ALIENS AND UNFAIR LABOUR COMPETITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 171, 19 July 1907, Page 3

ALIENS AND UNFAIR LABOUR COMPETITION.

(To the' Editor.)

Sir,—There is a great deal of talk just now about foreigners coming into the colonies. There was a meeting held in 1 Wellington a few days ago about the Chinese, and a gentleman said the only way to stop them was not to buy from them. That is all very well in its way, but there is always a Targe number of the public who do not understand the.'seriousness of the matter. Thereis a better way to deal with" the problem, and it-is the passing of an Act prohibiting Chinese stopping in the country more than two years so that they would have no show in working up a business and getting away with much money. There are, unfortunately, many white men in the colonies who are just' as bad as the Chinese. I can quote an instance in a place called Roma, in Queensland, where a young lad had been taken in. They told him it was a good job, worth about 30/ per week, and when he arrived there he found out he had to work for 5/ per week, payable every six months. His hours were from daylight till dark, or about 14 hours a day. He soon got tired of it, and gave a week's notice, but found out he had to work for three months to pay for the fare the boss paid to bring him there. His accommodation was a disgrace. I have learned since that there are many more who do much the same. The State ought to step in and mend matters. These men should be dealt with as they want to do with the Chinese.—l am, etc., FAIR PLAY.