FRUIT MEN FEAR CHINESE ADVANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17836, 3 May 1926, Page 12

FRUIT MEN FEAR CHINESE ADVANCE.

FAVOUR FORMATION OF WHITE N.Z. LEAGUE.

Alarmed by the activities of Chinese in the Dominion the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association arc urging the formation of a White New Zealand League. At a meeting of the Association on Saturday night it was decided to ask the Trades and Labour Council to take the matter up for the benefit of white workers. "I move that a letter be sent to the Minister of Internal Affairs endorsing his action in placing an embargo against the entrance of Chinese into this country tip to the end of the year,” said Mr A. S. Beckett. "This is a very big question, and there has been a lot of correspondence in the newspapers both for and against the exclusion of the Chinese. It is tip to this meeting to-night to try and get a White New Zealand League going, and I hope that before the next meeting it will be advertised in the newspapers that we would like all those interested in a White New Zealand League to attend.

“At the present time in Auckland the Chinese are buying land all over the place and gradually pushing other people out. What will that mean if it starts here ? Land wori’t be worth anything. “IN THE GROCERY LINE.” “Chinese are in the grocery line up North, and I believe that they are in tdie furnishing line. We have that sort of thing to guard against.” Mr Beckett's motion was carried unanimously. A WHITE NEW ZEALAND LEAGUE. He then moved that a White New Zealand League be formed in conjunction with the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association. Mr W. B. Bucktin seconded the motion. Mr F. W. Sisson said that he thought that some bigger organisation than theirs should take the matter up. “Somebody that can get up and sling off at the -Chinese should take the matter up—not us,” he said. ‘‘The Chinese buy a good lot of your stuff in the markets, and they mean a lot to you—don’t forget that. We are only a small thing on the map.”

Mr Beckett: I am out to invite people interested in the White New Zealand League to attend our next meeting. Someone must move. We could form an independent league and those members of the association who wished to join could do so. I wish they would all join.

Mr B. Falla: We can’t have this sort of thing. I am as antagonistic to the Chinese as anyone else. But if this goes into the papers they will see our marks. We will only be cutting our own throats. They won't buy our stuff. I don’t think the start should come for the Fruitgrowers’ Association. “PRETTY WILY.” Mr W. B. Bucktin: But the market gardeners are hurting the man who is working for a living. They are pretty wily as someone has said. I, however, do not- think that we have any need to be afraid of them. Mr F. W. Sisson: . At the present time we have. Mr Bucktin: If they were here in the same way as they are in Dunedin and Wellington it would be different. There are not so many here. Mr Falla: Some of the Chinese are the biggest buyers. They buy the whole line —not just a case. Mr E. Freeman (chairman) : I agree with Mr Sisson. I think we should keep fairly clear of it. The Chinese are the best buyers in Christchurch. We have no animosity against those here at present. We want to restrict them from coming in in the future. The Chinese shopkeepers are clever business men. Mr Falla: They’re too business-like for many of us. Mr Freeman: They are better adapted to running shops than our own people—that’s the point. Members: No, no. “NO CONFIDENCE IN HIM.” One member declared: “The Fruitgrowers’ Association will be looked upon with contempt if that gets into the papers. We must not let the white man think that we have no confidence in him. Mr H. t£. Morgan: The position is nothing like so bad in Christchurch as it is in Wellington: but it is getting a serious matter even here. Every fruit shop in Wellington with one exception only, I believe, is kept by a Chinese. One Chinaman up there keeps a blouse shop. Mr T. Armstrong asked if the matter wasn't really one for the Trades and Labour Council. “That is an amalgamation of all the white workers of New Zealand,” he jpid, “and it is supposed to look after the interests of the white workers of the country. We as a branch of the workers can send a recommendation to the Trades and Labour Council to take the matter up, as it is getting pretty hot, not only for us, but also for other trades. I move that we write to the Trades and Labour Council asking them to take the matter up for the benefit of the white workers of New' Zealand.” Mr Sisson seconded the motion. Mr Beckett: I am glad to withdraw my motion in favour of that. The motion w r as carried unanimously- ;