The Chinese Question.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3123, 20 February 1879, Page 3

The Chinese Question.

The: following is the text of the petition recently agreed to in Wellington for'-pre* ■entation to -Parliament on the above question :—

*' To the Honorable the Speakers and Members! of the General Assembly ofKNew Zeaiandv.f ' " The petition of the inhabitants of the Provincial District of Wellington Humbly showeth— " Tfiat your petitioners view with alarm the possible introduction of large numbers of Chinese into the Colony, to be employed in a manner destructive of the best interests of its inhabitants;

" That immigration of this character is not lin Jaccdrd > with the feelings of the people, the 1 habits and customs of the Chinese- being of such a nature as to vitiate the moral -atmosphere of any community in which they are permitted to live in large numbers. ■• " That the tendency of Chinese immigration is to degrade the social status and moral welfarle^of' the great body of the people, a phase of the question in which the working classes are chiefly concerned.

. " That the Chinese Empire maintains a population variously estimated at from about 350,000,000 to* 400,000,000, and your petitioners believe that, unless pro* hibitive measures are adopted, many thousands of Chinese will be introduced into this Colony. •. ■■'> ■■> ■ ' " That the influx of many thousands of Chinese will greatly lower the rate of wages, wili lower the general standard of living, andi will tend greatly to degrade many of our fellow-countrymen; that additional .charges will be thrown upon our benevolent asylums, gaols, hospitals, and orphanages, and that there will be much distress and general deterioration of our population. - " That emigration on a large scale from China is being encouraged by powerful organisations under the direction and control of Headmen, who are the worst species of traffickers in human labour. " That one of the immediate effects of Chinese immigration, with its cheap labour, will be to discourage emigration from Great Britain to these shores, and thus defeat the object of those eminent colonisers who laid the foundation ,of settlement in New Zealand as a means by which to improve the condition of the labouring and artisan classes* of the Mother Country, by opening out a new field for their energy and skill.

" That Chinese emigration is, in many respects' worse than the Coolie labour system of tropical colonies-—which has been so often adversely commented upon in the British Parliament—because, while the Coolie trade is carried on under the immediate supervision of British officials, the Chinese immigrants, though nominally responsible to the authorities of the colonies in which they reside, are really ruled by the Head men. " That your petitioners agree that ' the worth of the State is, in the long run, the worth of the individuals composing it. 1 For this reason your petitioners have come to the conclusion tbat the social phase is, by far the most important part of the question. If a community is to be permanently happy and prosperous there should be a fair proportion of sexes. Unless the social condition is observed many' evils' must result. The highest authorities upon social science agree that disease is more prevalent where large numbers of any race live in a state of celibicy; and this state of existence is a palpable feataßfiri Chinese colonial life. " These dangers may be averted by the exercise of foresight and sagacity on the part of the members of the Legislature of New Zealand, who, your petitioners trust, will not be unmindful of the interests of those whose sole dependence and property consists of labor. "That the" Chinese people, wherever they become numerous, buy and sell almost exclusively through their Headmen, and do little to encourage the general trade of the country. " That nearly thirty years of Chinese immigration has proved that the Chinese, as a race, are unable to understand the nature of our political privileges and institutions, and are therefore unfit to be entrusted with the electoral franchise. For this reason, if for no other, your petitioners consider them undesirable as •olonists. ' - -

" That after consideration of the foregoing statements your petitioners hum' bly aek that a law be passed placing a tax of £—per head upon all Chinese immigrants ; that the said tax be made payable by the owners and captains of such vessels as shall brin^ any Chinese into any port of New, Zealand, and that the vessel be Held.as lien until the tax be paid. " j£at.your.petitioners earnestly hope that your honorable bodies, in their deliberative ;<?3pagitiejj. will not under/ate the solemn importance of the subject."