WHITE NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 22, 21 October 1919, Page 2

WHITE NEW ZEALAND

DEMAND OF N R.S.A.

' INFLUX OF HINDUS AND CHINESE

Tip influx of Hindus and Chinese into the' Dominion formed the subject of sharp discussion at yesterday's sitting of tho conference of the N.Z.11.5.A. On the matter of immigration the Repatriation Committee urged: (1) That the immigration policy should be controlled by and be entirely secondary to the repatriation policy; (2) that the Government should assist any fit soldier to learn a trade; (3) that the conference draw the attention of the Gore/nment to the increasing number of Hindus and. Chinese that are arriving in New Zealand, and request that tho Immigration Restriction Act be amended to stop without further delay the immigration of Hindus and Chinese, and affirm the principle of a "White New Zealand."

Mr. 13. W. Leadley (Christchurch) moved the adoption of the report. Mr. J. Petherick (Christchurch) did* not see how they could alter the lawe, of.the country in the direction deFired,; If they debarred Asiatics from coming into the Dominion, they could not expect to be allowed to go into India or China. Had it not been 'for the Chinese many years ago, people would have been without, vegetables. (Laughter.) "1 tell you," Mr. Petherick went on, "that if a Chinaman had been a piece of machinery we would have erected a statue to the memory of his inventor. (Roars of laughter.) Every man has an equal right in this world., That is a British sentiment." "In so far as Hindus and Chinese are concerned we can never bring them..up to our.standard >of living," said Mr. T.Long (Auckland). "They are a menace to this country."*: In Auckland the Hindus had Jakcn fruit and bottle exchange businesses out of the. hands of nun who had gone to" the front. Tho returned men, some of whom could, do no other work, had hot been able to reestablish themselves in those businesses. The. epidemic "revealed that the conditions under which niiidus and Chinese wore living were "something" darnnab',?." A voice: That applies to our own race. Mr. Long said that bad'" as tho conditions of the white race were, there was nothing so bad as the conditions under which the Chinese and Hindus were living. "We must be,, true to ourselves. ■Wo 'went away to fight for this country, and if we allow Chinese and Hindus io come in and interfere with. the life, of the people we will be living under a menace. This conference will not be true to the Tt.S.A. movement if it turns down this report. We Ought to declare definitely for a 'White New Zealand.' (B!ear, hear.) Australia did it, and she never went back, and she has not suffered by adopting that policy." Mr. Petherick: When .the Chinaman is doing well, ho lives well. The Chinaman had a menace forced on his country at the mouth of British guns. We are the most, acquisitive raco on tlio face, of tho earth. (Laughter.) The poor old Maori lias not got a country, .at, all now—we have, got it. (Laughter.) Mr. V. Potter (Auckland), in supporting the report, said it was a "damnable disgrace" to any civilised country to alhrv the. Chinese and Hindus in in lumbers.

Mr. E.. F. Andrews ',(Auckland) said that owing to Hindu competition returned 6oldiers were being forced out of the flax-milling industry in tho. Auckland province. The Auckland Repatriation Board had been asked to come to the relief of men who found that they could not compete with tho Hindus in business. "If we find that a man's job haa been taken away by a Hindu while the man has been fighting for tho Empire, it is the duty of this .conference to.lielp that man," concluded Mr. Andrews. Mr. H. A. Washer.'(Tauranga) 'said tha Hindus were taking .control of the fiaxmills in his district. Had they any guarantee that-the Chinese and Hindus' would not encroach on other lubour markets in the' Dominion? No. It would jippear that the legislation' against the immigration of Asiatics was not suffici-ently-restrictive. v ' Mr. J. D. : Harper : (Wellington)* .andMt. H, M. Haycock (Palmerston North), pointed out to tho conference that it should remember that Hindus were British subjects, and that during tho war India was noted for its loyalty. Mr. Harper remarked that the Chinese had been very useful allies during tha war, and there should be some reciprocal arrangement in regard to immigration. While he was not in absolute accord with the committee's, recommendation, he supported it. They were bound to safeguard the interests of tho returned men.

Mr. Haycock maintained that' if they were going, to prevent educated ' dark races from landing in the country they would lie doing an injustice to their Allies, and some of the most loyal members of the British Empire. In prinbiplti he stood for a "White New Zea-' jiuid." and. believed thdt tl(e law. regarding the immigration of,'coloured races slr'u'.d bo very strict, indeed. 'By'working as mjirket gardeners the. Chinese had helped to keep down the cost of . living. Voices: No. ... .

Mr. D. sr. C. M'Burney. (Te Awamutu), eaid : his district was overrun with Hin-> dus, who were working as farmers. During the war. owing to the scarcity of labour, farmers were compelled to'employ Hindus, who demanded what wages they liked. They got "too cocky." , Mr. G. Sritchell (Balclutha) also supported, the remit. He had heard of complaints that Hindus and Chinese were, obtaining land, whereas tlie returned soldier .could not got l't. The white and dark races could not mix, and no'one wanted them to. "If we do want inimigrants," added Sir.. Slitehell, "then for heaven's sake let them lie of our own blcod, from our own countries, so that, we will propagate a good race in this country, instead ?f a mongrel race which will have the worst faults of both." (Applause.) ' ■ . Sir. loadley said there was reason to believe that a serious organised attempt was being'made by the, Chinese to capture the fruit and vegetable trade in Ohristchurch, as it had been captured in Wellington and Auckland, and returned soldiers were asking for.protection. Most of the Hindus in the Dominion wbo were called up for military service appealed for exemntion on the ground that they could not eat meat, yet they were said to be patriotic! The report was adopted with only' two dissentients..