The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1904. THE RAND LABOUR PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 11, 14 January 1904, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1904. THE RAND LABOUR PROBLEM.

"Mr SoikUm, in making a protest against tho introduction of Chinese lab- : our in tho Raj id mines has struck a nolo of sympathy in tho press of tho colony. His action, us a contemporary points out, may bo unconstitutional ; but in attempting to obtain tho co-operation of tho Federal Government in an agitation against the proposal the Premier, it will he generally agreed, has dono a right thing. How tho message was received -by tho Cabinet of tho Commonwealth we are unalfle to judge, as Mr Deakin observes a Sphinx-like reticence on the subject. Our cables this morning indicate that feeling amongst those in authority at; llonue will allow the Government of tho Transvaal to the question out for itself. The good intentions prompting Mr Seddon and other colonial Premiers in their protest am recognised in England, but thvru js a sifglgestiotv of a (piict but firm determination to ullow this youngest member of tlie Imperial family to solve its own domestic problem#: This supports the contention that the hysterical outpour-'j ings of a aeetion of the preys —in which the fear is expressed that unless the colonies give evidence that j thpy are alive to the situation the! mine owners of the Hand, wiU,

reason of the influence they wield in I Homo politics, deceive the British | (lovemment and the people while they convert South Africa into a home for t-!ie alien, and render the condition of the country such as to exclude white men—is hut iveatiiif? at the air. All this, therefore, would seem nu exaggeration. The widest stretch of imagination can hardly rwon/ile the suggestion that the Imperial Government is influenced by these plutocrats of the Transvaal with the facts as implied in the words of the cable. It is rathvr acting on the common sense principle to say I hat l<eopk' living iai Jhe country must know best how to deal with their afiairs. We are informed that thp introduction of representative govern- ! ment is now at hand, ami it follows that in electing their legislators the peoj)le will have ample opportunity of indicating their desires in connection with the question of alien labour in the mines. Meanwhile the hysterical cries o'f the " white " Africa advocates would seem somewhat tinged with unnecessary tionalis'm, and in any case are not likely to 'bo productive of any measure of good. ON THE FOURTH PAGE, Hotel ft>r I-loiant Egmont. O'uir Letter Box. The Far East. Our Vaunted Rival.