CHINESE IMMIGRATION

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 13 November 1925, Page 7

CHINESE IMMIGRATION

DECREASE IN RECENT YEARS. RESTRICTED BY AUTHORITIES. Anion* the people of this country, and yet not of them—separated by the barrier of colour, of language, and of thought—are just over 3GOO Chinese. The advent of these migrants from the Orient | dates from 1885, and although a cry was at one time raised that the influx was eivin* rise to a yellow peril; a retrospective glance at statistics will reveal that a huge decrease has resulted during the past few years, until now we have a well-ordered quota arriving annually., sava the "New Zealand "Times. , In 1921 (for the nine months followthe census) 23 arrived, in 1022 we received 149, in 1923 84, and last year 70 while for the first nine months of the current year only 13 Chinese have secured admission to New Zealand. The reasons for the smallness. of this year's figures are interesting On account of the trouble in China between the factions in Canton and in Hongkong none from Cantoh are allowed to journey 1 to Hongkong, and this has prevented many already with permits from coming to New Zealand. In explanation of the difficulties some of the Ghine"se have in leaving their own; country, it was instanced to the 1 "Times'" reporter than on a recent: quota arriving in the Dominion, there j were several who were compelled to travel from Canton right up to centre of China to Shanghai, thence to N Hongkong before embarking for those j shores. 1

An interesting sidelight upon the question of Chinese immigration, and one which is considered by the authorities as of vital importance, is the gradual but steady increase in females. Jn 1<)1G it was noticeable that nearly 80 iper cent of the Chinese were recorded as "never married." The explanation, it was thought, was to be found in the fact that Chinese immigrants were mostly young men of marriageable age, who, not having married in China, found it difficult to do so in New Zealand on account of the paucity of females of their own race.

However, this may be, the position has during recent years undergone n striking reverse,- for at' the 1921 census, more than half the Cliine-o were rectinl'etl :"»« married, and less than 45 per, cent a3 "never married." Presumably the character of the Chinese immigrants as regards their conjugal status has, altered appreciably during recent years.