CHINESE ON THE RAND.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 62, 10 September 1904, Page 2

CHINESE ON THE RAND.

jJISCUSSED BY THJS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tho motion by the Attorney- General protesting against Chinese labour being imported to work tho Rapd mines wns further discussed by the Legislative Council ye«l«rdny. The Hon. F. Arkwright regretted tho introduction of Asintica into South Africa as being tho introduction of another disturbing ekmemt into nn alrendy troubled country. At tho sumo time he Mould not volo for the motion, which practically askrd the Council to pass a voto of censure on Lord Milner and tho British nnd South African statesmen. Ho contended that to have a proper knowledge of tho question, it was necessary to havo been in South Africa. He moved bliM tho previous question be put. Tho JJon. G. M'Lenn seconded Mr. A r lt wright's amendment. . He urged that it must hitvo been ti& ft, la»t resort that the British Government and Lord Milner recommended the importation of Chinese -labour, und whon thq BritiHh Government^ know it would bo an unpopular movement and yot sanctioned tt, tho necessity for the employment of Asiatics to keep the mining industry going must have been considered imperative. The jHon. A. L. Smith said it was merely a euphemism to refer Jo the Asiatic labour in the Rnnd by any milder t«rm than slavery, and dealt nt tome length with the terniN of the Chinese i/ahouri /a hour Ordinance to show that tho lonn " (dayery " was. fully junuoVd. Tho Chinese, when not working, \v«re to he lockco up in compound* ; tlu-U wives aud childrrn, i/ thov caniv to .South Afiicit, noukl iilso bo undor !ork mid k«\v ; they wou'd i never havo :i day 7. hoHdiiy ; nnd linnilj thoy would be deported to Chirm without" ever h.ivmg hnd a dny's liborty. Moreover, there vnx no provision flwi uppo.il .mum*-'! any injustice bcint done thuin, or nny punishment being ir timed upon them The r«;t*on for th« introduction vtaa put in n nurshcll by n letter from Mr. Pcr^y Taibutt, dirccrui of the Village Main Hccf Minu, to bis manager, Mr. Cics troll, Mating that, in common with otliPr mine otftu*rfl, he contmlorcd it undesirable to introduce white labour, tin tho advent of a woiking population would result in the sumo labour trnublos ns in Austrnlm. Deal- > ing with th« fCHmomic side of the question, thQ.Bp«»k»r pointed out that tho money p*<d to the Chinc*o would lean the couulry, and ihu difference in the cost between the wages of the Oliinesc nnd thoso of white labour if white labour were employed went <o England in tho shnpo of dividends. If tho whites were employed this difference would remain in the Trmißvnal, and be used for its development. Tho Hon. H. Scotjnnd $mid ho knew practically nothing about the question, but he considered that Lord Milner was thoroughly nlivo to the needs of the Transvaal when ho introduced Chin*ese labour. He pointed out that tho Transvaal was not tho only place where slavery went on. This colony ought to mind its own business. The fact that it sent a few thousnnd young mt'n to tho war did not set ua up as judges of what the Transvaal required. He would, however, support the Attorney-General's motion. on tho Hon. G. Jones's motion tho debate wns adjourned, and tho Council roso.-