Chinese Conference.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5250, 20 June 1888, Page 3

Chinese Conference.

THE RESOLUTIONS ARRIVED AT,

BI_?ORT_B.J

•'• ~- Wkllikotoit, Last night. Tho following full text of tho resolutions arrived at bY tho Chinese Conference, and which have been embodied m a dratt bill, have been cabled to His Excellency tho Governor by Governor Carriiigton :— 1 Tim. in the opinion of this Conference . tho further restriction of Chinese immigration is essential to tho welfare of tho people of Australasia. ~.-.„_ 2 That this Conference is of opinion ttoat tho necessary re-trictionscan best bo secured through tho diplomatic action of tho Imperial Government, and by. uniform Australasian legislation. , 3 That this Conference resolves to consider a ioint representation to the Imperial Government for tho purpose of obtaining the desired diplomatic action. . 4 That the Conference is of opinion that thedos-rcd Australasian legislation should contain the following provisions-firstly that it shall apply to all Chineso with specified description; second y, that the restriction should be by limitation of the number of Chineso which any vessel may bring into any Australasian port to ono uassonger to every five hundred tons of tho ship's burden ; thirdly, that the passage of Chinese from ono colony to another, without the cons-nt of the colony which thoy enter, bo made a misdemeanor. Lord Knufsford.in acknowledging receipt of the resolution., wired to Lord Carnngton 7 that the Imperial Government recognised Mhe spirit in which the Chinese question had J been discussed by the Conference, and would be prepared to consider the resolutions with the bill.

THE CHINESE BILL. Nearly the whole of this evening's sitting Was devoted to tho consideration of the amendments made by the Council m tho Chinese Bill, and tho Government received »Blap inthefaco beforo the question was eye'-tnally disposed of. The Col.n.al Secretary moved the adoption of the amendments ' made by the Council, one of which excluded naturalVn or naturalised subjects of Ber Majesty from tho term Chinese. Pho Gov- - -rnment approved of the clause oxomptmg Sese leaving China before the 10th inst. Mr Seddon urged that the passenger limitation of ono Chinese for each five hundred tons should be adopted. Sir George Grey, ™ho also spoke at length said the new definition would permit of tho freeiimmijrration of Chines from Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements. Mr Kelly moved the adjournment of the debate, and a proposal • by Mr Seddon disagreeing with the amendments made by the Council was lost by 42 to 34 The Hon. E. Richardson then moved au, amendment disagreeing with clause 2, exempting naturalised Chinamen, and this was eventually agreed to by a majority of ten. the Government voting against' it. Messrs Ballance, Seddon, ..Guinness, and tho Colonial Secretary wero appointed a committee to draw up reasons.