COLOURED RACES IN NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2878, 16 September 1916, Page 7

COLOURED RACES IN NEW ZEALAND

Sir,—ln your paper of ~ September 12 a. long article was published' concerning tho coloured races in New Zealand. Well, I would like to ask: Why not let them come in, haven't they got a right to go and better their condition in life, the same as a white man? Would the white people in India, or Africa, like the coloured races to ..give them three years to clear out of tl.icir countries, the same as the writer suggests doing to the coloured races here in New Zealand? Most people who know something of tho conditions prevailing to-day know that the reason for bringing these aliens in is to lower the standard of living of the workers. But these aliens aro not satisfied to work for others all tlio time. After thev have saved sufficient money up,'they go into business a-sd eompoto with the white traders. That !s whore the shoe pinches. Let these aliens compete with other workers for a day's work, and then it is all right, but let them compete in business then it is all wrong. Tho writer said in his letter: "I have little sympathy with the violent methods of Labour," and in the next breath ho hopes the Trades Council will see that, the matter does not get sTielved. What does he mean by that statement? Ho also accuses these people of heing everything obnoxious, earing little for the morals of tho white man (God help him), and their whole purpose in life is a sordid one. What a pity! Well, whatever the coloured races aro to-day they owe a great deal to the white race. Would the writer like the coloured races to drivo tlio whito race out of their countries in retaliation, for that is what it nwild lead to? Mv opinion is that if the white raeo kept to their own countries, and lot tho

coloured races keep to theirs we would not have this problem to deal with. So, after all, what- can the workers do? Only grin aud bear it-; try and tiring them up to our own standard of fiviiig, make them our frionds instead of our enemies, because tho powers that be mean to have them here;, 111 spite of us._ These -people havo laid down their lives in thousands to uphold the Union Jack. The Zulus and Basutos in ATrica are ready any lime to light the Huns, but the Government won't let them. Though they have been unfortunate, through no fault of their own, to have a brown or black skin, their hearts and actions are whiter than many of our colour.— t am, etc., A WHITE MAN.