FINAL REPORT OF THE CHINESE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE, WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1871 Session I, H-05b

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FINAL REPORT OF THE CHINESE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE, WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.

REPORT BROUGHT UP 27th OCTOBER, 1871, AND ORDERED TO BE PRINTED.

WELLINGTON.

1871.

Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Wednesday, the 25th day oj Octobee, 1871. Ordered, That the Select Committee on Chinese Immigration have leave to postpone the bringing up their Report for seven days. A true extract. 3?. E. Campbell, Clerk to House of Representtaives.

ORDER OP REFERENCE.

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Report on the Petition of 155 Miners of Switzers, Otago. (Eeferred from the Public Petitions Committee.) The Petitioners are 155 Miners at Switzers, Otago. They urge (for reasons set forth) the necessity of placing an effectual bar to the further influx of Chinese ; and state that it is their solemn conviction that, unless the most stringent measures are taken, the result will be bloodshed and anarchy, or the total exclusion of your Petitioners from the Colony. The Petitioners pray that the House will recommend to the Governor to exercise the prerogative which gives the Crown absolute power over all mines of gold in the Colony, and cause a clause to be inserted in the new Gold Fields Act, forbidding the issue of miners' rights to the Chinese; at the same time making such provision as may seem equitable towards those who are at present resident in the country. I am directed to report that, as your Committee have prepared a report upon the whole question, they have no special recommendation to make with regard to this particular petition. Wm. J. Stewaed, 30th October, 1871. Chairman. •

FINAL REPORT OF THE CHINESE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE. The Select Committee on Chinese Immigration (appointed on the 29th of August last) have the honor to report that, during the time which has elapsed since that date, they have taken every means in their power to obtain the fullest information as to the subject of inquiry remitted to them. As will be seen by the Interim Eeports (Nos. I. and II.) already published, the Committee have examined the following witnesses (thirteen in number), viz., Mr. J. T. Thomson, C.E., Commissioner of Crown Lands, Otago; Mr. John Ah Tong; Mr. J. H. Maitland ;C. E. Haughton, Esq., M.H.E.; Captain Bishop (ship " Halcione) ; Dr. Hector; G. "Webster, Esq., M.H.E.; G. B. Parker, Esq., M.H.E.; D. H. Mervyn, Esq., M.H.E.; F. A. Carrington, Esq., M.H.E.; the Hon. Colonel Brett, M.L.C. ; T. Henderson, Esq., M.H.E. ; and Mr. John Fortescue Evelyn "Wright, "Wellington. They have also, in answer to circulars issued to Wardens of Gold Fields, received (vide Interim Eeport No. 1., pp. 14 to 22) replies to the queries submitted, from Mr. Warden Broad (Nelson), Mr. Warden Borton (Eoxburgh), Mr. Warden Beetham (Queenstown), Mr. Warden Eobinson (Naseby), Mr. Warden Pyke (Clyde), Mr. Warden C. Broad (Charleston), Mr. Warden Keddell (Coromandel), Mr. Warden Carew (Blacks), Mr. Warden Wood (Switzers), and Mr. Warden Simpson (Lawrence), —the letters of these officers containing a very large and valuable mass of information, principally bearing upon the results of Chinese immigration upon the Gold Fields. In reply to circulars sent out to Officers of Police, your Committee have received communications from Commissioner Weldon, Dunedin (Interim Eeport 1., p. 22) ; Commissioner Shearman (Interim Eeport 1., p. 25) ; Inspector Pender, Christchurch (Interim Eeport 1., p. 24) ; Inspector Atcheson, Wellington; and from a number of other officers (pp. 22 to 25). To the first-named officer your Committee are indebted for a carefully prepared tabulated statement showing the numbers and distribution of the Chinese in the Province of Otago, their occupations, and their criminal statistics. In Appendix IV., Interim Eeport No. 1., will be found queries submitted to medical men who have had practical experience in this country as regards any dangers which might be apprehended from the introduction of a Mongolian element of population, and their replies thereto. Tour Committee being desirous of availing themselves of all further obtainable information, forwarded circulars containing queries on the subject of their investigations to the following gentlemen (possessed of special knowledge of the habits of Chinese in their own country, in the British Colonies, and in other parts of the world), viz., Mr. E. H. Hunt, Wellington; J. B. Bradshaw, Esq., M.H.E.; and Mr. J. B. Barton, Queenstown. Their replies will be found in Interim Eeport No. 1., pp. 26, 27, and Interim Eeport No. 11., pp. 14 and 15. Your Committee are indebted to C. E. Haughton, Esq., M.H.E., Chairman, Gold Fields Committee, for a number of letters from Wardens of Gold Fields in reply to a circular letter forwarded by him prior to the appointment of the Chinese Immigration Committee, which letters will be found in Appendix I. to Interim Eeport No. 11., pp. 4 to 7.

