THE PUBLISHED DAILY. ' FRIDAY, NOVEMBERS, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1021, 3 November 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1871.

Among other subjects which have engaged the attention of the House during the present session, not the least important has been that of Chinese Immigration, and this in a great measure has been forced upon it by the recent wholesale importations into the Province of Otago. To such an extent was it carried on, and such dimensions was it assuming, that the members for that Province got alarmed, especially as it was apprehended that an outbreak would ensue between the Mongolian and European element. Accordingly, shortly after the meeting of Parliament, on the 29th August, Mr Haughton moved a resolution, of which he had given notice, pro forma, in order that an amendment by Mr Steward might be carried, and which ran aa follows : — " That the question of Chinese Immigration be referred to a Select Committee, with power to call for persons and papers, with the view of a report as to its probable effect upon the gold fields aud the social condition of this Colony." The members of this committee comprised some of the most influential members of the House, and so. important was it deemed that the Chief Secretary, Mr Fox, consented to form one. The other members were the hon. Mr Pitzherbert, Messrs Haughton, Carrington, Creighton, J. Shephard, Parker, Reynolds, Harrison, Macandrew, White, Thomson, and the mover (Mr Steward). The report which was to have been brought up in a^month had to be postponed, and the result of their investigations now appear only in the shape of an ad interim one, which, however, is of the greatest ■importance to the future prosperity of New Zealand, and of the Gold Fields districts in particular. The result, so far as it has gone, bears out the views we have already expressed on this subject — viz., that the Chinese are not a desirable class of immigrants, morally, politically, or socially, and it seems strange how any person with any acquaintance with their habits either in this Colony, Victoria, or New South Wales, could arrive at any other conclusion. We will now. proceed to analyse the report as concisely as possible, giving both sides of the question. The first witness examined was Mr J. T. Thomson, C.E., Commissioner of Crown Lands, Ofcago, who stated thafc he had had considerable transactions with Chinese, having been sixteen or seventeen years a resident in the Straits Settlements of Penang, Singapore, and Malacca, and his experience was that where they were powerful they defied the Government and massacred and murdoredthe Europeans, therefore on national grounds he contended that the introduction of Chinese was objectionable, while on social grounds there was much to be apprehended. He says : — " By the introduction of Chinese largely, we promote what is poisonous to the happiness of private families ; it may be only the laboring classes, but the effects will reach even those who, by their high social position, may think themselves secure." There can be no doubt but that the vitiating effects of the gross immorality which is known to exist among them tends to promote vice in its worst form. Mr Thomson then goes on to point out their influence in a commercial view, and says : — "With all this, they will remain an alien race, reaping the benefit of our strong laws and just government, amassing capital gathered among us, which they ultimately carry off to their native country, leaving our fertile valleys a wilderness of stone and profitless sludge." And iv reply to Mr Harrison, whether he thought that Chinamen would likely to become permanent settlers in this country, he gave the reply which experience has proved in Victoria— -" That he thought not." John Ah Long, a Cantonese, was next examined, who only stated that there was nothing to prevent polygamy among Chinamen; that Chinamen came out under an engagement for three years, and that if single liked to return, and that if the New Zealand Government sent for 200 or 300 women from China, they might settle down if it suited them. Mr John H. Maitland, Clerk in the House of Representatives, stated that he had' resided for three years in China, at most of the treaty ports. He then goes on to say : — v As far as my experience &oeß of the moral character of the Chinese, I think no people in the world are so utterly demoralised but I think they might be desirable as Gold Fields' immigrants, as they are hard working and frugal, and will work for much lesß pay than a European. To more clearly define myself in speaking of the immorality of the Chinese, I mean in regard to' their domestic relations ; they are, besides, mostly thieves when they get a chance. Polygamy is practised among them. In their personal habits they are filthy generally, even the upper classes very dirty." Truly some people have peculiar ideas of what is suitable to the Gold Fields in the shape of population ; and because, according to Mr Maitland, the Chinese are the most demoralised people in the world, thieves when they can get a chance, and generally filthy, because they will work for less wages than a European, they are desirable as Gold Fields' immigrants. Mr Maitland also states that the Chiuese go back whenever they can to China, arid only become bona fide settlers when they cannot help themselves. Mr Haughton, M.H.R. for Otago, stated that he had studied the Chinese in Otago, and proceeded to relate his experiences relative to their proceedings on the Gold Fields of that Province, in which they committed perjury most unblushingly. Mr Haughton concluded bis testimony, which was most interesting, by saying :— "Business men are not, as a class, very

distinguished for their high feelings in regard to political matters ; they look rather to making money in as shore a time as they possibly can. At first the storekeepers and merchants in Dunedin advocated the introduction of Chinese, because their custom was a source of profit, but now things have altered. The Chinese have their own agents in Dunedin, and their own storekeepers up the country j and^as a matter of fact, not a penny goes^hrpugh European channels of trade! - Itfflffeaking of their habits and customs, as far as my own district is concerned, I know that they do not spend one quarter what the European miner does. Aa soon aa they make £300 or £400 they return to China, whereas the European miner, if he makes a few hundred pounds, and even does leave the I country, has, as a matter of fact, expended a hundred or two before he so leaves ; but the Chinaman never spends one-eighth of what he takes out of the country. Gold mining is not like agriculture, where the soil, after being exhausted, will recover itself. Where the Chinaman mines, he absolutely devastates. He makes a clean sweep ; everything is put through the sluice box ; and he leaves nothing, from a gold fields point of view." Captain Bishop, of the Halcione, had traded backwards and forwards to China, found th 6 Chinese very orderly, but great gamblers 'and cheats. They were also great thieves. "Crimes such as theft, and some, of another kind, are more frequent than in European communities. We never dared to trust them by leaving anything about." Dr Hector was examined as to the contagious nature of disease existing among them, and he said, " I consider them scrofulous and leprous," and "that measures of limitation would be found necessary." Mr George Webster, M.H.R., considered that Chinamen were superior to Europeans in every respect — more virtuous, industrious, moral, and with larger veneration. "Of course they thieve," says Mr Webster, " as the commoner class amongst all people will do." He considered that inducements should be held out to them to immigrate ; and he makes use of rathe? a strange argument in support of his views, which is as follows :— " I have gone in the company of detective police to Chinese haunts in Melbourne* aud it struck me as a remarkable fact that the (to use a phrase among a certain class) "swellest" women are Chinamen's women — kept by them — women whom you might consider of a high social rank iv their degraded condition of life." Mr J. B. Parker, M.H.R., from experience on a Tahiti cotton plantation, was in favor of Chinese immigration. He took quite a liking to one of them. But Mr Parker's evidence is so unique that we will re-publish it, with some other extracts, on a future occasion. Mr D. H. Mervyn, M.H.R., was opposed to the introduction of Chinese as injurious to the best interests of the Gold Fields. They were dishonest in their business transactions. This closed the evidence taken before the Committee. In another issue we will give the evidence tendered by the Gold Fields Wardens, but want of space compels us to close this interesting subject.