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Dunstan Times, Issue 448, 18 November 1870, Page 2

The subject of Chinese immigration is becoming a matter of grave im_ portance, and many, who were advo. cates for the introduction of the Chinese are now inclined to the belief that, the Mongolian element is after all, not a desirable one. There can be no question but that this is a correct view of the subject, still, we cannot got over the fact that population is essentially necessary to the prosperity of any country. The Chinese were an acceptable population at the time of the great exodus to Hokitika, ■and had it not been for them, our goldfields would have been all but deserted and the business people ruined it was impossible f r them to carry their stocks to the "West Coast after their customers, and there remained no alternative, but when one class of customers left to supply their places with others. That they proved an advantage there can he no question and say what we will to the contrary, they were better than no population at all. Events have ce tainly since proved that, we have had more than we bargained for, and the Chinese have become too numerous for us, and are occupying country to the disad vantage of Europeans, or lather, they are.driving them away ; this seems an inevitable consequence,|whereevci the Mongolian establishes himself, and looking the matter fairly in the face, ho does so, by the more possession ot qualities, which we unfortunately lack. We can urge nothing against him, hut can only envy the industry and thrift by which he gradually elbows us out. To be beat with such weapons is extremely mortifying, and we can only cinsole ourselves with the fact that whatever our boasted civilisation may be, we have still more to learn. The Chinese as a rule make exceeding good wages on the goldfields, and we much question if Europeans do as well upon the average It. is silly to attempt to exclude the Chinese by tbe imposition of-a heavy poll tax, or an excessive duty on rice, because, with the amount of perseverance they possess, both difficulties will he got over ; in large numbers, ' they are certainly a disadvantage, but the only way they can bo be it is, to light them with their own weapons,

and when our miners possess the same amount of perseverance and plodding industry, coupled with economy, when 'economy is necessary, then the Chinese population will become less, and Europeans increase. We would wish it to be understood that, we are not advocates for the Chinese, but as lovers of fair play, we desire to “ render unto Caesar those things which are Caesar’s, ” and there is no gainsaying the fact, however unpleasant it may be that, from the Chinese we have much to learn.