NO INVASION

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1930, Page 6

NO INVASION

CHINESE IN AUSTRALIA

A FALLING OFF ': j - / / ! SYDNEY, July 24. Replying to' suggestion® to the echtrary the Minister lor Home Affairs (Mr. Blakely) has pointed out that since the beginning of Federation the Chinese population in Australia has dropped from 29,627 to about 15,000. In fact, there ha® been a regular and consistent decline in the Chinese population since 1881, when it was rated at; 35,533. It was about 1881 when an agitation against their admission w'as commenced and cumulated in the Immigration Act, and the White Australia policy. The decline is continuing,; and in every year since 1925 departures of Chinese have l>c\en grater t|isin. the arrivals. Last year numbered 1487 and departures 1891. Atpresent the only permanent Chinese' population comprises tho c resident in the Commonwealth since beitre Feder-i ation.

When this generation has passed j there will he no Chinese with a rig! l ' ■ to live permanently in Australia, except the children of Chinese parents; horn here. The number of these is; limited, for at the 1921 census ther-c; were only 3655 Chinese women in Aus-; tralia, and only . 3600 half-castes pt both sexes. Under the Immigration* Act no Chinese are n'ow permitted into Australia as permanent residents; The Chinese who • do come ..in are' either former residents returning—; and about 75 per cent, of ■ the de-' partures apply for returns permits- —\ or persons entering under exemption. ‘ Exemptions are granted on a yearly; basis to Chinese merchants coming to; the Commonwealth to engage in whole-' sale trading or to act as substitutes! to Chinese merchants who are going! abroad. There is also an arrangement; under which Chinese students are ad-j mitted for educational purposes. ■ j A third limited exemption enables'; Chinese wives—the wives of resident's,' of standing—to pay visits to the Coifi-f moiiwealtli. Mdst elaborate pye’caii-| tions are taken by the Department; to prevent the transfer of return per-, ljiits from Chinese leaving Australia; permanently to unauthorised ifnmi-i grants. Full and side-face photographs, finger-prints, and a detailed! description of the general appearance and characteristics are taken at every; departure. In these circumstances ’ there seems to he no possibility of Australia ever becoming Yellow by -the process of peaceful invasion.