THE CHINESE HORROR.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CHINESE HORROR.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir*— While our would-be legislators aro wasting their eloquence on eduoational sphemes, land nationalisation , and other questions of fancy legislature, they are steadily ignoring what ia rapidly beaoining the most serious evil yet felt in the colony, and one which, if allowed to go unchecked, will soon assume proportions disastrous to the colony's commercial and moral interests. I allude to the Chinese horror. Despite the terrible lessons afforded by the experience of the United States, the Sandwioh Islands, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and even, if iv a very much milder form by portions of tlm oolony, we are quietly submitting to the spread of the plague without a word of protest. Notwithstanding tho warnings we occasionally get from newspaper oxtracts of , the disastrous effects on oommerce and morals in other countries by the Chinese invasion, our legislators in ease and in posse do not think it necessary when addressing: their constituents even to mention the matter. Is it a matter of so little oonsequenco ? A few years' ago the Chinese in this oolony consisted of a handful of nomadic golddiggers, but we have seen them steadily increase in number and in avocations until they now boldly enter our cities in drovos and compote — how too successfully many Europeans, to their misfortune, can tell— with our merchants, shopkeepers, and meohanios. They aro at first a qniot unassuming people, no doubt, and it is by reason of this that thoir advance is unnoticed until their unapproachable competition is keenly felt by the European tradesman, who by his mode of living, high rent, and employment of white labour is hopelessly handicapped. This competition (joes not affect sll classes of tho community directly alike, bnt its effeots are nono the less felt indirectly by all. It moans impoverishment to the tradesmen, restricted employment to * the workmen, consequent reduction in spending power in the community, inability to pay high rents, &a, Ac. To judge only by the progress made in this oity by the Chinese during the last few years, it needs no prophot to forecast the ovils to trade and morals that will shortly ensuo. But to get good illustrations we must go to slightly older communities where the Chineso have worked incalculable mischief, and have proved themselves an unmitigated curse to the white man, whose civilisation— perhaps happily— is not on all fours with that of the Coloatial . In California, as in this colony, the Chinese at first went gold-digging, but soon found they could do bettor as market gardeners, cooks, washer mon, and servants. In a short time no fewer than six Chinese companies wore formed for importing Tartars, who came consigned liko cattle, and wore put under a form of hirod slavery until the cost of their passage and the companies profit was cleared off, this enforced labour extending ovor a numbor jof years. Ton years ago tho Chineso quarter of San Francisco, comprising only a few acres, contained a population of 30,000, and two Chineso theatres, besidos gambling and opium dons, and every concelvablo vice was enacted in tho quarter, into which, at length, no Euro- , pean was allowed to go unless accompanied by a constable. Tho effect on tho industrial population was most disastrous. Ten branches of trade were practically monopolised by the companies and their coolies, the jndustries including hat-making, bootmaking, cigar - making, clothing and jeweller manufacture, cabinetmaking, &c. Of course the white workmen created distnrbanoes, but what could they do. The evil was established, vested interests wore oroated, both Chinose and Europoans — for where money is concerned even European patriotism vanishes into thin air— and tho working man and tradesmen had to bow to tho inevitable. Certainly & crusade was preached against tho invaders, but did tha companies cease to import coolies? Not they. The influx continued, and still continues, but the coolies are sent East to flood the larbour markets and degrade the' white labour of the larger oities. Riots occasionally take place, as a short time ago in Chicago, where tho bootmakers were digplacod by the post, but the

Chineso still romain. Tho TJnit6d States is such a largo country that workmen displaced in ono city or State can go olsewhero, but beforo long the evil will become bo stupendous that the struggle for existonco even in that vast continent will become ' so fierco that a crusade terrible in its effects against tho Chinese is hold by , those who underata d the question to bo j almost inevitable. Now, " prevention is ¦ better than cure," we aro told, and it is tho I duty of our tradesmen and our working men to forco tho Legislature to take this matter up. Already tho Chinese have emerged from the chrysallis state of the market gardener and successfully competes with our fruiterers, {frocers, tobacconists, and others, while thoy have also started manufactures, iv a small way as yet certainly, but we all see what they will lead to. We havethemas bootmakers, cabinetmakers, and iewollcrs, and it would ho difficult to sas , what trades they do not carry on in the dory I ofTaranaki-stroot. As grocers they are ruinI ing old-established businesses in this city, i and we find two at least of our merchants seti ting them up in trade in various parts of this provincial district. Now, aro we, as a community, to tamely submit to thin invasion P Is it not our duty, for tho sake of our fair colony, for the sako of our families and descendants, to chock this evil, to proventit spreading to the dimensions observable elsewhere P In my humble judgment it is, and I thoroforo lift up my voice in protest against tho present apathy displayed, and will, sir, with your permission, again refer to the question in its other phases, as I find this lotter has already readied moro than perhaps a judicious length. I am, &c, Hknry Fielder. Manners-stroot, Wollington.