THE CHINESE QUESTION.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 150, 29 June 1881, Page 2

THE CHINESE QUESTION.

DEBATE IN THE UPPER HOUSE. In the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, the Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Chinese Immigrants Bill. While he thought the tales ot' the loathsome diseases and offensive vices of the Chinese had been very much exaggerated, he pointed out that all the Australian colonies wero about to restrict Chinese immigration, and unless New Zealand did the same the whole stream would be diverted here. Ho suggested that in committee it might well be consid2red whether the clause to return the .£lO import fee on a Chinaman leaving within three years ehonld not be reinstated. It was like takirg bail for his good behaviour. Mr. Scotfand opposed the bill. He remarked that a Chinese Ambassador to England might come here, and to stick him up tor £\0 would be treating him worre than a dog- than 19 dogs, in fact, fo L ' ID nogj could go free on paying .£9 10s. [Mr. Whitaker — Less than that in Hutt county. (Laughter.)] We had done more harm to the Maoris than the Chinese would ever do to us. Suppose the Maoris had imposed checks on our landing here ? Future generations would bo ashamed of their progenitors tor passing such a bill. Dr. Pollen quoted the favorable report of the Select Committee of 187 1 , as to the industry and harmlessn ess of the Chinese. As in other colonies, bo here, this bill was brought in just on the eve of the general election. He deduced nothing from that, merely mentioning the f act. Dr. Pollen quoted from a report of a Committee of Congress, made three years ago, when there wero 175,000 Chinese in California, which stated California's re?onrcea had been rapidly developed through the cheap docile labor of Chinese, and the country had gained enormously through it Chinese initiated many industries, including those we were now offering bonuses for, which, when they saw their practibility, Enropeans took over, the Chinese going to others. Jn California, * 'hinese taking all the menial work left the Europeans free for other avocations. Chinese did work which Europeans neither could nor would do, and aft«r saving a few haivl-earned pounds, why should thoy be prevented doing as they liked with their own and leaving with it? Europeans did the same thing on a grander scale. We d d not prevent colonists vith fortunes going Home to spend them. After remarking that it had been proved tubercular leprosy was not contagious, Dr. Pollen said that the reason Chinese did not bring their families with them was becauso of the hrutil way they themselves were treated by Europeans. Captain Eraser Eaid the Chinese had beeu driven out of India 4000 year 3 ago for their hideous and abominable vices and diseases. They were taking the bread from European mouths. They wore bj vile that g -rma of disease, not to be killed by boiling water, were to be found in the vegetables they grew in their refuse. Boiling oil alon9 would kill these germs. L?t Europeans bo careful, therefore, of eating Chinese-grown cabbage. Chinese would in time get too strong to be restrained if not restrained now. It was so in Honolulu, where, from a small beginning, they had come to hold every plantation. They would soon have entire possession of North Australia. Ihey were most treacherous, as witness the Naseby murder. However, a Chinese had been hung for that, although it wa3 the wrong man (laughter), the other man having the benefit of a clever iawyer. His countrymen, though, to t'aeir credit. Boycotted him, and he (Captain Fraser) hoped he had sin- c cut his throat. Mr. Lahuiann was convinced had Dr. Pollen seen thj filthy way in which the Chinese on tho West Coast lived he would alter hi 3 views. Mr. Waterhouse I said the position had changed since 1871 Then China wa3 a stationary country, emigration being checked, and that of women wholly forbidden. Bub quite lately the Chinese Government had taken off all checks, and now facilitated emigration, even including women. China waa rapidly moving now, and when 400,000,000 people moved it was time for other States to look out. (Hear, hear.) It was useless to deny that the future of the South Sea Islands would ba in the hands of the Chinese. There was now scarcely an island on which there were not the advance guards of thousands to come. Lhina was so progressing that she would soon be in a position to defy foreien Powers, and thc-n there would be nc sautting the Chinese out. If we allowed a largo Chiuese interest to grow up, those to come after ns would have a vast difficulty to

settle, with what would then be one of the greatest Powers on earth. Greatly as he respected the Chinese character, there were some things which rendered them most undesirable amongst us. He might remark from experience that the going into the Chinese quarter in San Franci«co wa3 not dangerous through the Chinese, but through the white hoodlums who lived there with them. But Chinese were filthy in the extreme. Ihrough living for thousands of years in a vitiated atmosphere a race had been developed the very conditions necessary for whose life were fatal to Europeans. Messrs. Wilson, Chamberlin, and Peacock having spoken against the bill, Dr. Menzies moved the adjournment of the debate, which was agreed to.