CO885-(23-24) — Page 561

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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What did you tell him!--I was a painter and paper-hanger.

Where did he or you find out about the three dollars and a half?--I was given some pamphlets in the morning and I said I would think the matter over. 1 went out and I had a look through some of these papers, and I thought to myself it would be a good chance, especially as our trade is up and down. I thought if I should get out there and get a job and make headway, I could send for my wife and children and get on. I always had the ambition to go abroad and I always thought I should do well abroad and I am sorry I did not.

What was it you looked at in these pamphlets-About the wages.

I cannot find the 34 dollars. Is it iron works and allied trades! Journeymen

three dollars 50-Yes, that is it. That is 3 dollars.

Is that your work?—I am a journeyman painter.

I only want to know. You regarded this as your sort of work?—Yes.

When you got out there, supposing you had had a job offered you in one of these allied trades, iron works, would you have taken it?—No.

What wages were you earning at the time of the strike?-9d. an hour. What does that work out at a day?—It is all according if you work 8, 9, 10, or 12 hours a day. We work all hours a day.

What do you reckon the average wage at that rate?-7s. 6d. or 8s.

And 3 dollars 50 is not good enough!--No, it is not good enough. It is not worth going for.

You say you went because Mr. Hetherington told you that these were only the lowest wages, and you would get far more. Do you mean to say you went on that recommendation?--Yes, I did. I relied on it. He told me about this railway and I expected I should be put on the railway, coach painting, or something like that, and I should be able to earn far more than I could in England, because I can earn good money in England when we are doing work.

What you did was this. Here was a printed thing which was given to you?— Yes, quite right.

Shewing the rate 3 dollars 50?—Yes.

Let me suggest this to you. You wanted to go to Australia first of all?—Yes. And £18 was too much for you?—Yes.

Then Canada struck you?—Yes.

What was the fare to Canada ?--I do not know. I think it was about £9. And that was rather too much ?—Yes, and you have to have so much when you get there.

There are none of those disadvantages about the Argentine Republic?--I did not know about the Argentine Republic.

Yes.

You were told £7 was the fare?—Yes, and work would be found for you. Never mind about that.-If not in the iron trade in something else.

Let us keep to the fare. £7 was the fare?—Yes.

That was the lowest Mr. Hetherington could provide for any foreign country?—-

Was not it the fare to get to a new country amounting to only £7 that appealed most to you?—Not necessarily.

And you were going to take your chance of 3 dollars 50, or something like that when you got there?-Yes, I was.

that.

You got your board at the Emigrants' Hotel free? Well, I got an apology for

I do not want your ideas about board. I simply want an answer to my question. You got board. Never mind whether it was an apology, you got board?—Yes, we got a place to sit out of the rain.

We have heard about that. It was a large place with tables and you were waited on ?—Yes.

Do you think Mr. Hetherington knew anything about that board except what he was told in these pamphlets?--I could not say what Mr. Hetherington knew or what Mr. Hetherington did not know. I only say this, that if it was not painted to me the same as it was painted, I should never have gone to the place.

Re-examined by Mr. CoмYNS CARR.

Did they offer you 3 dollars 50 a day or any other wage there?—They did not give me a chance of taking a job.

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Mr. WALTER Whittlesea, Sworn.

Examined by Mr. COмYNS Carr.

Are you the brother-in-law of the last witness?—Yes.

Did you go with him when he went to see Mr. Hetherington at his office?—Yes. You have heard the evidence he has given to-day as to what was said?—Yes. Can you say is that correct?-Quite correct.

The CLERK What is your address ?-6, Medway Street, Horseferry Road.

Cross-examined by Mr. RAEBURN.

Will you tell us what was said-We went in the morning to Hetherington's. My brother-in-law wanted to go to Australia and he asked what the fare would be. They told him how much it would be and he said it was too much money and then Mr. Hetherington or the clerk introduced Buenos Ayres.

Who was it, Mr. Hetherington or his clerk?-Did what?

You said Mr. Hetherington or his clerk said something. Which was it?-I think it was Mr. Hetherington introduced Buenos Ayres and told him the fee and gave him the papers in reference to it. He looked them over and he said, " Very well, we will come back this afternoon. We will take them home and decide on it and see what we think about it and call back." Then we went in the afternoon and paid a deposit and a few days afterwards went and paid the balance of the passage and he said there would be five days free board and lodging at the Emigrants' Hotel. Who said that?-Mr. Hetherington, and in the meantime work would be found for them. Then he says all the railways are under British contract, so he stood a good chance of getting a place.

Was that all? Yes, as far as I remember it. I went on the boat at Dover to see him off.

Mr. COMYNS CARR: I do not propose to prove the contract tickets. My friend admits he took the passage.

Mr. RAEBURN: I am not sure about the last two. White we know about. The other two we cannot trace. If I see the tickets perhaps I can admit them.

Mr. COмYNS CARR: Yes, here are the tickets. That is Overton's, and this is Webb's (handing same).

Mr. RAEBURN: They seem to be signed by Mr. Hetherington or his clerk. They appear all right.

Mr. COMYNS CARR: Then, Sir John, that is the case for the prosecution. Mr. RAEBURN: I will call my evidence at once, Sir John.

Mr. FREDERICK WALLACE HETHerington, Sworn.

Examined by Mr. RAEBURN.

Frederick Wallace Hetherington is your name?—Yes.

I think you are a general passage brokers' agent, are you not?—Yes.

And you carry on business at 161a, Strand? That is right.

For some years I think you carried on business at 163, Štrand, did you not?—

Yes, close to two doors away.

For how many years have you been in business as a passage brokers' agent?- 50 altogether.

You have got a licence, have you? Yes, from each Company.

Will you just tell the learned Magistrate what Companies you act for?-For South America principally, do you mean?

Yes, give us the South American. The Royal Holland Lloyd, the Hamburg- American Line, the Nelson Line, and the Charge Renui France. They all have ships every week to Buenos Ayres.

Those lines trade between this country and the Continent and South America, do they not?—Yes.

Do you act as agent for other British lines trading elsewhere-trading to the Colonies?--Yes, to Canada and Australia.

What lines? I will take it generally. All the principal lines?—Yes, all the principal lines.

I think your appointment as agent is from Messrs. Wainwright Brothers, is it not? Yes.

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