CHINESE PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 77, 1 April 1914, Page 3

CHINESE PROTEST

AGAINST POLICE INTRUSION The following ptotest, signed by fortythreu Chinese, has been forwarded by Mcssic. O'Regan and Dickson to the Minister for Justice (the Hon. A. L. Hcrdnian) and the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher (Minister for Customs) : — Sir, — We. the undersigned Chinese residents of the City of 'Wellington, beg to bring under jour notice the improper manner in which we are being treated by the police. We are mostly residents of Hainiug-stieet, and the great majority of us have lived in that locality for a number of years, as it is difficult for us to find any other quarters in th& cily. Our houses are now being continually invaded by the police, who exercise their power of entering our premises -whenever they so desire. In the great majority of cases they have no warrants, and they inform us that they arc exercising this power of entry without wan-ants by virtue of the authority given them under th© Opium Act. We would point out that some of _ your petitioners arc naturalised British subjects, and we think it most unjust and unfair that our homes should be invaded in such a manner by the police. We would also point out that, as far as serious crime is concerned, the Chinese compare favour* ably with any other nationality in New Zealand. We quite recognise that the police are entitled to enter our premises under warrant, but we submit that the power of entry without warrant should be exercised by the police only when they have good grounds for believing that some crime or offence has been or is being committed. We therefore ask that instructions should be g_iven that the power should be exercised with the greatest caution, and not indiscriminately or without just cause. Although we are Chinese, we are in a British country, and we ask that the inviolate right which a Britisher has "to the privacy of his own home should be extended to us.