THE CHINESE QUESTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1734, 8 May 1888, Page 4

THE CHINESE QUESTION.

InyErcakgill, May'6. At mass meetings on Saturday and today resolutions were passed to tha effect—(l) that it is imperatively necessary that prompt steps be taken by tha Government to slop the threatened influx of Chinese into the colony ; (2) that a telegram bs sent to the Premier stating that 100 Chinamen are arriving at the Bluff on Monday, and the residents crave the help of Government to prevent their landing, and are determined to resist their landing by force if necessary ; (3) that this meeting pledges itself to boycott any person who employs or deals with the Chinese, and appoint a vigilance committee to see that this is carried out; (4) that the Mayors of Invercargill, Oumpballtown, and the Chairman of the Bluff Harbor Board form a vigilance committee for the purpose of guarding the interests of the British colonists against the Chinese. Mr Ward, M.H.R., who moved one of the resolutions, telegraphed the result of the mealing to the Premier, and suggested'that the Chinme should either be quarantined or kept afloat in the harbor until arrangements were made for sending them back to China. Feeling appeared to run very high, and money was subscribed to piy for a special train from Invercargill to the Bluff, to that the agitators could go there and prevent the Chinese landing. The authorities dec'ioed to run a special train. Auckland, May 6.

1 he Auckland Trades and Labor Council paused a resolutioi in favor of the total prohibition of farther Chinese immigration to the colony, and recommending, until stepa can be taken to compass that end, a poll tax of £IOO be imposed on all n<*w Mongolian arrivals and a residental tax of £2O per annum. Chrisichtjkoh, May 5.

A. protest against the Chinese landing; in Kew Zsaland has been sent to the Premier by Mr Joyce,M.Jl.K. for Lyttelton, at the request of the electors. Weiaincton, May 5.

Government have instructed the Collector of Customs and the Health Officer at the Bluff that when the 1 o Anau arrives there with Chinese from Melbourne, the Btuct letter of the l»w rrufit be observed before the latter are allowed to land. May 6.

Government have decided to follow tbe lead of the Victorian Government, and dec'are all Chioese ports infected, so that p?s.«engers from there will have to be quarantined.

Melbourne, May 6,

The leading Chinese residents hav» issued a writ against the Col'ectnr of Customs claiming £IOOO for illegal detention of the Chinese who were passengers by the Afghan.

Sydney, May 4.

A deputation from the anti-Chinese meeting proceeded to the Pailiaim-nt buildings last night to interview SirHerny and were escorted by a mob of people. The Premier snid ho wonid see the deputation in the morning, but they wanted his reply then and there, *>nd a scene of great commotion resulted. The crowd invaded Parliament house, and it was only owing to the assistance of a large body of police that they were provented from entering the Chamber. Sir Henry adhered to his determination not to see the deputation until the morning, but sent word that the Chinese would not be permitted to land. This pacified tbe Th«s scene caused great excitement in town.

The skamer Tsinan, with 138 Chinese passengers, arrived from Hong Kong today. The Government have refuted to allow the Chinese to land.

May 5,

The Chinese camp. at Gerinaoton, near Aibury, was destroyed by fire to-'iay. The fire is supposed to have been the work of an incendiary and an o"tcnm» of the strong feeling against the. Chinee. T/ie present difficulty rt the Chinese has beso settled by the sug»r planters in Fiji engHging thw Chinese on boatd the Afghan and Tainan, and they >nll bo sent to Fiji at once.

Beisiane, M«y 6,

A gang of 200, principally larrikins, invaded the Chinese quarter last night and complsttly wrecked a number of the shops and stoned the occupants. London, May 5.

Sir James Fergusaon, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, has replied to Mr Hewiiker Heaton, that the Government are awaiting information from thy Governors of the Australian colonies', respecting the influx of Chinese in Australasia, and that the Imperial GoTernment are anxious to secure a settlement of the difficulty, which, while acceptable to Australia, will not be unfavorable to China. The aim of tho Government was, he asserted, not to d'sturb the frisndly relations now existing between England and China. The Chinese Ambassador has again aeked Lord Salisbury whether the politax imposed upon Chinese landed in Australia is consistent with tho friendly relations existing between England and China.