MURDEROUS ASSAULT AT QUEENSTOWN.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 61, 1 April 1870, Page 3

MURDEROUS ASSAULT AT QUEENSTOWN.

" On Friday night a most dastardly attack was made by some Europeans upon a party of Chinese living at Moonlight Creek. From what can be learnt there is not the least palliation for the offence, and a parcel of men have brought great disgrace upon'the district by their ruffianly and barbarous conduct. The only plea that can be imagined is that the success of the Chinese .had created a feeling of jealousy among the white men. Until the outrage at Blackstbne Hill, we opposed the inducements that were proposed to be so freely given at the public cost to increase a-foreign element in lieu of the introduction of our own race, and this ! last outrage tends more than ever to con- \ firm the impression. Nor do we part from the idea that it would have been much better had the Chinese never been introduced'" into the colonies. We think it would have been wiser to have left to oar heirs and successors a valuable inheritance. But our young community is rushing on in breathless haste, and; all must, if possible be realised by this generation. As the Chinese a footing amongst us—as they are hu-' man like ourselves—they must be protected from brutal and cowardly attacks, such one we are noticing. It seems that a, few weeks ago a party of eleven Chinamsn went to Moonlight Creek and took up some of the river bed. They were' pretty successful, and built a comfortable hut, thatched with grass. One, section of them removed away, and was employed building another hut higher up the creek by some miles. On the night in question, about midnight, 1 European miners assembled on a precipitous and high cliff that commands the first hut built;and, while the Inmates-were in bed, commenced rolling blocks of roek—*-some of them as large as a man—upon the devoted hut. The unfortunate Chinese are represented m terror struck, and sought refuge at first under their frail bedsteads or bunks. Driven from these, they rushed out and appealed to their assailants as, to the reason why they wanted to kill them. The appeal was • answered by yells of execration, and the unfortunate men had to abandon all and proceed to the stores of Messrs. Lawton and' Grardener, where the woolshed was placed at their disposal. Not satisfied with this, the last erected hut was fired, and burnt to the ground. The other one was comparatively uninjured by the attempts to fire it. Immediately upon the circumstances coming to the knowledge of the police, Sergeant Fox and Constable M'Grann -proceeded to the spot —and such is the substance of their report. Owing to the difficulty of recognition of the! Europeans by the Chinese, and no one I being willing to give such information ,as would lead to'a conviction, we regret |

to say it is probable tire outrage -will pass unpunished as far as regards the .wholesome powers of the law. But not so will the perpetrators- escape altogether scatheless ; they will have to> endure the abhorrence and the just" stigmas that will freely visited upon them by all sections of the Press and public ; and it may yet lead to those miners who live in that part of the district, and who look reproachfully upon the affair, purging themselves of a dastardly band of men unworthy the rights and privileges of the British flag. ?3ne Chinamen was severely hurt, and several cut and bruised, They will resume occupation under police protection.— 'Mail.' ■■"■;