THE CHINESE ASTIR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 757, 4 March 1910, Page 6

THE CHINESE ASTIR.

DOMINION CENSUS IN HAND. IMPORTANT - STEP. TO FOLLOW, - '■ The East, which refuses to be "hustled," bids fair to have an Imperial Parliament, containing representatives of its people oversea, while the British race is talMnj of the distant possibility of a common Chamber. Provision is. already being made in order that, in seven or eight years' time nt most, a Chinese M.P. from New' Zea-land-or whatever the equivalent may bj in China—may represent'' his exiled countrymen in a constitutional assembly in Peking, side by side with Chinese fellow members from Australia, America, and the other barbarous countries, and with the larger body of compatriot legislators who have never pined 'js absence from the Flowery Land. •■ It is now two years since a decree was issued that China was to have a representativ* Parliament in ten years. The authorities now wish, the..Chinese 'Consul, Mr. Yung Liang Hwang, informed a Dc-iambi representative yesterday, :to accelerat* •this consummation, but Mr. Hwang wa» not certain that this would he found possible. . '.

Arrangements are, however, ■ being mad* well in advance. The Consul, with other Chinese Consuls oversea, has been asked ?>. ¥f e a census of bis countrymen wittin his; jurisdiction'as a first step towards their representation in tie- proposed assembly; Annually, for three- successive years, a report is to be presented of the nnnjber of Chinese in New Zealand, men, women, and children, together with tinea occupations and other particulars. Thil will throw a.good deal of labour, on the Consul and his staff, who have no machinery answering to the Electoral Department for the purpose. For the first return, in fact, Mr. Hwang has had to rely on information furnished by. the New Zealand Government census, which does not cover all the facts ■ required; and probably fails to take in all tha Chinese in the more remote ■ districts. There are about 2000 Chinese in ' New Zealand, of whom 400.are in Wellington city. It is probable that circulars will .'be sent out unnrediately with a view to •making a special comprehensive' census of Chinese, in terms of tie Imperial ment's request/ . in the proposed assembly will be oh a population basisy and there will probably be only one representative for all the Chinese in New Zealand. : It is probable, that the election will not cause great excitement, for '-patient John, who digs, and sells for. ; a comparative pittance will not be eligible either as a voter or a candidate. If there are any Chinese Socialists, which one doubts, they may be. expected to cry aloud .in the fruit markets against th« iniquities of the, proposed franchise. -.For the Imperial authorities of China, having considered tEe forms: of government in all lands, have decided that tie British system of "one man, one vote," is not desirable. , "No hoodlums or larrikini will be allowed to vote," Mr. Hwang explained to our representative. Directions have been issued, which set forth:- in characters for all Chinese to rea/L the following restrictions which apply: alike to: voting and-, to candidature. , No Chinese may become a candidate, wexercise a vote: (1) who is of immoral character, or-.dishonest; (2) who has serves' a term in gaol; (8) who is not earning hillmng by a respectable -calling; (i) who is in debt or untrustworthy; (5) who smokes, opium; (6) who is insane; (7). whose home or family is not of virtuous standing; (8) who is illiterate. In addition to these restrictions as-to character, and attainments, it is-.providedtnat'no man may vote, or become a candidate, whose annual income does, not exceed - .£SOO. ■Strangest of all, to the European sense, is a provision that no man may vote or stand for election who is connected with the official service,. a . member of the standing. army 'or reserve,-a policeman, :priest,.or student. It'is argued that ofiV .eials are already public men, and do nof require''the honour of election' for themselves, while, if they were ; . allowed to vote, the extra influence'they would wield :-by virtue of their-positions" might hoi ,be used, impartially..; The theorv,which, underlies their prohibition woulcV.be first applied, in a'New Zealand Legislatuw Act, by disfranchising the Civil Service, 'The fact that China has drawn, in ad-. vance, a strict dividing line:.between .religion and. politics, shows .that it. has not •been blind to anomalies'that 1 have taken place 'in countries sometimes thought to be more.enlightened. The ground for excepting students from election privileges is apparently that they are not considered persons of sufficient weight and. gravity. In addition to all this, the Chinese Government requires to.nave quite a lot of information about prospective candidates. It wants to. know their age, their birthplace, pxevions public service and educational attainments. Possibly, when a Chinese Parliament is established d» ' these lines, s number of our local.legislators will pay a visit to Peking, whici should not. be so useless as some previoui "Parliamentary trias." ■■-.'■