AD INTERIM REPORT (NO. III.) OF THE CHINESE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE.

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Tour Committee have also republished (vide Interim Eeport, No. 11., pp. 7 to 12) two letters signed respectively "J.P. E. Wright" and " Telia Boeg," which appeared recently in the columns of the Evening Post, and which contain a large amount of information on the subject. In Appendix 111. to Interim Report No. 11. they give a copy of the first official communication from the Crown of England to the Chinese Imperial authorities, asking the latter to grant certain privileges to British subjects, and offering similar privileges to the Chinese ; and also extracts from the Treaty of 1842, which gave reciprocal advantages, since extended by the Treaty of Tien-tsin, 1858. By a table printed in Appendix IV. to Interim Eeport No. 1., it will be seen that on the 19th October, 1871, the total number of Chinese in New Zealand was 4,215, distributed as follows (by Provinces), viz.:—Canterbury, 9 ; Wellington, 17 ; Nelson, 3 ; Marlborough, 1; Auckland, 2 ; Westland, 24 ; Otago, 4,159. Of the whole number, 5 are set down as carpenters, 3,570 as miners, 103 as storekeepers, 1 as an hotelkeeper, 49 as gardeners, 3 as agents, 3 as cooks, 12 as labourers, 12 as hawkers, 6 as cabinetmakers, and 451 as " occupation not stated," the bulk of these last being new arrivals, and probably bound for the gold fields. By comparison with the last census of the Colony it will be therefore seen that the Mongolian element is rather less than 1| per cent, of the whole population; though in Otago, where the Chinese are principally located, they form nearly 6 per cent, of the population. As mentioned in Interim Eeport No. t., your Committee have forwarded, through the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, to the Governments of the neighbouring Colonies of Victoria and New South Wales, requests for the furnishing of information as to the effect of Chinese immigration in those Colonies ; but replies being not yet to hand, your Committee are unable to include in this Eeport the official data which it was hoped would have been received from these sources. They, however, have obtained from the evidence of the witnesses examined, and the memoranda submitted (particularly the evidence of Gr. Webster, Esq., M.H.E., and the memorandum of J. B. Bradshaw, Esq., M.H.E.), a very large amount of information with regard to this branch of their investigation. The evidence and information thus taken and collected has been very various in its character, showing wide differences of opinion as regards the various points of your Committee's inquiry, but your Committee find that the balance of evidence is largely in favour of the following statements, viz. : — 1. That the Chinese are industrious and frugal. 2. That they are as orderly citizens as Europeans. 3. That there is no special risk to the morality or security of the community to be apprehended from their presence in the Colony. 4. That they are not likely to introduce any special infectious diseases. 5. That they are well adapted for menial and light mechanical and for agricultural occupations. 6. But that nearly all those who come to this Colony do so for the purpose of mining for gold. 7. That, as a rule, they occupy and turn to good account ground which at present would not pay the European miner. 8. That, as a rule, they return to China so soon as they have amassed a net sum of from £100 upwards. 9. That no considerable number of them are at any time likely to become permanent settlers in the country. 10. That they spend less per head than the European population. 11. That the presence of Chinese in the country has not hitherto entailed any additional police expenditure. In view of the foregoing the Committee are of opinion that there have been no sufficient grounds shown for the exclusion of the Chinese; and that no sufficient case has up to the present time been made out to require the Committee to propose that legislative action should be taken having for effect the exclusion of the Chinese or the imposition of special burdens upon them. Wm. J. Stewaed, October 27, 1871. Chairman.

CHINESE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE.

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS. Tuesday, sth September, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Carrington, Mr. Gr. B. Parker, Hon. Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Steward in the Chair. Mr. Reynolds moved, That Mr. Steward be the permanent Chairman of this Committee. Carried. Order of reference read. The Chairman having stated the object for which the Committee had been appointed, suggested that steps should at once be taken to obtain information from the mining districts and elsewhere ; also if possible from some persons representing the Chinese race. The Hon. Mr. Fitzherbert moved, That the Chairman be requested to prepare a draft of questions on the subject, to be submitted to Wardens and others. Carried. Mr. Reynolds moved, That the Chairman be requested to telegraph to Mr. J. T. Thomson, asking him when it would be convenient for him to appear before the Committee to give evidence on the Chinese question. Carried. Mr. Parker moved, That the Committee do adjourn until Thursday, 7th September, at 11 o'clock, to consider draft of questions, &c. Carried.

