BAR THE ASIATIC

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 45, 21 August 1913, Page 7

BAR THE ASIATIC

"KEEP NEW ZEALAND WHITE 1 COOLIE LABOUR IN THE DOMINION SOME EMPLOYED ON PUBLIC .WORKS. FURTHER RESTRICTIONS VERY DESIRABLE. It is evident, from statements n-ad« in the House of Representatives yesterday, that the Massey Government intends, as far as possible, to "keep New Zealand white." The vexed question of coloured labour, present, arriving, and to arrive, in the Dominion evoked an unusually interesting discussion, and both the Minister of Customs (Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) and the Prime Minister agreed that legislative obstacles should be placed as high as possible in the way of immigration of the coloured aliens. PRECAUTIONS IN FIJI. Primarily the matter was raised in the form of a question by Sir Walter Buchanan, who asked : "Will the Government more efficiently guard against the admission of Indian cooließ into New Zealand from the South Sea Islands and Fiji?" The following "note" was attached : "It is reported that 275 prison cells Were considered necessary for dealing with them ia the new big gaol recently, erected by the Fiji Government." t The Minister's (Mr. Fisher) reply was in these terms: "The matter is now being dealt with," but Government members, more particularly, emphasised the need for further legislative protection against what might be termed "undesirables." MORE SATISFACTORY REPLY NEEDED. The member for Egmont (Mr. C. A. Wilkinson) consideted that members of the House were entitled to a more satisfactory repiy. The reply that had been given might mean something, and might not. He had heard tTKt the Public Works Department was employing Borne of these aliens in various parts of tho country. He did not put it forward as a fact, but he understood that at Suva there was a school at which the coolies were educated, and wheh they found they could earn^s or 8s per day in New land they attempted to get here. We did not want them in this coWry— we could do without them very well. Equally emphatic opinioh was expresed by Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato). j Y , ou ? g said he had. been in Suva and had Been the conditions under which the cooließ there lived. They appeared to exist simply on the smell of an oil rag. These conditions (dc clared the hon. member) were the result of the monopoly of the Colonial Sngar Company. Thei coolies expected to be treated like other people wnen they arrived in New Zealand, because they were British sub j eta. PREVENT THE INFLUX. It was the opinion of Mr. J. 0. Thomson (Wallace) that if members could only know how these cooließ treated their European wives after marriage that alone would be sufficient to make the Government take Btepß to pro* vent their influx into this country. Mr. H. M. Campbell (Hawkes Bay) said he had always believed that Bteps should be taken to prevent coolies, Chinese, and Asiatics generally from entering the Dominion. v New Zealand wanted a pure white race, and the Gov ernment should take step* to keep it co. LAW REQUIRES AMENDMENT. The Minister of Customs," in his explanation, told the House that the Gov* ernment had gone very carefully into the question of this immigration, and legislation, he thought, would have to be introduced this session to stop. it. ' The restrictions placed on coolie immigrants coming into the country at the present time were not drastic enough. Ho felt that the law wanted amendment in this direction. Sir Walter Buchanan mentioned th« statement that some of these people had been employed by the Public Worke Department. The Minister pointed out that where coolies and such like became naturalised they could hardly be refused the right ' to live or the right to work. Mr. M'Ca.llumi On public works? The Minister reiterated that they could hardly charge £100 poll tax and ' then refuse these men the .right to live. Was not that broad and tolerant enough t Mr. M'Callum : Too much co. The Minister added that the Govern- > rnent wanted to stop the coolies from coming to New Zealand, and he hoped that Parliament would agree to amend the law in that direction. IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT ' , AFFECTED. Later oa X the Prime Minister twferre*"* to the siibject. It had been tosserbed that some of these coolies had been em- • ployed on public works, lie had reason ' to believe that that statement was nob correct. He realised, and he thought members would realise boty, that there i was a serious difficulty in the way of 1 dealing with these men, especially those who were British subjects. If these men were to be prevented from coming legislation would bo necessary, and he (the speaker) thought that such legisla* tion would have to be Bent Home to receive the Imperial assent. As regarded , one statement, it was true that some six coolies had been employed at Rotorua by the State Forestry Department, which was under hiß control. He had made enquiries, and found that the officer in charge stated he could not obtain European labour, and' a* the work was , urgent he had employed these men. He , (Mr. Mftssey) had given instructions at once to dispense with the services of the coolies fls soon as possible, and that was done. He was of the opinion that the Government should do something to prevent these coolies from coming into the Dominion. COLOURED WORKERS ON ROADMAKING. The member for the Bay of Plenty } (Mr. W. D. S. Mac Donald) informed the House he had just received a telegram to the effect that coolies who had been engaged at Whakarewarewa were now being employed on road works be* tween Rotorua and T&umnga. The Prime Minister replied that h» would refer the matter to the Minister of Public Works, to ascertain whether the information was or was not correct. The Government had no intention of employing coloured labour oh any State ) undertakings. The matter would be enquired into forthwith,