ASIATIC COMPETITION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 3108, 29 December 1921, Page 6

ASIATIC COMPETITION.

EXPERIENCE IN CANADA. PRO PL LA I OK PACIFIC COAST. CONDITIONS IN VAN! '(MI VEIL VANCOHVLR, Sep. 20, Kec'ling agaiiisi Asiatics is inerea.-in:: steadily in Prilish Columbia, and some tiling in the nature nl a (general eampaigu is in progress. I 1 igures issued recentl; -liowing dial Inmisands of acres of the he,-i land in the ferliie Eraser Valley and the pr.uha live (H.anaga'i A alley are under the ■■(.gii'M .if Jiipuiie e or t 'iiinese ha\e. caused i.on:--.iorniit'on, ii m known that the famous potato- p: (iiliieiug disl riel ol Aslierotl is a I most eniu'ely in the hands ol Orientals. White men have rented them tracts ol landau long leases, eiiher on a cash rental basis or a nria in | icreeii I age of Ihe en >1 1 The whiles adniil dial they make more mean v <ail M their land by ibis system iII.HI h\ work on il ihelliselves, even l| I lie. 1 er.nhi gel sidlieienl while labour. 'I he weahhier anion": the (h ient.ils eon trd'i gam;- oj llieir fellow eouni ryineii, who work long hours lor low wages. Wlnpeve" a Chinaman works lor a white man he insists on while mmi hours and pays -Cm is one feat UK ol 1 lie problem which is dillimill, to oveivome. Mr M. A. Alaedonaid, K.C., M.P.. of Val l cunve: ionclieil on the quest ion in a I'ee.m : addi i ss. He .-aid il was unfortunate Cam da had lo admit (iiai for pioneer work die Oriental excelled mod of the Dominion's own people, lie said that much of the peaceful penetration of the .Asiatic going on in Prilish Columbia was due to die lad dual they were more industrious than die whiles.

GENERAL APPR’EHKNSION. A movemem li;m In -laded amongp rim farimg's m dm ! tell a riding ol linti.-h (.'o! 11111 1na lo stop the lea.-mg ot land to (. lidem a Is. Cdei one liumlred tanner:; have ; Iready eon-enied to sign an agreement mu to lease any of ibelr land to Orientals for a pmdou of (ha- years. Other disl net s in the Eraser Vail"v are lali.itig of fonnin; .similar oigani-aiions. The Duncan Hoard of Trade named a resolution recently asking dm Provincial (invert uncut lo take tops to prevent Orientals from owning or iaa.-ing lands in Prilish Columbia. The resolution proposed that all land transfers or leases mimt he approved In the u\nnicipalii v com .'rued. ’I he Victoria <My Couiied t 1 ■. d down die rcqnc-t from Dim can for ;a -mi of the resolmion because '•'.hour member; declared dial driving Orienip.ls from (tic land would mean that I hey would flock into die ci t ic- - and ‘’cut” die wages of while labourers. On the other lend the council of Saaniah municipality, which adjourns Victoria. supported the, a,'-4ujjoin and 'he ( liilHwael; Pnanl of Trade passed a similar resolution, adding ile.it the Orientals are a - ,cia! menace and erring dial, tiiev he ('winded from the pro- \ mri'. The Oriental question was discussed at the Retail Merchants of Canada Convention Imld in Hum-an, and a resnlniion wanna- -■ I .a king die Federal Government io take steps to restrict such immigration. Mr George I loughu m. provincial secret a:y ut the association, in his annual report, louche;! ou the issti" as follow's :■ -"The a-se.i'i;iiion has gone about as far as it eoukl iii dealing- with lilt' Oriental immigration question by demanding (he exclusion ot Orientals in the fnlure, Meanwhile the Oviom a I is wiili ns as a fact or no! o ilv in is-iail merehandLimr, hni in every oilier phase ol commercial activity.” CoNTfCT. op R UTAH. TRADE. Illnsirating ibe extent ot Asiatic competition Mr Llougham said linn lie had o'-ca-iou during 3920 to -pend considerable time, and thought: upon an endeavour lo obtain an amendment to dm early-closing by-law covering retail groceries lor tc° IT I y of Vancouver, and idler some eight months’ work and the expenditure of considerable money, il wa,- finally discovered dun such an ameudim.’iii could not he passed lor the simple reason thai approxhnaiely one-third of die iota ii grocer;- of (-Tea ter Vancouver an; Orientals, whose signatures could not he secured to the. petition, which m necessary in order lo change an early 'dosing by-law. The same i oiitiH cm applies t.o the mCrelmy tailors and your si'crel'ary is, credibly informed, although lie has not been into die. mailer himself, that approximately 50 per reel. of the merehanl lador ing hnsiiK'ss of (he City of Vancouver is hi die hands m Orientals.

A U AAAI XG Lf )(!T IkX MS. ; Some of 1!m < Title e fruit peddlm s <4 Vancouver are aiita.meg snug fortunes out, of raising and selling vegetables and limit, their prices hemg but a mere fraction 01 tlic.se charged by withe operators. While some of Ibe Oriental peddlers carry limit' wares in flimsy waggons drawn by ancient steeds, many of the Chinese sport highly varnished ano-m bile- of nigh-power and price. .Many of the fruit men also live in splendid homes which they have bough I ..ii! of die proceeds of their business activities. and on Sundays these Chinese peddlers may lie seen careering around in their touring ears doing the sights. They appear to enjov this kind of outward display on the Sabbath, while the less fortunate white fruit and vegetable operator has lo ho content with a five-cent: ride on a 1 raiiicar. Whenever a grocery store or barber's simp heeomms empty in Vancouver, an association of Orientals “gels busy,’’ and places a (fbiim.se in charge, whatever (he rent may be. The Chinese starts in a modest way lint quickly branches out, frequently trading under a British name, which is emblazoned on his store front in gilded let ters, Iktloris are now being made to compel the Oriental to trade in his real Oriental name.