THE YELLOW PERIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 185, 5 August 1913, Page 8

THE YELLOW PERIL.

A2fl> THE FURNITURE TRADE. . A NOTE OF ADAKM. PREMIER ALIVE TO MENACE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. The keynote of a deputation to the ; Prime Minister by the Wellington furniture trade workers this afternoon was one of alarm at the prospect of Asiatics, i and particularly the citizens of the Chinese Republic, getting control of the trade in New Zealand, as to a large extent they have in Australia. Mr. Laurenson introduced the deputation, which was also supported by the Hon. J. T. ; Paid, M.L.C. The deputation chiefly urged legislation providing that no person of the Chincoe and other Asiatic races should be employed in a factory for longer hours than a woman can be employed, nor before 8 a.m. nor after 5 p.m., that no Asiatic be registered as the owner !or occupier of a factory unless he satisI fies the Minister that he carried on the ■business before the passing of the bill or was occupied in the trade here before that date; that furthermore all furniture manufactured by Asiatic labour be labelled to that effect. Both employers and employees urged that for the sake of -the standard of the furniture and for the living wage of those employed in t-lie trade something should be done to check an evil which was looming in the near future under the conditions of cheap Chinese competition. Although at present there was no immediate danger of tbe Chinese becoming established in the local furniture trade, -what alarmed the Europeans was the rumour of invasion by Chinese and other Asiatic manufactured furniture. Another point emphasised was the necessity in the interests of both European employeiß and employees of an amendment to the Arbitration Act 6o as to prohibit a factory worker from doing work on his own account when in full employment. This sort of thing, argued the members of the deputation, was as dangerous to the people dependent upon the trade as Chinese competition. CRUSHING LOCAL WICKER TRADE. One of the employers said that he had recently visited Australia, and on investigation had satisfied himself that the New Zealand manufactured article was superior to tha-t made in New South Wades, where some of the Chinese-made furniture was very inferior. Another speaker earnestly suggested a prohibitive duty on rattan and sea grass furnitnre, in order to shut out the cheap Chinese and .Asiatic wicker-work goods, which threatened to crush the New Zealand upholsterer's trade as well as that of the wicker workers. The trade in the last' few years, it was declared, had suffered to the same extent as the wicker-workers' trade as the result of Chinese competition. One manufacturer had given up business and was now canvassing for Chinese clients, while one of the deputation contended that he had reduced his staff from 20 to S, and added, "If I went to China T could, under the present tariff, wipe out the basket and wicker-work trade in \*ew Zealand. NO ASIATICS TO APPLY. In reply to the representations the Prime Minister expressed the opinion that ''Asiatic lahour should not be allowed to become established in New Zealand in competition with the labour of our own people. They all know the effect of such competition was demoralising, but he saw no prospect of the Chinese becoming established in this country. If there were such a prm-pect the proper course would be to follow the lead of West Australia by insisting upon Asiatic-made furniture bearing a label. He thought tbe patriotic sentiments of our own people could be relied npon to prevent difficulty regarding competition between European and -Asiatic labour. If 6uch were not sufficient then he would be prepared even this session, heavy as was 'the -programme, to introduce legislation to meet the situation, "1 am out against Asiatic laibour," he said, "and you can rdy on my utmost efforts to prevent competition from such a quarter." TEE ONLY WAY. The Minister of Customs, who was also present, declared himself also to be strongly in favour of discouraging Asiatic competition and of encourarring the manufacture of British goods" for British people. The only way cut of the difficulty in his opinion was tbe introduction of a bill imposing a tariff something after the Commonwealth Bdcs. To be of any value the duty siust be substantial, and already careful attention had -been given the subiect. Mr. Fisher concluded by saying that he believed fall provision -would be made to meet the situation.