CHINESE INVASION FEARED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21528, 15 December 1939, Page 8

CHINESE INVASION FEARED

RETAIL FRUIT BUSINESS IN CHRISTCHURCH tiv leiegiapti A.-«UCiaUOI> CHRISTCHURCH, December 14. Fear of a Chinese invasion into the retail fruit business is haunting established retailers in Christchurch. Unconfirmed reports indicate that a Chinese syndicate has been formed in Auckland for the purpose of establishing a chain of 90 shops throughout New Zealand and that Christchurch is to be the chief centre of invasion. In Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin the Chinese already have more or less, a monopoly of the retail fruit business. Christchurch being the only centre where Europeans have been able to maintain control.

Resentment at the opening of three new Chinese shops was openly expressed by some retailers in one auction room this w'eek. when, it is alleged, they refused to buy unless an assurance were given by the broker that further supplies of green bananas would not be given to one of these new shops. The threat of a boycott, it is reported, achieved its end.

Officials of the Retailers' Association state that they have no knowledge of such action being taken. The fact that greater numbers of Chinese arrived in New Zealand during the last six months than ever before is Iso causing European retailers considerable concern, while established Chinese retailers are also reported to be somewhat perturbed. According to the Abstract of Statistics the arrivals in six months to the end of October exceeded the departures by 410.