THE CHINESE IN AUCKLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13287, 20 September 1906, Page 6

THE CHINESE IN AUCKLAND

DISCUSSION- BY TRADES AND .' LABOUR, COUNCIL. THE LAUNDRY QUESTION. At the ordinary meeting of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council, held last evening, the secretary (Mr. A. Rosser) reported that Mr. Haynes, of the Auckland City Council, had informed him, with reference) to their request to the City Council to have an inspection made of the Asiatic premises throughout the city, that he found the premises were a credit to the people who kept them. They certainly were not in the best condition. The Chinese complained they were not allowed to bring their women into the country without a poll tax. Consequently they were bachelors, and their premises compared very favourably indeed with a European bachelor's home. He (Mr. Rosser) thought that did not say much for a European bachelor's home. Mr. Haynes also stated that the Chinese market gardeners on wet days came to town and spent the day with the Chinese in town. They might be a little crowded then, but the accommodation was good generally. No comment was made by the delegates. Speaking in reference to the special article in the New Zealand Herald of Wednesday on the Chinese competition in the laundry business, Mr. Rosser said the article supported the action taken by the Council in calling the Government's attention to the competition of Chinese. He thought it highly creditable to the Herald that it took up subjects like that, and ascertained for itself the condition of local affairs. Replying to the Council's letter arid resolution calling attention to the remarks of Inspector Ferguson, of Auckland, in regard to the undue competition of Chinese labour with the European laundries, the Minister for Labour (the Hon. J. Millar) said ho would be pleased to give the matter his very careful consideration.