PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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required always to make periodical trips over the lines to keep them in repair and so
on.
My friend wanted to know whether you would have trusted in the same way to a Board of Trade Labour Exchange in this country to find you employment. I do not know whether you have much experience of that, but do you know whether the Board of Trade Labour Exchanges in this country make any promise that they will find labour?--I do not know.
you
Looking at the pamphlets which were shown to you, did you regard that as a promise by the Argentine Labour Bureau to find you employment?--Certainly.
With regard to the free board and lodging, will you tell us what it was like in this Emigrants Hotel?
Mr. RAEBURN: Is it not rather lengthening things to go into this? Mr. COMYNS CARR: My friend made a point that there was a promise to receive it.
Yes.
The MAGISTRATE:
Mr. COMYNS CARR:
I think we might accept the fact that he had it.
If you please. Did your brother go out with you?—Yes.
Did he come back with you?—Yes.
I understand he has since found other employment, and is not here?—That is so.
Do
(The witness withdrew.)
Mr. EDWARD ROBERT LOVELL, Sworn.
Examined by Mr. COMYNS CARR.
you live at 173, Upton Lane, Forest Gate, and are you a butcher-Yes. Before you went to the Argentine were you working with your father here ?—
What were you earning?-30s. a week, board and lodging, all found.
In the month of August last did you see that advertisement in the " News of the World" which we have bad before?-Yes.
I need not stop to read it again. Shortly after seeing it did you call at the
office, 161a, Strand?—Yes.
Do you remember the day?—Yes, the 26th August.
Did you there see Mr. Hetherington himself?—Yes.
Did he show you any documents?-Yes, he showed me some letters.
Will you look at the bundle of pamphlets and tell me whether he showed you any of those?—Yes, I had all these from him.
Did you take them away, or merely look at them in the office ?—I looked at them in the office and took them away with me.
Did you read them?--Yes. Did he
say anything further to you about them or about the prospects of the Argentine beyond what was in the pamphlet ?—Yes, I asked Mr. Hetherington his candid opinion of the Argentine for butchering, and he told me he thought it would be a fine place to go to for that, and also that the Labour Bureau would find me employment in that.
Did he then show you the letter from Mr. Jocelyn which was also shown to Mr. Parsons?--Yes.
Did you meet Mr. Jocelyn on the "Zeelandia "?—Yes.
Did you have a conversation with him?—Yes.
You must not tell us what you said. How long were you in the office?-Half
an hour to three-quarters of an hour, I should think.
What were you doing besides conversing with Mr. Hetherington?-Looking round at the different things on the walls, maps, papers, &c.
Did you notice amongst them anywhere a warning issued by the Emigrants' Information Office?--No.
Did you see that stuck up on the wall?—No.
Did Mr. Hetherington mention anything about the language to you?-Yes, he told me that Spanish was spoken, but it was unnecessary.
Did he say why it was unnecessary?—Yes, because he said you meet thousands of Englishmen in Buenos Ayres.
Did you then pay him the passage money Did you pay all in one payment ?--Yes.
Did
you
sail on the " Zeelandia
"
?--Yes.
on the 18th September? Yes.
How many Englishmen do you say were on board?-About fourteen, as far as I
can say from memory.
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When you got there did you go to the Immigrants Hotel?—Yes. Did you call at the Labour Bureau ?--Yes.
Did you go every day while you were there?—Yes.
Did they ever find you any employment at all?--Nothing at all. Either in your own trade or any other?--No.
Then did you supply to the British Consul a written statement of your position? Yes.
I did not ask the last witness this, but will you tell me this: did he ultimately send you back to England on the " Alcala "?—Yes.
Previous to that had it been arranged that should
you
Yes.
Was your departure postponed?--Yes.
go back on another ship?—
At whose request? Who suggested it should be postponed?-The British Consul--oh, the immigrant people suggested it should be postponed to the British
Consul.
Why?--To give them an opportunity to get us work. They said they would get us work.
Was that successful?-No.
And ultimately you came home?—Yes.
After reading those pamphlets and hearing what he had to say, did you believe
that the Argentine Republic did find work for everyone who went out there?--Yes.
Of the fourteen who went out how many came back with you?-Nine. Do you know what happened to the others?-One got work in Bahia. That is in Brazil, not in the Argentine?-Yes.
The CLERK That was one of the nine ?-Yes, and one returned to England,
and he has left since.
Cross-examined by Mr. RAEBURN.
Did the eight all return on the " Alcala "?--Yes.
Did Mr. Wright come back with you on the " Alcala "?—Yes.
He told you he had been twenty-one days in the Argentine; were you twenty-one
days in the Argentine?—Yes.
When had it been suggested that you were going to return?
your return was postponed.
You have told us
Mr. COMYNS CARR: It is the same with regard to the others, but I did not ask the others.
Mr. RAEBURN : It is of considerable importance. (To the witness.) How soon had you given up the attempt to get work through the Labour Bureau ?-After about a fortnight.
Did the Labour Bureau then say that they wanted rather more time to look round?--They did not tell me that as far as that went.
That is what you heard?—Yes.
And one week more was enough for the patience of all of you ?-They suggested a week more to get us work.
What made you think of going abroad. You were earning good wages, were
you not, with your father?—Yes.
What made you think of going abroad?—I had a bit of a row at home, and the prospects from what I had seen from the advertisements seemed very good, and I thought I would take it.
After seeing Mr. Hetherington and reading these pamphlets on the 26th August, had you asked anyone else about the Argentine?—No.
Yes.
Had you ever heard of the Swift Beef Company, or a company of that name?—
That, as a butcher, was a company you had heard about?—Yes. With big works in the Argentine?—Yes.
You knew, as a butcher, there was a good deal of chilled beef imported to this country from the Argentine?—Yes.
And it looked rather a hopeful place for you as a butcher, did it not?—Yes. Did the cheap fare of £7 attract you?—Not at all.
Did you make any enquiries of anyone after seeing Mr. Hetherington ?—No.
You read the pamphlets, I suppose?—Yes.
Did you notice from them that Spanish was the language of the country, easy
to learn, being pronounced as written ?—Yes.
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