The Ashburton Guardian. THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1888. CURRENT TOPICS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1837, 10 May 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1888. CURRENT TOPICS.

The Chinese question is the all absorbing problem at the present time and there is no uncertain sound m the voice of the people as to how the evil, of allowing our colony to be overrun with Celestials, is to be dealt with. There can bo no two opinions about the matter; the colonists will not stand any further dillydallying with the question. The Chinese will have to seek fresh pastures, and whether the restrictions upon their landing here, causec a rupture with the Homo Country, or witli China, wo do not care. The short and the long of the matter is, wo don't want any more Chinese among us. They aro altogother not at all desirablo colonists. In an address before the Trades Hall Council m Melbourne, Mr V. L. Solomon, a dolegate from tho Northern Territory of Australia, referred to Chinese cheap labor, This was before such interest was awakened m tho question, by the recent shipments, as there is shewn at present. Mr Solomon alluded to tho danger to the artisan if the Chinese were allowed to come into the colonies unrestricted. In his part of the country they had a very bitter experience of them. They had their ports closed for months through smallpox introduced by tho Chinese; and at tho expense of the Kuropean taxpayer, they had to ship away Chinese lepers and Chinese criminals. The Chinese as a class wero no use as settlors. They took overy cent they made out of tho colony. They did not build houses but simply put up sheds to protect themselves from the weather, and they worked m such a way as to drive European workmen out of tho colony. There seems a hesitancy on tho part of tho Government to listen to tho popular voice upon this all absorbing topic. Sir Qeorgo Grey has told us that tho Chinese can bo excluded, without consultation with tho Home authorities and m a perfectlylegal and constitutional manner. As it is, Chinese can bo prevented from occupying any land on thogoldfields and they may bo prohibited from carrying on their work by levying a substantial tax or license fee for tho privileges which as aliena they aro entitled to pay. Those who aro already m tho colony and who have to some extent become identified with its interests are of courso not to bo taken into account. It is tho influx of the lower classes m large numbers that must bo guarded against. Those who aro hero can bo made Bubject to tho laws ao far as they can bo made to keep them. If Chinamen wero provented from owning land m tho colonies or occupying it, then the matter to a prcat extent ■would bo easily soon to. If tho moans whereby they lived were cut from under their feet there would be no new arrivals. The colony would bo shunned and John would try an opening elsewhere for the prosecution of his industrious habits. In view of tho pressing importance of tho question tho Government has been engaged m a measuro to restrict Chinese immigration to this colony. So far there is some talk about reducing the number of Chinese passengers which a ship can bring to a New Zoaland port at one. time, to one adult for every hundrod tons, which is the rule m forco m Victoria, At present a vessel can bring ono for every ten tons. But tho proposed restriction is not sufficient and much moro stringent measures will have to bo adopted before tho popular mind is satisfied. Tho attitude of tho Imperial Government towards, the colonies on the Chinese question is a rather peculiar one. Tho colonies aro a portion of tho Empiro, and the Homo Government havo a largo say m what concorns us. England and China, however, stand m a different relation to each other than do tho colonies and China. Tho former is never likely be a Gold for Chinese emigration, Yet tho colonies being subject to tho Mother Country must respect tho rotations between England and China. All Chinese ports aro open to British trado and commerce. Englishmen can ! come or go, and thero is no law or restriction to prevent them doing pretty much as they like m China. Tho i Chinese must not come to th« colonies ■ wo say, and tho Celestial authorities deem it an infraction of tho common , law when wo m tho colonies will not ! allow thoir people to land horo. Tho Chinese Ambassador has drawn atten tion to tho treatment his countrymen have been subjected to m Australia, and ho asks m effect is England to stand by and allow a portion ol her people to in- '

suit the Chinese ? The Homo authorities are tardy m answering tho question, and tho colonies have so far answered it for them by declining to have anything to do with the undesirable emigrants, and by refusing to allow them to land. It will bo remembered that not long ago, we learned by cable that tho Chinese Commissioners who visited Australia recently, recommended tho establishment of Consulates, and the building and equipment of war vessels for the protection of Chinese subjects m the southern seas. This would lead us to believo that the Chinese Government is determined to see that its own subjects are properly treated, and m case, where their liberties are violated, a remedy wonld be at band to prevent the continuance of aggressive measures against her people. The British Government no doubt, feeling that China may prove her most powerful ally is anxious to mncotho matters as much as possible, but this the colonials are determined shall not be submitted to. Tho whole of the Australasian colonies are likely to be, for once, united m repellirg tho enemy of their working classes. America, as is well known, has concluded a treaty with China under which Chinese aro absolutely excluded from entering tho United States for tho next twenty years, and there seems no reason why we m these colonies should not havo a similar agreement with China also.