South African Strike

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 182, 31 January 1914, Page 5

South African Strike

.DETAILS OF DEPORTATIONS. VESSEL UNDER SEALED ORDERS. •OWNERS INDEMNIFIED. J!y Cable—Press Association—Copyright Tieceiveil ;il», 11.5 p.m. Capetown, January 30. It has been pointed out that it is easy for the. Imperial authorities to intercept the Umgeni (which has a speed of only 11 knots an hour) era! days liefore she rounds the Cap-, and that the cruiser Ilayacinth could easily I'm 1 her. It is understood that the Union Gov. «ei nment has indemnified the owners in the event of proceedings being taken in "the English Courts. The vessel sailed with sealed orders. :H,| d is practically under the Union Gov•ernment's control. No one is lo be aislowed to communicate with any person -aboard during the voyage. The vessel will not call at Las Palmas. When the deporteds arrived at Durban they .had few belongings except .I; •clothes they were wearing. The Gov•ernment supplied each of them with a j -shirt, singlet, and a pair of sox.

j STRETOENT CENSORSHIP. PRESS FAVORS GOVERNMENT. CRESSWELL'S TIARANO LK, Received'3o, 11.45 p.m. Capetown, Jobuitv 3". The censorship prevents the pulili. «■ T tion of expressions of public opinion In the Transvaal, but the newspapers Vhich are generally opposed to the (iocernraent, including the East London Despatch, the Kimberlcy Advertiser, anil tlie Pretoria News, are now defending Premier Botha's measures. The Natal Mercury is convinced (li.it the majority in Parliament will support "General Botha. A Bloemfontein newspaper- draws i distinction between the rights of the political Labor Party and tlio revolutionary Labor Party. Cresswell/on arrival at Capetown, .Was welcomed by a large crowd. He < addressed a meeting of 3000, at which a resolution was passed condemning the • deportations without trial. Cresswell compared the Government to Levantine brigands, adding that if they hoped to damage the Labor movement, their action was like an endeavor to di(m up the Amazon with a teaspoon ..filled with mud. PICKETS FINED.

SEIZURE OF-'PRfcSS PAPERS. : DEPORTATION BILL ABANDONED. Received 31, 1 a.m. Johannesburg, January 30. Four pickets at Braamfontein were Charged with obstructing some noaItrikers who were returning to wor;;. 1 One of the men, who used threats, was fined £2O, and the others fr6m £2 £5 each. Tole, who is now pre.« ; d<-nt of the Federation of Trades. o*ing to Wateon'a deportation, has been unconditionally released, ai>o (Vrb's and Campbe'-l. The Daily Mail's Durban correspondent's papers were seized at Johannesburg before the deportation. They disclosed more than the Government expected, and the military authorities became apprehensive as to the Daily Telegraph's Capetown correspondent. The Government has abandoned the idea of a Deportation Bill, because Lord Gladstone has intimated he must reserve ■ bis action for the Home Government's Special instructions. The doporteds have left .seven wives and 19 children, mostly without means. , iWaterston's wife and four children are unprovided for. The Daily Telegraph recalls that Watcrston was a. member of an Australian contingent in South Africa, :md represented his regiment at King Edward's coronation. Watson has only lieen married four months. AUSTRALIAN PROTESTS. Received 31, 12.35 a.m. Sydney, January 30. The Labor unions of the various States are adopting resolutions of protest against the deportation of the South African leaders. AN UNFOUNDED REPORT. : CARE OF DEPORTEES' FAMILIES. HIKERS MIGRATING. Received 30, 5.30 p.m. London, January 30. The report that Lord Gladstone, Gov-ernor-General of Africa, is coming to "London to explain Premier Botha's action is unfounded. It is understood that the deportees' wives and families will be looked after by the Government. Capetown, January 30. There is a remarkable rush of miners fvoiu the Transvaal. They are booking for England. Australia, and New Zealand. The Government has severely curtailed the legislative programme, thinkinz. that in view of the excited state of it is advisable to make the session as short as possible. Constitutionalists like Merriman, Dun can. and Schreiner, take a serious view of the deportations, though they recog nise the need of martial law. The deportees were told they were be in» taken to Zululand. They were give:, a change of underclothing, and the captain of the Umgeni was given a smal' sum of money to hand them in London Lord Gladstone, speaking at the Poai ■Show declared that some neople hut recently forgotten that there were farm crs in South Africa. They did not to interfere with other classes, uul -they were determined their own new! rights should not be interfered with

i DEPORTATION' TO AUSTRALIA. QUESTION OF ADMISSION. Received 30, 9.50 p.m. Melbourne, January 30. Mr. Glynn, referring to the cable rumour that Water-ton, the South African Labor leader is to be deported to Australia, said lie knew nothing to prevent him landing if he wished. Expatriating by an executive acting under martial !»«' did not necessarily place a stigma on anyone. Ifowevcr. if any part" of the dominions adopted the practice of dumping real undesirables in Australia, action would have to be taken.

DIVERGENT VJ EWS. Capetown, January 29. Men of influence and standing are inclined to think 'that the punishment of deportation was not too severe. The Cape Argus notices the growing preference on the part of the new bureaucracy for high-handed arbitrary methods. The Argus says it will be nothing short of a national calamity if the late unfortunate happenings encouraged the growth of this evil spirit. The Times Johannesburg correspondent says that the deported men were blatant demagogues rather than influential leaders. They were tolerated chiefly because their 'fiery utterances appealed to the mob. Correspondents summarise opinion in the various capitals. In Capetown some Unionists who have hitherto supported the Government feel that it is a dangerous precedent and that it would have been better fo await an Act of Parliament sanctioning the deportations. Thcrel is little doubt that the Government will secure an indemnity. In Durban it is generally admitted that the agitators were dang'erous members of the community, but it is fbouarht that it would have been belter if the courts had regularised the ex- , pulsion. In Johannesburg the Government action is approved, as meaning an end to the labor unrest, which has existed for a considerable time. ft is understood that Mr. Smuts is chiefly responsible for the deportations. Mr. C'resswell. M.P., despatched tele- I grams to the Labor leaders in various i centres, but the Press censor returned all. The morning papers are prohibited from publishing accounts of yesterday's Supreme Court proceedings. 'i The Daily Telegraph's Johannesburg I correspondent ihas* cabled that Water- i ston has been deported to Australia. | Johannesburg, January 29. I The court-martial acquitted Oliver, who was charged with beifig in posses- ' sion of dynamite. ' The newspapers eagerly await General J Botha's vindication of the acts of the I executive and the debate in the Union Parliaments thereon. Some emphasise the report that the deported men had started a revolution, but failed. Had they succeeded a native rising would have been almost inevitable. The Star suggests that the steamer Umgeni will be liable to be indicted for fal«e imprisonment. It mentions a similar case in 1859, when Lesley, captain of an English vessel, contracted with the Chilian Government to convey banished politicians to Liverpool. The Lord Chief Justice held that the Chilian law beyond the three-mile limit was superseded by the British. Lesley was convicted ol false imprisonment.