CHINAMEN IN ENGLAND.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3100, 4 June 1881, Page 4

CHINAMEN IN ENGLAND.

The strong repugnance of many of the Australian colonies to admit Chinese immigrants has been often commented upon. It is not strange that there should be no diminution of this hostility, having in view the condition of the colonial labour markets, and the experience of the United States in the same direction. Americans are just now especially bitter against the irrepressible Chinamen. The " Heathen Chinee " can undersell his Christian fellow-workman in almost every line. That he can exist on mere garbage, and will work for next to no wages, did not much matter, except to himBelf, so long as he was restricted to a few lines of employment. Chinamen might act all but gratuitously as laundresses and nursemaids without very loud protest. But now they have invaded all other trades. They have proved themselves excellent artisans, clever shoe-makers and tailors and so forth, and in the construction of some of the new American railways their labour has been preferred to that of the time-honoured British navvy, who it is not more vigorous and much less to be trusted. The States are growing rather alarmed at this increasing and successful competition. Protective laws may be passed ere long prohibiting Chinamen to land in America. If so, to what quarter will the Celestials, over-crowded and forced out of their native land, next turn their attention ? This country has never been closed to anyone, whatever our colonial cousins may do. We in England can scarcely, without departing from immemorial tradition, refuse domicile to Chinamen, however much their arrival in any numbers may complicate pending questions. It is not improbable, however, that good will come of it. Household servants are becoming more and more scarce, tradesmen and employers of labour cry out continually for more good hands. Why should not the Chinese step in to supply tho increasing demand ? —Home News.