Thursday, 7th September, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Carrington, Mr. C. E. Haughton, Mr. Creighton, Mr. Gr. B. Parker, Hon. Mr. Pox, Mr. J. Shephard. Mr. Harrison, Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman read the telegram he had sent to Mr. Thomson, and the answer—replying that he would be in town on Saturday next, and would attend the Committee when called upon. On the motion of Mr. Creighton, Resolved, That Mr. Thomson be requested to attend the Committee on Monday the 11th instant, at 11 o'clock. On the motion of Mr. Creighton, Resolved, That the letters put in by Mr. Haughton be read. Letters were read —No. 1, Mr. Robinson, Warden, Naseby; No. 2, Mr. Borton, Warden, Roxburgh. (Vide Interim Report No. 11., Appendix I.) The Chairman read the draft of questions proposed by him. (Vide Interim Report No. 1., Appendix I.) On the motion of Mr. Haughton, Resolved, That the following amended telegrams be sent to the Gold Fields Wardens and Chiefs of Police, requesting answers in full by an early post. (Vide Interim Report No. 1., Appendix I. and Appendix III.) On the motion of Mr. Creighton, Resolved, That the Colonial Secretary be requested to communicate with the Chief Secretaries of Victoria and New South Wales, asking for information regarding the Chinese in those Colonies, and requesting that copies of all reports and documents bearing on the subject be forwarded for the information of this Committee. On the motion of Mr. Harrison, Resolved, That the Chairman take steps to obtain the attendance of one or more Chinamen to give evidence before the Committee. The Committee then adjourned until Monday, 11th September, at 11 o'clock. Monday, 11th September, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Carrington, Mr. Gr. B. Parker, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Haughton, Mr. J. Shephard. Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman read a telegram from Mr. Shearman. (Vide Interim Report No. 1., Appendix m.) Letters were read from —No. 3, Mr. Carew, Warden, Blacks; No. 4, Mr. Simpson, Warden, Lawrence; No. 5, Mr. Beetham, Warden, Queenstown. (Vide Interim Report No. 11., Appendix I.) 2

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Mr. J. T. Thomson, C.E., Commissioner of Crown Lands, Otago, attended, and at the request of the Chairman read a statement. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 3.) John Ah Tong, who was in attendance, stated in reply to questions by the Chairman. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 5.) Ah Gee, who has been in New Zealand three and a half years, unmarried, and Ah Hing, four and a half years, married to a European, were in attendance but were not examined, —witness Ah Tong stating that, coming from the same part of China, they could give no additional evidence. The Committee then adjourned.

Monday, 18th Septmbee, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Peesent: Mr. Carrington, Mr. Eeynolds, Mr. Harrison, Mr. J. Shephard, Mr. Haughton, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. White. Mr. Gr. B. Parker, Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman read the answers to telegrams. (Vide Interim Eeport No. I, Appendices 111. and IV.) Letters were also read from E. H. Hunt, Esq. ; J. B. Bradshaw, Esq., M.H.E.; C. Broad, Esq.; C. C. Bowen, Esq., E.M., Christchurch. (Vide Interim Eeport No. I, Appendices I. and V.) Mr. John Horatius Maitland was in attendance and gave evidence. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 6). C. E. Haughton, Esq., M.H.E., having volunteered his evidence, was examined. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 6). The Committee then adjourned until 11 o'clock on Monday, 25th September, 1871.

Monday, 25th Septembeb, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Peesent: Mr. Carrington, Mr. Eeynolds, Hon. Mr. Mtzherbert, Mr. J. Shephard, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. White. Mr. Gr. B. Parker, Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman read telegrams and letters from Mr. Lusk, the Provincial Secretary, Auckland; Mr. Lahman, Hokitika ; Inspector Atcheson, Wellington ; Mr. Keddell, Warden, Coromandel. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., Appendices I. and III.) Captain Bishop, of the " Halcione," was in attendance and gave evidence. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 8.) James Hector, Esq., M.D., F.E.S., was in attendance and examined. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 9.) George Webster, Esq., M.H.E., having volunteered his evidence, was examined. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 10.) Gr. B. Parker, Esq., M.H.E., made a statement. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., page 13.) The Committee then adjourned.

JTeiday, 29th September, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Pbesent: Mr. Carrington, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. White. Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman then proceeded to read letters from the Wardens and Police of Otago, in answer to queries sent. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., Appendices 11. and III.) The Chairman then read from Henry Charles Sirr, M.A., " China and the Chinese," the first official communication on record from the Crown of England to the Chinese Imperial authorities, humbly asking for liberty to British subjects to trade and reside in China. The document bore date 11th July, 1596. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 11., Appendix III.) On the motion of Mr. Eeynolds, 'Resolved, That the following Ad, interim Eeport be laid on the table. (Vide Interim Eeport No. I.) The Committee then adjourned till 10 o'clock on Saturday, 30th September.

