SEDGWICK BOYS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 4, 29 June 1911, Page 5

SEDGWICK BOYS

LABOR'S UNREASONABLE ATTITUDE. liy Tel: grapk.—Press Association. Wellington, Wednesday. At the meeting of the National Administrative Council of the New Zealand Labor Party last night a letter was read from the Auckland lirancli suggesting (hat a 'protest be lodged against the Government importing any more Sedgwick boys, but in view ol Government having intimated that no more assistance, would be granted for further importations until the first batch had been in the Dominion twelve months, it whs considered iby the council unnecessary to take any action at this juncture, although the council is opposed to the importation of cheap labor. The Dunedin South branch reported that a large number of Government employees were in sympathy with the Party, but were debarred from taking an active interest in the movement owing to the nature of their employment, which might be due to the Government system of espionage which is alleged to prevail in some places. FARMERS* EULOGY. Christclmreh, Last Night. The executive of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union discussed matters connected with the Sedgwick boys, and eulogistic remarks were made regarding the conduct ami industry of those employed in Canterbury. It was stated that there is still a shortage of boys for farms. The executive decided to give ten guineas towards .Mr. Sedgwick's expenses. "It is with extreme regret" (says the Formers' Advocate) "that we hear that Cabinet has declined to lend its support • to the proposal to bring out a further lot of 'Sedgwick' boys for the coming season. We fear that the proximity ,of the general elections has somethirig"'to do with the matter, and the condemna- ' tion of the Labor leaders has outweighed ' the desire to assist the farmers in their ' endeavor to secure labor, and therefliy : increase the produce of the country. We had hoped that the action of our union in urging the continuance of the immigration scheme—endorsed by every provincial conference—would have induced Mr. Millar to give way on this ■ point. . . .Ministers have freely stated that the country wants population, and we cannot believe that the workers are ■ against the policy. Do we not see by cable from London that with a Labor Government in power, New South Wales, through their Agent-General in England, 'is dispatching 3000 selected and nominated emigrants during the quarter end- ; ing ,10th September; and 1000 will sail in a, vessel early in September?' Four ' thousand immigrants in less than six months; yet our Government is afraid to agree to one-hundredth part of this number, and boys at that. It is rather a humiliating spectacle."