CHINESE IN DOMINION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18456, 20 July 1923, Page 11

CHINESE IN DOMINION.

WHY DO. THEY COME HERE?

CANTON PROFESSOR PUZZLED

VIEWS ON THE YELLOW PERIL.

. The : impressions. of a Chinese professor on his visit to New Zealand »were given last night by; Professor Pan Sien Chung, M.Sc, who leaves by the Niagara today.'..- •'..'■•'■: -/-., • '''"'■' ;; ; --' ;

"What a pity," said Professor Pan Sien Chung, "that the sons of that vast, rich land of the East had to come here only to be hated, outcast and prejudiced against! I trust, however, that such prejudice springs purely from economical questions. I have noticed how exceptionally well I hive been treated by all classes wherever - I travelled in this country. - I often wonder how the Chinese could live here under existing conditions. What' has seemed so attractive to them puzzles me. I don't believe that -. anything :, couldl attract them except your splendid government.. I may be under a wrong , impression travelling • here just when your vegetable , kingdom. is in & dormant state. All I have seen along the railroads was mountains and rolling lands, which are, at best, good _ for grazing and forage crops. It reminded me of my seven months' sojourn in < the Vosges Valleys, •15 miles from Switzerland, where dairying was also a principal industry. In China, however, there arc hundreds of millions of acres of virgin land, perhaps ten times more fertile than what I have seen in the Vosges and here, but unfortunately, entirely forsaken. Instead of being a land of promise, many of' her sons were compelled to leave her to seek their fortune abroad, simply on account of unsettled conditions. TFarest in Ohina. What couldn't a Chinsso do at home with the £103 that he had to pay on his landing is. New Zealand, and the £50 in addition for his travelling expenses from Chita, if only his own Government could give- him the protection. Your fear of this country being flooded by Chinese will inevitably cease 'as soon as a good Chinas* Government is formed. We believe it will be, and all we want for that is time. No complete transformation will take pises without China going through svsry necessary stage of vicissitude. Several times the question of the VYellow Peril " has been brought- to my notice. 1 baas always considered' it as a luxurious air castle of the white nsople. Having less people in your whole 'nation than one of our large cities yon natural!>? think that it cannot be possible for Vnation to have such £ t-aajing population as. four hundred miilir.n<:. Dra't von realise, too, that there are 4,200,000 squares miles of land in China, thus malrW the population of China . less than 100' asr square mile.' Not a single country ' iii Europe is not throe or four, or even six times as crowded as China, considering its population per square mile. Once there is protection;, transportation, and modern methods of farming, China *is more than able to accommodate all her people. Like the French, the Chinese like to stay in their own country. Plenty of land is. available. At present only a small portion of the land in China* is under cultivation—-15 per cent, of the total area, according to the Ministry of Agriculture-—which is far too low for maintaining her population,. Ho Aggressive Ambition. The Chinese are > a peace-loving people, rather building a wall than fighting to keep their enemies from invasion. Wherever Chinese are found it is admitted that they are law-abiding and honest. They mind only their own business, and are without the slightest degree of agressive ambition. Upwards of 3000 Chinese in Tahiti have been successfully ruled by the French, who number 200, including men, women, and children.

Do not misinterpret mv point, however, and think )t that the Chinese are not capable of ruling. In fact, the Chinese had been successful rulers like "the "Romans in the past. What I try to point out is that they are not a dangerous people in any sense. Di6cnssiing intermarriage between Chinese and Enrooean, Professor Pau Sien Chung said the question had been recently; brought up by a certain bishop with whom he aareed. "Lr>ve knows no geographical • boundary. Marrving with a person of your Own nationality gives no guarantee of happiness. I have seen in Europe manv cases of unhanpv marraores within +Vfl circle of mv Own acnnaintance. Hundreds .of thousands of divorce cases happen in the United R*ates each vear. More serious consirie.ration should be given to a marriage between a Chinese. and Enroinean, of course, because the societv is more keen about such wedlock. Unbannv cases are more con<=nic»>ons than'; harmv ones, andtnev easilv catch the attention of th" public. Thbik seven times seven before such marriage is made is' my advice." "' . V .'