CHINESE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE.

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Saturday, 30th September, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present : Mr. Carrington, Mr. J. Shephard, Mr. Eeynolds, Mr. White. Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman intimated that Mr. T. L. Shepherd, Mr. Mervyn, and Mr. Bradshaw had been requested to attend and give evidence. D. H. Mervyn, Esq., M.H.E., was in attendance and examined. ( Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., p. 13.) F. A. Carrington, Esq., M.H.E., having volunteered his evidence, was examined. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 1., p. 13.) The Committee then adjourned.

"Wednesday, 11th October, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present : Hon. Mr. Fox, Mr. Thomson, Mr. G-. B. Parker, Mr. Webster. Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Hon. Colonel Brett being in attendance, was examined and gave evidence. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 11., p. 3.) T. Henderson, Esq., M.H.E., was in attendance and examined. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 11., p. 4.) Mr. J. F. E. Wright was in attendance and examined. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 11., p. 4.) On the motion of the Hon. Mr. Fox, Besolved, That Mr. Wright's letter to the Evening Post re Chinese, and signed by him, and previous letters signed " Telia Boeg " in the same journal, be inserted in the minutes. (Vide Interim Eeport No. 11., Appendix II.) The Chairman laid on the Table a Petition referred to the Committee by the Public Petitions Committee from 2,400 Miners and others resident on the Otago Gold Fields, against the encouragement of Chinese immigration. Resolved, That the Chairman be instructed to report upon the Petition to the effect that the Committee has the whole question under consideration, and will report at the close of itß proceedings. Besolved, That no more evidence be taken. The Committee then adjourned. Friday, 27th October, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present : Mr. Carrington, Mr. Gr. B. Parker, Hon. Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Eeynolds, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Shephard, Mr. Haughton, Mr. Thomson. Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Steward in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Petition of 155 Miners, of Switzers, Otago, was laid before the Committee. Besolved, That the Chairman be instructed to report upon the Petition to the eifect that the Committee has the whole question under consideration, and will report to the House at the close of its proceedings. The Chairman brought up a draft of the final Eeport. On the motion of Mr. Parker, Besolved, That the preliminary part of the Eeport be adopted. Clause 1 read and agreed to. Clause 2 read. Question put, That the clause stand part of the Eeport. Carried, on a division : Ayes, 5. Noes, 1. Mr. Carrington. Mr. Haughton. Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Parker, Mr. Eeynolds, Mr. Thomson. Clause 3 read. Question put, That the clause stand part of the Eeport. Carried, on a division: Ayes, 5. Noes, 1. Mr. Carrington, Mr. Haughton. Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Parker, Mr. Eeynolds, Mr. Thomson. Clauses 4 to 11 read and agreed to.

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The following new clause, proposed by Mr. Haughton, was negatived on a division: " That the presence of a large Chinese population upon the gold fields is detrimental to the interests of the European miners and highly distasteful to them, whilst the working out of the poorer ground by the Chinese miners is a wasteful expenditure of the future resources of the Colony." A division ensued. Ayes, 2. Noes, 4. Mr. Haughton, Mr. Carrington, Mr. Thomson. Mr. Harrison, Mr. Parker, Mr. Reynolds. On the motion of Mr. Parker, Resolved, That the following clause be inserted : " That the presence of Chinese in the country has not hitherto entailed any additional police expenditure." Proposed by Mr. Haughton, That the following clause be inserted: " That the immigration of Chinese is by no means desirable, and that the following steps be immediately taken to discourage the same: — 1. The imposition of heavy import duties upon rice and opium, in order to enforce the consumption of the products of the Colony by the Chinese. 2. The imposition of a poll-tax of at least £2 a head, in order to equalize the taxation of the Chinese with that of the European population." Proposed as an amendment by the Hon. Mr. Fitzherbert, That no sufficient case has, up to the present time, been made out to require the Committee to propose that legislative action should be taken, having for effect either the exclusion of Chinese or the imposition of a special burden on them. Question put, That the amendment stand part of the Report. The Committee then divided. Ayes, 5. Noes, 4. Mr. Carrington, Mr. Haughton, Hon. Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Shephard. Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Thomson. Mr. Parker. The amendment was therefore carried. Question put, That the Chairman be instructed to bring up the Report to the House. Carried. Mr. Haughton put in the following protest:— Chinese Immigration Committee. — Protest. I desire to record my protest against the recommendations of the Committee upon the ground that they are inconsistent with the evidence taken, and the facts of the case. The Committee then adjourned sine die.