CHINESE COMPETITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20690, 9 October 1930, Page 16

CHINESE COMPETITION.

Sir.—Tho proposed establishment of a Chinoso market on the waterfront is a venture railing for the serious attention of citizens. A rental to tlio Harbour .Board and a few rates and taxes will bo tho sole profit to tho community. Offsetting this, wo shall liavo an alien competitor whoso operations must seriously react against tho interests of tho present group of lessees of the city market, and, incidentally, of the council itself—that is, tho ratepayers. The lessees employ some hundreds of people at standard rates of pay and as a revenue-producing concern in rents, rates and taxes the city market ,s one of (ho council's best assets. Unnecessary competition is wasteful, and. in a time of economic stress, criminal. The market as a distributing centre is giving good and sufficient service; another market, and a Chinese one at that, cannot serve any real need. Chinese virtually control tiic fruit and vegetable retail trade as it, is: a Chinese market, pure and simple, will tend to stabilise that position. There are about seven thousand Chinese (including several hundred women) in New Zealand. This means an everincreasing Chinese population. They are industrious and thrifty, but the bulk of (heir earnings go to China —an economic loss to this country—and English-speaking nations know that the Asiatic adds little or nothing to the moral and material wealth of the State. Oriental peoples can act as one man in " freezing out" unwelcome foreign traders, but we lack their genius for a successful boycott. The projected Chinese market cannot, however, function without the consent of tho local authorities. It canno' do business without a licence. That licenco can be rofused and public opinion will endorse the refusal. In the. meantime, public bodies, the Chamber of Commerce and the Employers' Association, which are worrying over the economic outlook, can act in the public interest. The unemployed figures aro too high already, H. Keary.