GRIEVANCES OF CHINESE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7816, 8 June 1909, Page 4

GRIEVANCES OF CHINESE.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 6. Mr W. Tong, of Auckland, representing a large number.of Chinese, has arrived m Wellington with a list of grievances, which he brought under the notice of the Consul, Mr Hwang. A case which appears to be one of considerable hardship is that of a party of Cantonese, consisting of five women, two children and two men, ,who are passing through Auckland on .their way from Canton "to Papeete. They had been three weeks on the water from Hong Kong to Sydney, and after a brief stay m Sydney came to Auckland to join the steamer for Tahiti. They were not permitted to land until a sum of £1800 had been deposited m cash with the Customs as an undertaking that they would not remain m New Zealand. This appears to be made up of £100 poll tax and another £100 for their inability to pass the education test for each individual. The money would, of course, be returned as soon as they left New Zealand. Hitherto, at least until two months ago, Chinese m transit were allowed to land upon payment of £100 poll tax, which was returned as soon as they left the country m resumption of their journey. T/his has generally been found by Chinese m Wellington or Auckland, ■'as the port of call might be, but to immediately find £1800 m *money was more than the Chinese m Auckland could do. The party were then transferred from the Sydney steamer to the Northern Company's old s.s. Wellington, which, has been lying up m "Rotten Row" among the coal hulks off Freeman's Bay, Auckland, for years. The women smd children, who were delighted with the prospect of once again setting foot on shore before finishing their long journey, were cruelly disappointed'to find that they were to,-be transferred to a small steamer and detained practically as prisoners. They sent a most touching appeal to the Chinese m Auckland, who, while unable, to find so much money as the Customs demanded, immediately despatched Mr Tong to Wellington to see the Consul. Mr Hwang called upon the Minister of Customs (the Hon. A. W. Hogg) this morning, and brought this and othty matters under his notice. Upon being seen after the interview. Mr Hwang said he had no special r-rnmu-nieaticn to make on the raUi-rs to which he had referred m his interview with the Minrster. The case of the detained Chines? wr: then brought before the Minister. 2ur Hogg said^the matter had been adjusted by a poll tax of £100 each, or £900, being made payable, instead of the £1800 demanded by the Customs, and the acceptance of a bond for £100 each from Auckland Chinese, or other sureties, that the transients' should resume their journey by the next steamer proceeding to Tahiti from Auckland. It would seem, according to Mr Tong, that there are 1400 Chinese settled m Tahiti, and engaged m trade for the most part. Some of them are wealthy men. They have no other way of reaching the French possessions except by way of Sydney and Auckland. They could go by way of San Francisco, of course, but that would be too long and too costly. Mr Tong said he had been instrumental m introducing Chinese storekeepers m Tahiti w.ho were passing through Auckland to Auckland business houses, and'most: satisfactory trade relations had been the result, many orders for tinned meats 1 and other goods, "In which .Auckland spccialisesf having been sent thereby Chinese storekeepers m the French islands, m preference to San Franciscq or Sydney. If such restrictions are placed upon the people that they cannot come into touch with merchants m Auckland, as they do when going to or returning from China, then that business is likely to be lost. Another grievance is that Chinese who have temporarily left New Zealand, and have deposited with the Customs their'finger-prints, to which very strong exception is taken, their portraits^ signatures and other marks of identification, have to pay £100 poll tax oh their return to New Zealand, and that they have to wait for several weeks for the refund of this tax while their identy is being established. It it: thought that they are men of slender means, the "hanging up" of this, to them, large sum of money is imduly vexatious. They recognise the law on the subject and are bound to submit to it, but they resent anything which is not absolutely within the four corners of the Act. The case of ■ a Chinese student, too, may be brought under the notice of the Minister. This man, having a brother m Dunedin, desired to be with him and at the same time obtain "Western learning." m America, or England, or France, or Germany he would have been allowed to enter the country without restriction or tax so long as, m the case of America, he satisfied the authorities that he was a bona fide student nr traveller and not intending to trade. In the case of the Dunedin student, lie arrived m the southern city absolutely ignorant of English or any other subject sav<^ such, as are comprehended m the ordinary Chinese curriculum. In these he was extraordinarily proficient. Ho attached himself to the "Dunedin High School, where he i* still a student, and, it is asserted, follows no other occupation. Ho has applied for a .refund of the poll tax, but so far without success. There are other grievances, too, which havo been are arp to _be > referred to the Consul, and which it is presumed will m due time be brought by him under the notice of the proper authorities. :