UNWELCOME CHINESE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1436, 10 May 1912, Page 6

UNWELCOME CHINESE.

FURNITURE MAKERS UP IN ARMSUNITED ACTION CONTEMPLATED. LEGISLATION TO BE ASICEU FOR. Furniture-makers, employers and employees alike, are concerned ju-t now about a rumour thai ;ih attempt is being made by or on behalf of a parly of Chinese craftsmen to estuhli-h a furniture factory in Christchureh, in which Chinese .shall be employed. lip to the present it is understood that the Chine-e have not yet been able, to secure premises, but lho whites in the industry in New Zealand regard the case a., one for instant action. As soon as the activity of the Chinese in this respect was known, the employees and employers in Chrislchurcli immediately met in conference, and the union secretary in Christchurch at. once notified the secretary of the Furniture Workers' Federation ■Mr. 1). Moriarty). The kilter communicated with all the. affiliated unions throughout New Zealand, and in each centre conferences are Ix'ing held between employers and employees to arrange for united action to prevent the Chinese from establishing themselves in the furniture industry. 'The conference, in Wellington lias yet to lie held; the union are no.v awaiting advice from the employers as to what dates will bo convenient for the meeting. „

"It is considered," said "Mr. Moriart.v, discussing tho business with a Dominion reporter yesterday, "that the powers of the Employers' Federation throughout the Dominion," and the Workers' Federations, together with the support expected from Parliament will for all time settle the Chinese question so far as it affects the furniture trade. 'The employers for their part can' practically settle the question by bringing pressure to bear on the timber merchants to refuse, to supply Chinamen with timber. The Federation of Workers, on its side, can assist by passing a rule boycotting any furniture manufacturer as far as labqur is concerned, who dares to stock any furniture manufactured by Chinese. It will also take steps immediately to prevent any of its members from assisting Chinese in the manufacture of furniture. We intend also that a strong joint deputation from the Employers' Federation, and from the Employees' Federations, not only in the furniture trade, but in all other trades in which Chinese aro competing, will wait upon the Minister at the proper time to ask that, legislation now law in Western Australia shall bo placed on the Statute Jiook of the Dominion. This is the legislation wo ask for :— "No person of the Chinese or other Asiatic race shall be employed in a factory for longer hours than women may be employed therein under tho Act, nor shall he he employed before S o'clock in the morning nor after 5 o'clock in the evening. "i\o person of the Chinese or other Asiatic race shall be — "(a) liegistcvcd as owucr or occupier, of a factory unless he satisfies' tho Minister that ho , carried on the business which he' proposes to carry on,in. such factory before, the passing. .of.-this-Act; or-. . -; ''. -•'..' ■■'•..'' '.' (b)-employed or engaged by the oc-. ■ ciipier of a factory iii- or "about." a . •factory ;unless the occupier satisfies, ; 'the'inspector that'-such' person' was-so' •'■employed or engaged.in "a fa'etbryVat ■ or'immediately' before'the. passing of this Act. "Every cabinetmaker and dealer in furniture who sells or offers for sale goods -manufactured wholly or partly by Asiatic labour, whether imported or manufactured in New Zealand, shall stamp such goods in the prescribed manner with the words 'Chinese' or 'Asiatic labour' as tho case may be." Mr. Moriarty went on to state reasons for taking such drastic step?. lie onoted the case of Victoria, where the Chinese had practically got control of the furniture trade. Not content with this, ho said, they had formed a union, among the objects of which were the exclusion of Europeans from Chinese factories; to prevent Chinese employers giving anysurplus work to factories employing Australian workmen; to render it impossible for Indians to capture the trade from tho Chinese craftsmen; to provide a. defence fund for I lie a.id of nil members who come within the clutches of the Factories Act, inspectors, or the oolico. This was what might happen in New Zealand. The start in Christchurch was only a feeler, but, as in the fruit trade, it would not be long before they captured the whole business. Unfortunately, furniture wa3 one of those classes of goods upon which the unskilled purchaser could not judge. The Chinese were in fact poor tradesmen, and the furniture they made was for solo and not for use, but the defects could only be discovered on examination bv a tradesman. So he urged that the consumer had nothing to gain by the introduction of Chinese into the furniture trade, and workers and employers had a great deal to fear from competition with cheap inferior goods.