SIR ARTHUR KENNEDY AND THE CHINESE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3114, 21 June 1881, Page 4

SIR ARTHUR KENNEDY AND THE CHINESE.

On the occasion of the recent visit of the Governor of Queensland to Cooktown His Excellency was presented with an address from the Chinese merchants and residents. Sir Arthur Kennedy, in reply, said :—" Gentlemen, —I hope there is an interpreter present who can faithfully convey to the Chinese residents my thanks for their address and all that lam about to say. I know the Chinese population well, having spent five years of my life in administering the government over a population of 140,000 without the aid of a Council, and were there were only 25,000 Europeans, and in no town or co'ony was there ever exhibited a greater respect for the laws, or better peace and order, than in Hongkong. I look back with great regret on the repressive measures which some people thought proper to introduce here, because I believe such measures to be suicidal as regards the interests of Cooktown and of the colony. That is my opinion, and I believe that a few years' experience will confirm its correctness. I may add, as a proof of my feelings with regard to the Chinese, that for nine years I have had none other than Chinese servants (with the exception of a lady's maid) and I can safely affirm that there is no bettor regulated family in the land than mine. They observe the laws, and are good subjects in every way. It is true that, in common with others, they try to make money, and I admit they run after it, and probably keep it; but whera will you find, as is the case in my own street in Brisbane, a continuous chain of publichouses, as it were skimming the cream fi*om social and natural progress P They aro accused of being addicted to opium consumption, but never during the five years that I kave lived amongst them did I ever see a case where its consumption caused an outrage against public decency and order. If they use it they do not indulge in a brutal dance on the prostrate forms of their wives, but they treat them all well. I have been all over the world, and have had servants of all nationalities, but I consider the Chinese the best. I consider the Chinese to be an honest, industrious, and law-abiding race, and would like to see them settled here. They may be unpopular, but so long as they respect the laws they are entitled to the protection of those who administer those laws. I thank the Chinese merchants and residents for their address."—Cooktown Herald.