EFFECTIVE CHECKS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8994, 2 December 1907, Page 4

EFFECTIVE CHECKS.

The peaceful exploitation of Now Zealand by the Chinese is becoming more and more ilillicult, and it will not be many years before this country is entirely free from "the yellow agony"—as the "yellow press" of Australasia designates the "Flowerylanders"—unless they come in as Christian ministers, and are able to convert members of Parliament. The recent legislation compels the incoming Chinamen, in addition to

paying a poll-tax of £IOO, to pass a reading test of not less than 100 words in English—a thing which 99 out of 100 will probably be unable to do—or be returned ti thsir own country. Next year the stringent legislation, which was abandoned last session, prohibiting Chinese from carrying on factories in the dominion, will probably be reintroduced and passed. Further, the new Customs tariff strikes a blow at the Chinese and Japanese alike in their own countries. Here is a case in point. Recently a firm of Dunedin importers had to pay duty amounting to t £s on a shipment of Japanese shoes valued at £l. The tariff provided for the payment on the shipment referred to of a duty of Is 6d per pair and 15 per cent, ad valorem. With no fresh arrivals from China it will only be a matter of time for the extinction of the Chinese now in the dominion, and then, perhaps, Europeans will have a chance to carry on market gardening with a reasonable chance of success, and also have an opportunity of profitably conducting laundries.