THE CHINESE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1019, 10 June 1871, Page 16

THE CHINESE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir—ln your issue of April 22nd, I have perused a letter signed " Wm. Dalrymple," extolling the merits of Chinese over European minora ; their patient Industry, knowledge of traffic, metallurgy, &0., &e.; all of which we poor benighted Christian miners have to infuse with our own simple ideas before we can compete with our idolatrous compeers, according to the doctrine of Win* Dalrymple. That they take more time and trouble in cooking than Europeans, That they live moderately, "thatthey are patiently industrious," I don't dispute. Yet, compulsion haa no law, as in jmany instances they are obliged to be so, but I can't see what all those good points have to do with inculcating truth, particularly in Chinamen. Lying is a special moral in Chinese society, as truth is in a European. Ask a Chinaman that under' stands English a question that he wants to evadethe trueanswerthereto. The immediate answer is—"Me no savey." That few of them have been on the police sheet for drunk' enness is also true, although they consume a deal of spirituoua liquors in their own dens notwithstanding. If Wm. Dalrymple would only apply his seeming philanthropy and knowledge of chemistry to the detection of spurious liquor and the stoppage of its sale in mining districts, the names of so many Europeans would not appear on the police Bheet either. At all events, miners generally speaking are not drunkardß. Chinese knowledge of traffic miners don't want to copy ; they live honestly so far as in their power. Metallurgio science has nothing to do with primitive gold mining. European miners do not want to be initiated in the mystery of making spurious gold—the only part of metallurgio science the Chinese have cultivated in this province as yet that is not practised by Europeans. Wm. Dalrymple wants the boys and girls of the province to be taught by their parents the extra scientific knowledge of the Chinese. There ib a shorter way to make boys and girls perfect if Wm. D. would advocate or bring aboit intermarriage with European women; the young idea would gather the necessary knowledge as he or she grow towards maturity. Such a step would be the crowning success of the colonisation of Otago, and Wm. Dalrymple the philanthropic origin thereof. The AngloSwedish Dutch-German scheme of immigration of the Superintendent's would be thrown aside as an unworthy comparison. William Dalrymple might as well address his praises of the Chinese to other clashes of the community. European miners are stubborn pupils ; they are migratory and travel, have pioked up some knowledge of men and manners—so much so, that lam confident all the sophistical arguments of William Dalrymple in behalf of his pet Celestials, will never make the British miner either awwdate. wjfcfe or taroip froffl tb«B.<~J»», &., Hire*