Africa Deportations

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 189, 9 February 1914, Page 5

Africa Deportations

SYNDICALISM DENOUNCED. SMUTS' STIRRLVC, FEARLESS INDICTMENT. ) Gable—Press Assoeiation-topyright \r.- c i Ca l ,rf o» ». February G. AD.. Smuts, i„ his speech on t ,; e Ju . h>X y Bm ' saili 'l'. i,K - i,i< ' I1 t » t J-ii" «howi" ,l ? a I,rovi(k ' ntiil l flashlight, 'woumL a BC,loral con ' la o ra tion S |,|, ™"'. Tlle sti'ke leaders con--40. plate,, e,vU war, and when nolo „„ > , ; . 0 10,(1 ln »ss to inflame - "01 -ciß they employed small bodies o men with dynamite i„ their pockets. < J es H' l " simultaneosuly instruct--t'dihem to form commandoes. Dvna'mte *»« freely along the railways and in other places. In the baek?iound was always the terrible menace •or the black population on the Rand. Government were the best judges of the situation. They saw the time *as ripe for drastic action, took their coinage in b6tli hands, and determined to face criticism over the deportations, to which mature consideration was given. No responsibility rested with Lord Gladstone, and Be regretted attempts to censure him.

The Transvaal Peace Preservation Ordinance. 0 f loos-gave power summarily to expel persons dangerous to the country's peace, but tie criminal law did not cope with such cases. He instanced the acquittal of Crawford and Ktzgerald in July. The Govern_ment was not prepared to risk a repetitioiraf the acquittals. " He also cited the case of the Hon. Galbraith Cole, who was deported from British East Africa in 1011 on a charge ■of exciting racial enmity. Mr. Cole had shot a native suspected of sheep-steai-uig, but was acquitted of murder, lie. Ramsay Mac Donald endorsed this action. If this were a justifiable deportation, that of Labor leaders was assuredly go. Mr. Smuts scathingly condemned General Hertzog's patriotism in harassing the Government at a critical time. Mr. Smuts preferred to reserve the term of patriot for Mr. J. X. Merriman and Sir Thomas Smartt, Leader of the Opposition, who had offered their services as I special constables. j

hen the Trades nail surrendered the authorities found that everything incriminating had been burnt. The Government's only-Alternative in order to safeguard the public was to proclaim martial law.

The public did not know that after the July strike tons of lethal weapons And assegais had been collected from the native compounds. He paid a tribute to the magnificent response to the order for mobilisation. Both rich and poor had flocked to the colors.

K LABOR LEADERS DEFENDED. i TO A PROPER TRIAL. r Received 7, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, February 7. Sir. Smith, a barrister, speaking at the bar of the Horecalled that Diniand trial was heart before a special court, and denied the analogy with the Cob- ease and the deported'.*. The la:t'T wi-iv exemplary T'r re vr* no evidence of conspiracy, but a »i;hs of evidence to the contrary. T! ev were entitled to proper trial, enabling them to bring retutting evidence. Conspiracy was not •Ueged in the preamble and sedition was not alleged in the bill. Mr. Duncan opposed and Colonel grew upheld the deportations. Mr. Cresswell, the Labor Leader, opened his speech when the House adjourned.

SOME STIRRING COMifENT. ( MB. QUINN SPEAKS OUT. , ; WARMLY SUPPORTS GOVERNMENT. // Received 8, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, February 7. In his speech, Percival Smith, barrister, son of Mr. -lustice Smith, at the Bar of the Assembly, on behalf of the deporteds, said he considered the action effective as exposing the nnamolies and technicalities of legal procedure and constitutional law. Mr.-- Quinn, Unionist Inember for Johannesburg, by occupation a master baker, who kept his establishment open to supply the defence force and so-called "scabs;" despite the Federation's orders and threats, thrilled the House by describing the syndicalist methods as insolence and violence. He thought a lot of Tommy Atkins after the last war, and he thought more of him now. He saw one astride a horse with a gaping wound in his cheek, yet there be eat and never threaten, I to retaliate. Pointing to two fellow members, Messrs. Andrews and Madeiey, whom he described as notorious disturbers of the peace, preaching license instead of liberty. Mr. Quinn asked why they were free. He added had he been Mr. 6muts he doubted if he would have taken the trouble to deport them. The country was with the Government regarding martial law, but some disagreed with ,the deportations utterly. Nevertheless, he would rather walk out than vote against the Government for doing the only thing which saved Society. He lioped it was in the. power of the Government now to remedy legitimate grievances. Mr. Duncan declared there was not a shadow of evidence that the situation was of such gravity as to warrant the deportations. None of the deporteds' speeches warranted their banishment for life.

THE POWER OF PUBLIC OPINION. ' ' CRUSHES THE STRIKE. Received 8, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, February 7. ■ In the Assembly, Colonel Crew said it "was not the forces and not the Government whieli made the strike unsucfessful, but public opinion throughout South Africa.