ALLEGED "RING."

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18461, 15 August 1925, Page 14

ALLEGED "RING."

TO SMUGGLE CHINESE AUSTRALIAN DISCLOSURES. (fßOi£ OUR ora COERESrOSDEXT.) SYDNEY, August 7. Disclosures linvc recently been made of a widespread conspiracy to introduce Chinese immigrants into Australia on borrowed birth certificates. Only Chinese born in Australia who wish to return are allowed to land, with the exception 01' merchants and students, who are allowed to stay for a limited time only. The Federal Department for Home and Territories has been investigating the matter for somo time, and ono of its inspectors is now in Darwin (Northern Territory), whero a raid on ! a Chinese store a few days ago brought to light a number of incriminating documents. These are stated to show that a syndicato or society is at work, providing Chinese wishing to entT the Commonwealth tim birth certificates of dead | Chinese born in Australia or of Chinese ...... v.u UKi widii to return here from their homeland. This society is believed to have its headquarters in Hong-Kong and agencies in all tho Australian seaports. Traffic in Birth Certificates. A genuino birth certificate can be bought from this society for sums ranging up to £250, no trouble being experienced in obtaining an immigrant very much like tho photograph attached to the passports. Tho accompanying statutory declarations aro regarded in these cases as so many scraps of paper. Tho procedure is then simple. Tho Chinese who has purchased the borrowed birth certificate presents it on arrival and states that he is the Chinese who was taken back to his country when' a boy. The Customs officers have little chance to disprove his story. Photographs and fingerprints aro useless. Tho Customs officials at Sydney know of at least two individuals iix this city who aro interested in tho society's affairs, although it is not iefinitely known whother they form part of tho syndicate. Tho department lias for some years been aware that attempts were being made to got Chinese into Sydney by means of falso birth jertificates, and in a number of cases ittempts havo been frustrated by tho rigilanco of the Customs officers. Changing Places. The big obstaelo which the department has had to contend with in these cases is tho difficulty of obtaining proof that tho certificates presented by tho Chinese are not genuine. Thero are other methods adopted of evading tho officers. It is said that a Chinese wishing to live in Australia will join the crew of a Chineso vessel, and on arrival will chango places with another Chineso wanting to return homo. Chinese will not betray a countryman "who has been smuggled in. On tho contrary, many of them do all in their power to help him to evade the law. It is significant that when a Chinese is arrested and charged with being a, prohibited immigrant, no matter how poor the man may bo or how big the sum, bail money ig always forthcoming. There is little doubt that some secret society is standing behind these mon. |