Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 1889.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 136, 22 June 1889, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 1889.

Every now and then what is known as " the Chinese difficulty " forces itself to, the front ; there is a great hubbub and intense excitement for a time, but when the proverbial " nine days " have expired, the agitafciou dies out, and the public — at least those who are not brought into immediate contact with them — cease to remember the existence of the übiquitous Asiatic in our midst. Just now the " difficulty " has once more presented itself in Wellington, this time in a new phase, new at least to New Zealand. The grocers and greengrocers in that city find that they are being undersold by theiv Chinese competitors, and a meeting of those interested has been recently called to consider how a state of affairs so ruinous to their interests is to be overcome. But nothing satisfactory was propounded; those present appear to have been quite unable to propose anything practical, and the "Post," which devoted a leader to the subject on the following day, was driven to conclude it with a sentence calculated to take all the heart out of the grocers and greengrocers who are threatened with ruin. "We should be glad, " says our contemporaiy, " to suggest a remedy for the hardship of the position in which our fellow citizens engaged in the retail grocery business find themselves, but we are unable to suggest anything which would be likely to secure adoption or prove effective. " Certainly that which the alarmed email tradesmen proposed would not answer, even if it were allowed, which is not likely. This was the establishment of a Chinese quarter, outside the limits of which no Chinese should be allowed eifchei' to reside or cai'ry on business. Thoße who have visited what is known as the Chinese quarter in any of the great colonial or American cities will not be disposed to countenance the voluntary establishment of such an evil in the vicinity of any New Zealand towns, although, if those who attended the Wellington meeting are to be believed, there is some chance of its springing into existence in the heart of that city. Some of the speakers pointed out that the number of Chinese storekeepers was greatly on the increase, and that already many of the best sites in Cuba and Manners streets and other good business thoroughfares had been secured by Celestials, and a fear was expressed that at no distant date one of these would become a regular Chinese quarter. One of the reasons given for the ability of the Chinese to outsell the European tradesmen is that, as a rule, a portion of the premises rented by each Chinese tradesman is set apart for the accommodation of a dozen or more of his countrymen, from whom is received an amount sufficient to pay the rent of the whole establishment, thus . enabling him to sell his goods cheaper than those European retailei'B who do not own the properties which they occupy. In other words the Chinese, of whose competition complaint is made, do a double business, that of shopkeeper and lodging house keeper, the number of their countrymen living in the town, none of whom have homes of their own, being sufficient to ensure that their rooms are always full. Unquestionably the Wellington traders from whom the wail arises are in a most unenviable position, the unpleasantness of which is aggravated by the consideration that it is of no use whatever for them to appeal to . the public for assistance, although they might probably calculate upon their sympathy. The fact is that the public are practically with the Chinese, for if they did not support them there would be ' no trouble among the European shopkeepers. People, however, will make their purchases wherever they can get the most value for their money, and if a Chinaman can Bell his sugar at a halfpenny a pound cheaper than the European, this fact will weigh far more with the customer in favor of the seller than his yellow-skin will against him, The only possible remedy which presents itaelf to the " Post " ig " in European shopkeepers following the example of the Chinese traders in buying and selling for cash, being content with small profits, and. making no bad debts." As this suggestion is probably by no means a new one, but has most likely been weai'ily thought over many and many a time by those for whose adoption it is thrown out, it will bring them but poor comfort at a time when they see their means of livelihood gradually dwindling away under the pressure brought to bear by their colored com. petitorfl. THE telegraphic report of fcba proceedings in tbe Houbb of Representatives yesterday will oh found on the fourth page, Tho moßt important ifcirti it contains is an intimation by the Premier that tho Financial Statement would bo brought down on Tuesday next, that is to eay, he promiagd the House that if members woala restrain their eloquence and give no trouble over tho Address in Reply, he would probably deliver the Statemonton thai evening. The House performed iis share of the bargain by agreeing to the Address almost without debate, and it now remains to be seen whether tfoo JPrnnierTreasurer will G.uiy out hie undertaking. Tho majority of those who spoke ou the Addreta were auything but favourably die post-d to tho Government, judging by tho brief BSimmary of their speeches ; Mr HarknerS, tbe mover, was none too profnso of his approbation, and tyc Lawry (member for Franklin North), who pecouded the motion, proved c vritable Bidaam, He was jnvitod te bl«j3B MiuiHters and their actions, and io, be oareeeHftein, if not altogether, very nearly bo. The first iiuy'* Bitting was anything but propkioua lo the {Jovtrnuiout, Sir Yerrall, M.H.E. for Ashley pp.oke last night to the rddrese in, reply and seized the opportunity of introducing his pet id ea regarding tbe establishment of a State Bank. Tuifl gentleman has not yet m*do his mark in policies, and apparently ia not regarded rb a prophab ia bin own country. H* audreosed hia constituents the other di»y, and the report: of jconeiderably m.or<j turn half his

Bpeech was thus condenped by one r{ tbe local paposa : — " H<! (b<'n referred io fed' ration, tbe Chin' (se, American butuplioue- esr-. raiiwayo, VoUuweer?, defence matters, aid protection, iii wMoh he agreed, but bo wt^ going to veto \vi;h t! v- £ie.-.lr de»a in ordft to pet his S ato Bunk. Ii? h»d *ot his speec'i in Hansard, he would have a division by and bje, and would mtrk all those who voted ngaiPßt it.''