VANCOUVER RIOTS

New Zealand Times, 12 September 1907, Page 5

VANCOUVER RIOTS

CAUSES OF THE OUTBREAKS A GRAVE POSITION. POLITICS AND THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM. By Teleffraph-Pree, Ai»ociation-Conyrithl. LONDON. September 10. Some thirty Bellingham men organised Saturday’s Anti-Asiatic demonstration at Vancouver. An effigy of the Hon. James Dunsmuir, Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, was burnt. Newspapers in London recogrlTso the gravity of the outbreak and tho necessity for grappling with the problem before immigration assumes larger dimensions. They acknowledge that Canada is in a better position than Washington to act firmly, as the Dominion provinces do not possess extreme State laws, which in California’s case hamper the central Government. “The' Times” Ottawa correspondent says it is unfortunate that the agitation on the,. Pacific Coast should have been fomented by one or two members of the Dominion House for political purposes. The New York correspondent of tho same journal says that the whole trouble on the Pacific Coast is traceable to Irish labour leaders.

MESSAGE FROM EARL GREY. REGRET AT CRUELTIES ON KING’S ALLIES. OTTAWA, September 10. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Dominion Prime Minister, has telegraphed to Mr Bethuno to the effect that Earl Grey (Governor-General of Canada) has learned with the deepest regret of the indignities and cruelties whereof certain subjects of the Emperor of Japan (the King’s friend and ally) have been the victims, and hopes that peace will bo promptly restored and all offenders punished. Canadian newspapers unanimously condemn the riots.

STRIKE OF CHINESE. PREPARATIONS FOR POSSIBLE TROUBLE. VANCOUVER, September 10. All Chinese domestics and millhands in Vancouver have struck as a protest against their treatment. They purchased hundreds of pistols before the sale of firearms was prohibited. FURTHER RIOTING. CROWDS FIRE”A JAPANESE SCHOOL. FEELING IN TOKIO. (Received September 12, 0.5 a.m.) LONDON, September 11. The Japanese official version states that three thousand labourers and vagrants participated in the Japanese and Korean Exclusion League’s demonstration preceding the Vancouver riots. The description of the riow is similar to that sent by Reuter’s correspondent. Seven hiujdred rioters approached the Japanese quarters ,on Mondaynight, mounted police dispersing them. A Japanese school was set on fire, but Japanese extinguished the flames. Over wenty rioters have been arrested since Saturday. A Reuter’s message from Tokio reports that the officials of the Foreign Office there are quite confident that everything will be done to protect the Japanese.

AN AMERICAN VIEW. RESTRICTION OF JAPANESE IMMIGRATION. ,(Received September 12, 0.11 a.m.) NEW YORK, September 11. With reference to the Japanese trouble at Vancouver, a telegram from Washington declares that State officials comment on the importance of the bearing which the Vancouver incident will have on negotiations between the State Departments and the Japanese Ambassador with a view to formulating a treaty restricting the immigration of Japanese coolies to tho United States. They believe that the Japanese must now be convinced that the problem is really a racial one, and that the only solution will be her formal recognition of the right to restrict Asiatic labour, not only in the United States, but in British Columbia, Australia, and other colonies. Tho officials emphasise the fact that if such a treaty is ratified with Great Britain, Japan cannot refuse such an one with the United States.