EXTRA EDITION. PACIFIC & ASIATICS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 July 1914, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION. PACIFIC & ASIATICS

* - SINISTER MOVEMENT POSSIBLE EXTENSION TO COOK ISLANDS. OP CONCERN TO NEW ( ZEALAND. (»Y TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL TO THB POST.) AUCKLAND, This Day. A steady migration of Chinese to Tahiti by way of Sydney, Wellington, and Auckland is every month adding 60 or 70 labourers to the Asiatic population of the French colony. There are now between 3000 and' 4000 Chinese in the Society Islands, and tho presence of this alien community in the centre of the Pacific is discussed in an article in the Herald. A writer in Pearson's Magazine recently pointed out that Papeete Harbour, in Tahiti, was the best and safest port in all that part of tho Pacific; that it was the half-point on the direct route between Panama and Australasia ; that it was the natural centre of distribution and exchange for an enormous amount of Pacific trade; that the Society Islands were wonderfully fertile and would grow anything. Britain, not so many years ago, had the Opportunity of acquiring these fertile and valuable islands and she ignored the opportunity, and allowed France to take possession. Now, according to all available information, the island'of Tahiti is to become a Chinese colony. Many years ago, when the first cotton plantation was established in Tahiti, the growers found that they could not depend upon the native Tahitian, so the cotton growers brough coolies from China, and the Cliinese found the climate so congenial that when the cotton plantations ceased operations they remained in Tahiti. Today the whole of the retail trade of Tahiti, and a very great part of the business of buying produce from the natives, is' in the hands of these men and their descendants. During many years the Chinese have been drifting into the Society Islands, but at present they are going there in larger numbers than ever ■ before. There is no doubt that the French administration of these islands, compared with most of the British colonising systems, leaves a' great deal to be desired, but the French have not willingly consented to the introduction 'of Asiatics";* The greater importance given to Tahiti by the opening of the Panama , route, however, and the necessity for a more vigorous and systematic development of tile islands, have forced the French to face the labour problem. The Tahitdans, like most other Pacific peoples, are a degenerating and decreasing race, and the planters, merchants, and shippers had to turn elsewhere for their labourers. A proposal to bring in Javanese was strongly supported, but was not officially entertained, and the fact_ that Chinese are now being allowed in in ever-increasing numbers suggests that the French authorities are giving at least .tacit consent to their importation. Opinions among the white residents of Tahiti on thiß question are sharply divided. Chinese control all the retail stores and the tea shops, and the industry of curing and exporting vanilia is almost entirely in^ their' hands. They have not. yet engaged in the fruit producing business, except as labourers, but they purchase from the natives much fruit and copra and export it, paying the vendors in goods. There are many Chinese women in the islands, but many of the men marry Tahitian women, and a hybrid race that is not particularly' distinguished by the qualities which stand for good citizenship is springing up. The small administration and official community is almost entirely French. The Tahitians, suffering greatly from the ravages of venereal and tubercular disease, are disappearing. The Chinese are firmly established, more Chinese are pouring in, and if the present conditions continue, "in 50 or 100 years Franco will no longer be "at the centre of tho Pacific." Instead, it is considered that Tahiti will bo occupied by a vigorous community of Chinese and Chinese-Tahitian half-castes. Information to hand from Sydney indicates that all available space for this class of passenger has been booked up for a considerable time ahead on the vessels trading to the Eastern Pacific. Tho Chinese are coming to Sydney by two or three different lines. As far as is known there is no organised scheme of emigration. The Chinese are themselves paying th© fare required and making their own way to this French-governed land of promise. "This is a matter in which New Zealand should be very much interested," said a merchant who has frequent business communication with Tahiti. "The Cook Islands, a part of the Dominion, lie only five hundred miles west of the Society Islands, and there is very frequent intercourse between Rarotonga and Tahiti. At present the Chines© are strictly excluded from the Cook Islands, but the Cook Island natives, like the Tahitians, are decreasing in numbers. Sooner or later the labour problem will be felt as seriously in "She Cook Islands as it has been in Tahiti. What then? Ara we'going to let in the Chinese? And if we don't, can we keep them out? If we allow these islands to remain comparatively unproductive, can we always bar out these Asiatics, who have learned through Tahiti that these Eastern Paci' fie islands are an entirely congenial home? The admission of Chinese to Tahiti' and the manner in which they are taking hold there is a sinister development to which we cannot be blind. New Zealand, of course, cannot interfere with the French administration of the Society Islands,.but the growth of the Chinese community there is a thing that should interest all people who study conditions in the Pacific, and should interest New Zealand statesmen most of all." \ ■