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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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To be lodged and maintained at the expense of the nation for five days subsequent "to landing, and should the immigrant during that time be taken ill, until his recovery; also, if contracted by the Government for a colony, until arrival at such colony, in whatever part of the Republic. To have employment found and be sent to any part of the Republic free of expense, and to be maintained in transitu That was for ten days, after which period two shillings per diem is charged.'" trustworthy and accurate information, and useful information, published by His Majesty's Government for the information of intending emigrants, is it not?-That is a summary of the Argentine law.
Never mind that. It is useful information and trustworthy information for intending emigrants?--Yes, but the book contains absolute and definite warnings throughout with regard to the unsuitability of the country for the ordinary British emigrant.
Would you be good enough to look at another part of the book which we have been told already by these men appealed to them in our pamphlet. The point I am going to refer to, Sir John, is “ Wages," on page 41. Have you got that, Mr. Jones?—Yes.
It is the part of a pamphlet which appealed greatly to the gentlemen who have been called here. Do you see "Wages" there?—I do.
It is a long list of wages which are obtained in all sorts of employment in the Argentine?—Yes.
Do you not think you ought to put your own house in order before you attack Mr. Hetherington?--You will also find a statement with regard to the very high cost of living there, which practically indicates that the country is not suited to the ordinary emigrant.
I think you will find the bigh cost of living in the Argentine Consul-General's pamphlet? But not so definitely as in our pamphlet here.
Has it come down simply and solely to this, as to the respective definiteness with regard to the warnings. You say yours warns intending emigrants rather more than the Consul-General's ?-Our warnings are definite warnings for definite and distinct purposes.
Definite warnings that employment is not guaranteed?-Definite and distinct warnings that the country is not suitable for emigrants going without means.
Does it come to this, that, although you include the very same information in your publication for the benefit of the emigrants, you think you warn them rather more than the Consul-General does? Have you a copy there of the last issue of this handbook?
Yes, I have. You will find in that book, "Drawbacks to British Emigrants," at page 39. There it states it very distinctly.
Mr. COMYNS CARR: I shall have to take Mr. Jones through all these passages, Sir John, in re-examination.
The MAGISTRATE: I have read pages 38 and 39.
Mr. COмYNS CARR: Yes, Sir, and there are a number of others.
Mr. RAEBURN: Is it your experience that intending emigrants of the class of some of those that have been called here would read all through this book, or simply look at the promise as to employment?--I cannot say whether they do or do not.
The MAGISTRATE: You see, Mr. Raeburn, on page 39, the paragraph does wind up like this: "Persons arriving in the Argentine, especially clerks and unskilled labourers, without a competent knowledge of Spanish or with insufficient funds, are likely to find themselves in a serious position, and intending emigrants are strongly advised to communicate with this office before booking their passages.'
Mr. RAEBURN I quite agree, Sir John, that in this book there are warnings. My point is this as to wages and finding them employment, that Article of the law appealed most to them.
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Have you withdrawn this book? That book has been withdrawn. It is not going to be published again.
Then I could not buy it if I wanted to to-day?--You could buy it until the stock
is exhausted, and it contains this warning and other warnings.
The MAGISTRATE: That is very candid indeed. It is not desirable to continue
it, and although it is to be withdrawn, it is to be sold until the stock is exhausted.
The WITNESS: But the book is full of warnings.
But still, the book is to be withdrawn, because it is objectionable. Why not cut the loss?-It is not withdrawn for that purpose. It is because the information contained in this is going to be put into another book, or a large part of it.
Mr. RAEBURN: Do you think it is liable to mislead?-Not if it is read as a whole.
You think not if it is all read?--That is so.
I suppose you have in your experience come across emigrants who are not much inclined to read through a long pamphlet like this?-Some people read it and some
do not.
What they want to know about is the rate of wages, is it not?-Not entirely that. They want to know about the cost of living and the demand for labour.
In your new book are you going to insert this about the Argentine Immigration Law? I could not say what is going to take place with regard to the new book. do not think the whole of the law will be quoted.
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I notice that that last document which you described as a warning issued in January, 1913, began "Sir," in the form of a letter?--Yes.
It is a new form
Who was that addressed to?—To the Editors of newspapers.
of warning. Instead of having the ordinary paragraph containing the warning. we issue it in the shape of a letter to the Editor.
You never thought fit to send a warning of that sort to this defendant, Mr. Hetherington? Mr. Hetherington saw Mr. Macnaghten and myself in January, and the warning was issued practically the same time. He knew very well what our objections were.
But you know written words as a rule have rather more effect than spoken ?— I do not think written words would affect Mr. Hetherington more than spoken.
Re-examined by Mr. CoмYNS Carr.
You have been asked about this pamphlet. Although those witnesses who have been called here never saw it, as it has been mentioned, I must put it to you. Have
it before you?—Yes.
you
I am quoting from the current edition. On page 14, about the middle, you see the statement, There is little opportunity for the agricultural settler with small capital"?--Yes.
Yes.
That is under the heading of Provinces and Territories, Buenos Ayres "?—
Then the bottom of the same page City of Buenos Ayres. Buenos Ayres
is expensive for the emigrants of the working class to land in. What would be a good salary here is a mere pittance there "Yes.
Then the middle of page 15 the paragraph headed Demand for Labour in Buenos Ayres. There is no opening in the city for British emigrants of the working class, and, moreover, the cooking, style of houses, and general manner of life do not
suit the British emigrant at all"?—Yes.
The MAGISTRATE: I do not think you need go through all these.
Mr. COMYNS CARR: If you please, Sir.
Is the immigration law quoted in italics that my friend has referred to and headed as the law?—Yes.
And is immediately followed on the next page but one, after some statistics about emigration, by that warning to British emigrants?—Yes.
And are the wages, the scale my friend referred to, almost immediately followed by an estimate on page 44 of the high cost of keeping a wife and family in this country, which is summed up on page 45 thus: To sum up, a man with a salary of £450 a year is no better off than an artisan in England earning 45s. to 50s. a week"?--Yes.
And have you recently, in all the copies you could, inserted in the front a copy of that warning of the 28th January, 1913? Yes, as far as was possible.
You were asked by my friend why you went to Mr. Hetherington on the 10th January, and I think you told my friend because of that document?—Yes.
Is that the reason?-That is the reason.
Then you were asked why you did not send him any further warnings?—Yes. Did the attitude he took up when you did call upon him encourage you to think any further warnings would be effective?—No, nothing of the kind.
With regard to the notice taken by intending emigrants of your warnings, it is suggested to you that they took no notice of them, and, as I understand, you not agree?—No, not in the slightest.
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