THE CHINAMAN AT SEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 14071, 28 May 1906, Page 8

THE CHINAMAN AT SEA.

Tho presence at Lyttelton, within a few days of one another, of two “tramp” steamers, with coloured — mainly Chinese—crews, has drawn attention to the extent to which tho Chinaman is supplanting the European in tho mercantile marine-. It is true that the crew of ono of these vessels was shipped in tho East, and that tho fit-earner in question has, until recently, traded to that part of the world, but the coloured men on the other were shipped in American waters, and have bo bo paid at the same rate as a white crew. The majority of the Ardgowan’s men are Chinese, the others being Alalagneic, Seychell-e Islanders and one Japanese. The captain of that vessel (tho Ardgowan) professed himself quite satisfied with his aliens for a voyage such as that on which ho is at present engaged, but admitted that if trading on, the British coast ho would prefer a European crew, because if anything happened to any of them, oiya lew deserted, they could bo replaced at the nearest port. He had, however, found ; tho coloured seafarers reliable, sober, j industrious, and respectful. His pro- I sent crow r , ho pointed out, was no chehper than a white one. The voyage on which, the Ardgowan is now engaged, it may bo noted, is from New York . to Australian and New Zealand ports, t Tho other steamer referred to is the j Pocahontas, which came bore from Nov,-castle, Now South Wales, with coal. Her seamen, firemen, cooks and stewards arc all Chinamen. There are thirty of them altogether, anti' they wore mostly shipped at Hong Kong, Their officers speak well of the way in which they' perform their duties, but they are not paid as much as Europeans would ’be. It appears, however, that they are little, if any, cheaper than a white crow, for the reason that fewer Europeans would bo required to do tho work which they do. This was shown on the Australian coast, where the steamer, while running there, had te engage a white orew in accordance with the Commonwealth shipping laws. Eighteen white men did the, work of the thirty Chinamen. The New Zealand Navigation Act docs not prevent coloured aliens from being employed on a vessel trading between the various j ports of the colony, but our Jaws, as j also do those of imuos© o. I

■heavy penalty, £IOO for each man, on the master of any vessel from which any of them escape and remain in the colony. Therefore the alien crews are very carefully watched. As a rale they are not allowed to go ashore, nor are their countrymen who may be resident in tho country willingly permitted to board the vessel or to communicate with them. It is feared that the local Chinamen might induce their compatriots to desert, or, indeed, aid them to do so. Tills strict supervision, of course, moans both trouble and expense to the ship, and is one of the disadvantages which may be set against the advantages, such as they are, of employing Chines© crews.