THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1888.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9001, 14 March 1888, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1888.

The burning question of the Chinese invasion of the Australian colonies has elicited a most valuable contribution to the literature of the subject from Mr. J. C. Firth, in a letter from him to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and to the Premiers of the various colonies in Australia, which appears in another column, reproduced from the Melbourne Argus. lb will be observed that the scheme which Mr. Firth proposes for meeting the difficulty of the immigration of Chinese is, in the main, that which we have been advocating in repeated articles, for the central idea and inspiration of which wo have been indebted to that gentleman, who informs us of the course he had token to have his proposal brought under the notice of those high functionaries. It is unnecessary for us, therefore, to say that we cordially maintain the judiciousness and sufficiency of Mr. Firth's proposal, which in his letter he has submitted with singular lucidity and force of reason. On one point we have suggested modifications which we think can be made with propriety. Mr. Firth proposes that a census should be taken in any one year of the British residents in China, and that the year following that number should be the measure of Chinese subjects admissible by treaty arrangements into all parts of the British dominions. Of course, it is only an item of detail ; but we consider that no evil would result if four or live times that number of Chinamen might be permitted domicile in the British dominions; and all the advantages desirable would be reached by the numbers of Chinamen, coming to the colonies being made to bear some definite proportionthree times or even ten times — to the very limited number of British subjects who might be annually domiciled in China. It is not from the introduction of hundreds, or even a few thousands of Chinamen, scattered all over the British Empire, that grave evil would result, but from an irruption of hundreds of thousands, such as Mr. Firth very graphically shows to be possible, from the teeming millions of the Flowery Land. Since Mr. Firth's communication was forwarded to the British Minister ai}d the Australian Premiers, he will have noticed that strong confirmation of the feasibility of his proposal has been given in the new treaty made between the American Government and the Emperor of China. Under that, all Chinese labourers are absolutely prohibited from entering the United States, which shows the truth of what wo have maintained, that the Chinese Government would be found at the present time favourably disposed to place any restriction on the departure of Chinese subjects from China. The American treaty apparently contemplates the free access of Chinese merchants and Chinamen generally, of the superior orders, among whom are found, as wo know from experience in the colonies, men possessed of all the good qualities that would make them an acquisition to any country. This has been the form of modification of the treaty that has commended itself to the American Government, but we believe the suggestion of Mr.' Firth, modified as we have pointed out, would be a more reasonable course, and would be more elastic to meet future developments of the relations between the two nations. The various Governments in Australia, eager as they are, and some of them intensely so, to stem the torrent of the Mongolian invasion, have been stumbling blindly in devious courses, never apparently thinking of grappling with the evil at its source, and we venture to think that Mr. Firth's proposal, so admirably and forcibly put, will give a new direction to their efforts. An interesting history might be written of Exhibitions, showing the results which they have had on industrial,

development, and more especially how different has been the tendency of such result from those anticipated by the first promoters. When Prince Albert first conceived the idea of the great Exhibition of all nations in London, one of his principal hopes was that such enterprises would tend to make the nations better acquainted with one another, smooth away national and racial enmities, and thus cause wars to cease, and promote peace and goodwill among men. But the sound of the hammer in the erection of those temples of industry has blended with the sound of the manufacture of munitions of war, and certainly International Exhibitions do not appear to have suppressed the desire for war, any more than they have allayed international and commercial jealousies. Again, it was anticipated that by the exposition of the triumphs of British industry before the eyes of foreigners, these strangers would have been inspired to avail themselves more of the products of British skill, and that thus the markets for British manufactures would have been extended among the peoples of Continental Europe. But the effect has been that foreign manufacturers have studied and learned the arts of British manufacture, and were stimulated to industrial enterprise in the same fields, and so it has come to 'pass that manufactures of every kind have sprang up all over the Continent, gradually supplying the wants of the people in those countries, closing their markets to British goods, and competing in the United Kingdom itself with British goods, and running a close race with them in British colonies and in foreign lands, in which England had theretofore somewhat of a monopoly. These manifestly unexpected and objectionable results might have been almost enough to discourage the practice of holding international exhibitions : but that mischief having been already done, and all nations having now entered pretty equally equipped in the race of competition, the institution has become a necessity, and the country which does not avail itself of a " World's Show " loses an opportunity which cannot otherwise be supplied for exhibiting its products, and showing its capabilities for supplying the wants of others. That necessity has not been created by us, but it is a necessity imposed on us all the same ; and though the humanitarian objects of the original Exhibition idea have all passed away, neither we nor any other people can afford to overlook the consequences. We in New Zealand can have no fear that in exhibiting our skill in manufacture the great nations of the world shall steal from us our secrets of manufacture any more than we would hope that in uniting in an Exhibition we could promote the peace of the world. But there are disadvantages and advantages incident to Exhibitions, and especially this proposed Exhibition at Melbourne, which we should candidly recognise and state. That it will tend to stimulate excellence, by competition among ourselves must be admitted ; but it might with reason be argued that we could effect this better perhaps by an Exhibition in Auckland or New Zealand ; and doubtless there are many people who ask themselves whatever advantage can we serve by sending products for exhibition at Melbourne 1 It may be answered that by a creditable number of exhibits we may show to the strangers there assembled that we are not an uncivilised people, hardly emerged from the most primitive conditions of social life. That is of course a sentimental advantage, but it is not without its value. We may thereby induce people to visit us, and ultimately cast in their lot with us, which would be a tangible advantage to a degree. We can hardly expect to extend the market for our general manufactures in Australia or Europe; for they have appliances beyond what we have; though our exhibition of raw materials or products of skill which they have not, may lead to orders; and to a trade ultimately of no inconsiderable amount. But there is one feature in this world's show to which our producers should not close their eyes, and that is the opportunity of showing that we can manufacture for ourselves. There will be plenty of foreigners at Melbourne who have come, not to look for products but for markets, and while all the other colonies will have presented their best results, it will not be to the advantage of our producers of any commodity to convey the impression that here we are, over half a million of people, who can produce nothing to supply our own wants. There is not a manufacturer of any commodity, great or small, but may be injured in his interests and prospects by the impression being conveyed that his particular manufacture is not produced in this country ; and that consequently there is an open field for the shooting in of rubbish. This is an aspect of the question that should be looked at by many who are hanging back from sending exhibits to Melbourne, under the mistaken idea that the Exhibition can do them no good. It may do them grave harm, and harm that may be continued from year to year for many years to come: It may seem a mean view this to take of the great World's Show, and one many degrees below the grand ideas that presented themselves to the original conceivers of such enterprises. But it is a real and a practical one, and we trust that our producers great and small will see to it.