THE CHINESE INVASION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 4234, 7 May 1888, Page 3

THE CHINESE INVASION.

4. MASS MEETING AT INVERCARGILL. (By Trleobaph.) INVERCARGILL, May 5. A mass meeting was held m I'ost-ofiice Square this afternoon to consider what steps should bo taken to prevent the Chinese on board the To Anuu landing at the Bluff on Monday. Over t'ureo hundred people were present, und tho Mayor presided. Tho following resolutions were uminiinously carried : — Moved by Mr J. G. Ward, M.H.R., and seconded by jMr J. P. Joyce — " That m the interests oE the British residents of this colony it is imperative that prompt Bteps be taken by Government to provent an influx of Chinese ; that this meeting views with apprehension the fact that a large number of Cbineso aro about to land, and that representations by wire bo made to Government with a view to their taking steps to provent further shipments being brought to the colony." Moved by Mr James Mackintosh, nnd seconded by Mr 12. Fisher — " That a telegram bo sent to tho Premier that 100 Chinamen are arriving from Melbourne at tho Bluff on Monday, and that tho residents crave the help of Government to prevent them landing here, and are determined if necessary to resist the landing by force." Moved by Mr W. Stead, and seconded by Captain Brown: — "That as tho time has arrived when tho Anglo-Saxon race of Now Zealand should malco a stand against the invasion of their shores by a host of Mongolian barbarians, this meeting pledges itself to boycott any person or persons who employ or deal with the said race and furthermore that a few of our number form ourselves into a vigilanco committee to eeo that the above iB carried out." It wub resolved — " That the mayors of Invercargill and Cairpbclltown, and (ho chairman of the BluiT llurbour Board, form a vigilanco committee, with power to add to thoir number.for tho purposo of guarding the interests of tho British colonists against tho influx of Cbineso." Soveral speakers spoko strongly m favour of a forcible resistanco m tho event of Govcrnvernment declining to interfere. Mr F. Willmott invited tho citizens to meet to-night to organise proceedings, and to provido for a special train to tho Bluff, nnd tho mayor bus been asked to proclaim a holiday for the purpose. Tho following telegram was sent by tho ! mayor and Mr J. G. Ward, M.U.R., to tho Government: — "At a mass meeting hero today, resolutions wero passed urging upon ! Government tho imporutivo necessity of preventing tho Cbineso on board tho To Anau boing allowed to land. Immense enthusiasm ib shown, and wo fear that unless steps be . taken tho pcoplo hero will take the law into their own hands, and forcibly prevent their i landing. Arrangements are being mado for numbers to proceed to tho Bluff by train for ; this purpose, and we aro being specially ro--1 quested to appeal to tho Government to stop . tho Cbineso landing. With a view of pro-' . venting complication, wo holievo arraugo- ' ments could bo mado to keep them m quaran- . tine, or afloat m Bluff harbour until an oppor- , tunity has occurred to send them buck." Tho open air meeting held to-night attracted a large mimhcr,but nothing important ■ transpired. Money was collected to pay for tho special train to port, nnd another meeting is to be held to-morrow with the pnmo object. J Mat (i. About 500 wore present at tho anti Chinoso ' meeting this afternoon. It was stated that tho Railway Department had refused a special train, for which money had been collected, to cnablo tho agitators to go to tho Bluff to-morrow to prevent tho landing of tho Chinese. Soma very intemperate langungo was used at tho meeting, but it is not sup- . poßcd that tho majority aro inclinod to violate tho law. It is probable tho Resident ' Magistrate will proceed to port m tho morning, and no doubt a largo number of those . interested will also go. A delegation went to the Bluff this afternoon to stir up tho people thoro against tho Chinese. Tho most promi- , ncsiit man at tho meetings has been Mr Wilmot, ex-theatrical manager, who is now m business here. ' AUCKLAND, May (5. I, At a meeting of tho Trades and Labour , Council Inst night, a discussion took place on a tho Cbineso question, and tho following 3 resolution was adopted : — " That Govcrnmont r bo informed that this council is m favour ol 3 a total prevention of further Cbineso iniini--3 grntion to tho colony, but, recognising the difficulty of any ono colony attempting to enforco such a policy m faco of Imperial complications, it Btronjdy urges upon Government tho desirability of concurrence with tho Australians with tho object of carrying out. a prohibition policy, and that m the meantime a polllax of £100 bo imposed on all now Mongolian arrivals, and further, that a residential tax of i'L'O per annum bo ul»o levied r on them."

a WELLINGTON, Ma? 5. Government have decided to follow th( ' lead of the Victorian Government, and de> 9 clare all Chinese ports infected, so that pas 1 sengera from thore will have to bo quaran.' 3 tined. r CHRISTCHUBCH, Mat B. Mr J. Joyco has sent tho following telegram to the Premior re the Chinese question : — " Lyttelton electors request that protestations bo made against the importation of Chinese. If the New South Wales Premier can prevent the Chinese landing m that colony surely New Zealand should not be a receptacle for a people whoso social and moral habits are op- ' posed to European civilisation. "