From Sinn Féin, July 5, 1913.
In Hungary and Roumania, Emigration Agencies disseminating false information about the countries they invite Hungarians or Roumanians to emigrate to are punished by the law. Here there is no law to stop the cruel and lying stories published by the Canadian and Australian Emigration Agencies. If there were, some of the hardened liars these Governments send to this country would have been very properly punished long since. A correspondent forwards us a copy of an Australian labour paper, ‘The Worker,’ of May 8 last, in which we find the following:—
IMMIGRANTS DISPLACING AUSTRALIANS.
‘That Australian employers are taking points to evade the Federal law prohibiting the importation of tradesmen under contract was made manifest at the last meeting of the Labour Council, Sydney, when half-a-dozen delegates of different trades gave evidence that English tradesmen were being induced to come to Australia under definite promise of work, though no contract was actually entered into, and when they arrived here Australians were sacked to make room for them, the object of the employers being to create a surplus of labour in their particular trades.
Mr. Kilgour (Shop Assistants) said that a certain big drapery firm in Sydney had representatives in London who induced shop assistants to emigrate to Australia, promising them employment with the firm. Dozens of men had been brought out in this way by the employers referred to.
Mr. McQueen said the same was true of the furniture and printing trades.
Mr. Shearer (Jewellers) said that electroplaters were also affected. Standing advertisements were inserted in English trade and other papers, saying there was plenty of employment in certain trades at good wages.
Mr. McKenzie and the Australian textile workers had greatly suffered by this practice of the employers, and Mr. Ryan said that the actors suffered most of the lot.
Mr. Morrish, M.L.A. (Hotel and Restaurant Employees) said he believed that every possible inducement short of actual contract was being offered to workers in England to come out here with the object of reducing the present standard of living. He did not object to immigrants, but he strongly protested against the immigration which was being used and resulted in the displacement of local workers and undermining their conditions.
Mr. Tom Miller said he heard Mr. A. B. Spence who had been sent to England by the N.S.W. Government to select immigrants, was disgusted with his job, because he found his representations were having no weight with the Australian authorities.
Mr. Kavanagh (Secretary) interposed that the Federal Government was doing all it possibly could to prevent the state of affairs mentioned, which had been known to them for some time; the employers, however, had dodged the law.
On the motion of Mr. Morrish, a committee was appointed to find out, if possible, the extent of the practice, and report to Council. The members of the Committee are Messrs. Morrish, Whyte, Pickles, Kilgour, Shearer, Ryan, and Hampton.’
In addition to holding the emigration-agent responsible at law for the statements he circulates about countries he invites persons to emigrate to, the registration of emigration agents and the taxation of emigrants are wise and necessary measures. Brazil levies a tax of £2 upon every emigrant from her shores. Until measures such as these are adopted, Ireland will continue to be drained of her people.