;t'o the Government agent for'assistance. : ;Ee 6tat.es. that probably there are cases )• that should be relieved of persons who !■ refrain from disclosing their position. He !.-' jias promised the committee,to continuo ; to relieve, all bona-fide cases thev bring !■ Wore him..He states also that.the SydI ney papers are publishing exaggerated i stories palpably supplied by people jvhn ; are not bona-fide stranded New Zenlnnd-. j: ens. but nebple who have been living :" i there for some considerable time. ■ ;Pur- ! ther funds have this day been forwardi ' ed to him to Sydnev to enable him to make advances to everybody,who may be I in need of such assistance."

!•'. ;.■'' MANNING THE MOERAKI. - ATTITUDE OF SEAMEN'S. UNION. * ''■ The general secretary of the Federated ■' Seamen's Union (Mr. W. T." Young Lyes''■■'■'■■ terday received the following telegram " from Mr. Batt, Chairman of the. New ;' Zealand Wailing Passengers' Committee '■■' in Sydney.—''Executive Seamen's Union ' - here have acquiesced to stranded New Zealandeis here manning Moeraki withi out future ostracism; can you assist "by ■ ; ' giving same. assurance ?" ' Mr. Young sent tho following reply, to !'■' Mr. Batt: "Matter exclusively in hands • . cf Australian Union." He also forward-. } cd the following message to the secretary i of the Australian Seamen's "•Tiiion:— i. "Batt, chairman stranded New Zealandi ers, cables Executive Seamen's Union •Sydney agrees stranded New Zeahuvlers i manning : Moeraki, and requests similar i assurance by.us., .What is position? Ad- ■: rise." •:'.