THE CHINESE RAID.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11921, 19 June 1899, Page 6

THE CHINESE RAID.

■ —-O* "** SERMON BY THE i At the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church yesterday the Rev J- J. Df address on the recent raid on the Chinese, several of whom are. scholars of the tms conducted- by the Orford Tettucc Church. He said that few householders would let even a small cottage to the Chinese. They were honest in payment, but they were ostracised in _ society, and they had to be content to live in hovels that were a disgrace to any owner. Consequently. “ comfort ” and “ home ” were unknown. words to most of them. Their only pleasure was to congregate, in two or three centres, where their language could be freely* spoken, where they could meet with their friends, amuse themselves and make their surroundings as Chinese as possible. Chin Sing’s* house was one of these centres. - Chin Sing was not a Christian,, but be bore a very high .character* amongst the‘detectives and tradesmen. * As a Chinaman maintaining his national idehs and prejudices,, he allowed * the. game of fan-, tan to be played. He (Mr Doke) hated gambling as much'as anyone, but he failed to see that this Christian community had taught Chin Sing any better, or could afford to throw a stone at him. The house, however, was not devoted to ,fan-tan; it was the gathering place of the tribes and a house in which homeless Chinese lodged. Four of the Oxford Terrace class lodged there,- having a littleV, more comfort than they would gain in hovels of their own, and the, others were in.the habit of meeting, with their, countrymen. It had been their custom for years after the work of the week to spend a portion of their day of- rest in; that way. The church teachers -had always been welcome in the store, and before the class commenced at three o’clock some of them invariably conducted a religious service in, one of the rooms, and the Chinese, whether they attended the class or not, appeared to appreciate these visits. Last Sunday night after the men Had gone back from church the police broke into the place, and found thirty-two Chinese there, only a small proportion of whom were.playing fan-tan, and four Europeans. Four of their class were' there, as it was their home and they had nowhere else to go. Two others had come to spend a little time with their friends. None of these were playing, but they were handcuffed, marched through the streets and lodged for the night in the cells at the police .station. In the evidence given afterwards two things appeared which ought net to; be forgotten: (1) The police chose a night when the Chinese would muster in large force to prepare for the half-yearly festival. He (Mr Doke) ventured 'to say they knew it, for they knew everything that was going, on amongst the Chinese, so that they planned to-take, not the regular attendants only, but ithe extra visitors who were sure to be there. He thought that was one of the eruelesfc features of the raid- cruel at least in the experience of. two of‘ the men. (2) The detectives admitted in their evidence that again and again, having free access to the bouse, they -had stood by watching the gam© of fan-tan without doing more than warn Chin Sing not to let Europeans play.

So the Chinese were lulled into security, and really did not know that the police, regarded the game so sternly. The police had a cheap victory and committed a great wrong. Ail the men ; ,of their class were dismissed- without a stain upon their char-, acters. If i the facts could have been elucidated probably nearly half of the remainder ought to have been acquitted also. They .were in the house with every valid exMse, but they were Chinamen, and it didn’t matter. This was a chapter in the missionary history of their church'that they would not soon forget. These Chinese were human beings, with the rights of all God’s human . family, rights to : justice mid humanity and love. But through the long hours of Sunday, night thirty-two Chinese and four Europeans were lying■ on the bare, floors of . the police 'ceils,' without- bed or covering, save the few blankets .that were passed in, but .would only go ■ a little way in partly sheltering some of the men. There was absolutely no provision made for the proper treatment that human beings had a,.right to expect. Then, the men were Owing to the disorganisation or demoralisation of the warders, only a few of the men had any breakfast at all. None of them had a midday meal, and they were left in that condition until a little more food was given them at six o’clock at night. They-had told these, men before now, with pride, that English, countries were not like China. There was no torture under English law. They dared not tell them that again. Some of ; the men were : discharged afterwards as innocent • they: had not yet been tried f they were only suspected. And here the greatest wrong of 1 all ■ cambrini ' They '■ were Amirix who had never before been put into prison. The keenness with which they felt the blot hpon theif character, which, forii them no "discharge could wipe awayri’only those who knew 'them intimately'. could appreciate!’ They had lost valuably type, and in their owm eyes .th®y had lost’ character., Jinan*..

‘cially they Start Suffered heavily -in ■ gagement of counsel, and many of them were still, suffering in health. And all for cheap Victory and show without danger their valorous activity. They had been trying to ,'teach the ...Chinese- that; God was love, aid that' Christiaim were sojnefaint echo of God. They hadjbeen seeking to lead them jnto fhe light ,of life. :. He prayed 1 God that* they might believe it yet, and that in some way by tender Christian sympathy they might help to make amends to’ .the Chinese for the great wrong which they had suffered.