THE CHINESE QUESTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5536, 24 December 1878, Page 2

THE CHINESE QUESTION.

A public meeting, called by his Worship the Mayor, to appoint a committee to give effect to the resolutions passed by the public meeting at the Athenaeum on Tuesday evening, was held at the Polytechnic Hall last e.-ening. There was a good attendance, and his Worship the Mayor was Voted to the chair. The Matoe, after stating that the meeting had been called for the purpose of electing a committee, referred to the Blight differences which had occurred in consequence of the omission of the late public meeting to appoint a committee, and said he hoped that no further misunderstanding would arise to interfere with the great public object in view, which he was convinced all were earnest in their desire to further. (Hear, hear.) For his own part, as he had said at the public meeting, he was heartily in accord with the cause, and anything he could do to facilitate matters should be done. His Bervice3 were at the disposal of the committee, and he would endeavor to do what he could. (Applause.) Mr. Watson wished to make some explanation in reference to his conduct, and he hoped the meeting would hear bim, because no doubt he had been badly treated by a section of the Press. Mr. WATSON then related the step 3 he had taken to get a committee proposed at the public meeting, his failure, and the course he had adopted since then t» put things into working order. He concluded by proposing a list of names of gentlemen to act as a committee.

Mr. J. H. Wallacb seconded the motion, and suggested that the Mayor should be requested to act 33 treasurer, because that would give greater weight to the proceedings. He also urged all interested in the movement to unite and for the time being put on one side private differences. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Cbook understood the object of the meeting to be to support the strike—at any rate, that the committee to be appointed was to collect funds for that purjose—

Mr. Wallace : No. Mr. Obook : Yes; to assist tke Sydney seamen on strike. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Wallace rose to a point of order, and then proceeded at some length to explain his idea of the purpose for which the committee was to be appointed. However much they might approve of that being done, it was not the duty of the committee as a committee to do it. They had simply to deal with the general question of Chinese immigration. [The speaker was here called to order.] Mr. Cbook resumed his remarks by saying they could not expect the capitalists to sympathise with men out on strike. If Mr. Wallace had correctly described the object of the meeting, then they would please do him (Mr. Crook) the honor of striking his name out of ! the committee; and the working men must call a mass meeting to take the matter up and collect subscriptions. If subscriptions were to be collected at all it was in aid of the men on The MaTOK said he was afraid he must interrupt Mr. Crook. The meeting had been called to appoint a committee to carry out the resolutions carried by the public meeting at the Athenseum. There were a number of resolutions, and a committee must be appointed to carry out all. Nothing more than this could bsdone. , Mr. GEOKOE FISHEB quite agreed with Mr. Crook in his interpretation of what had been the intention of the public meeting at the Athenjsum, and of what certainly was the mind of the working men of Wellington. He had suggested that a sub-committee should be appointed to take up this matter of collecting subscriptions for the Sydney seamen out on strike, and he still thought that the best mode at procedure. He went on to point out that this was not an ordinary strike —not a strike by men for the purpose of extorting an exorbitant price for their labor; they were not complaining of the ordinary competition of their fellow-colonists, but of the competition of men who could live upon next to nothing, and who were not colonists in any sense of the ward, men who had no social ties, and who introduced into colonial life features of a most objeotiooable kind. In these respects it was a strike of an unprecedented character, and their sympathy could not but be with the men now SU Mr. M. L. Makes suggested additional names to be put on the committee. Mr. Travers expressed his views on the general question. He remarked that twentytwo or twenty-three years ago a meeting toot: place in Nelson for the purpose of taking stepj to prevent the Chinese coming to this country. Resolutions wero passed requesting the «a or the Government in the matter, and wISM-M there were long discussions on % SU °H' "> the House of Kepresentativw A business raau from Hongkong then here tried to induce &e Legislature to encourage the intra, duction of Chin***, b f ~B Ot ™\° * class who w»f now finding their way to our shores, aud were held m a species of religio" 3 thraldom by the headmen. His (Ut. Travera') impression was that they had no right to introduce the labor question into the matter, but should take higher ground, and ground whioh would bo far more likely to prevail with the statesmen at Home—and they must be consulted about matters of this kind. We should say wo would not havo in our midst a people of such low habits and of such a low type of mind as the Chiuese—or at any rata those Chinese who emigrated, bringing with them, all kinds of diseases of a noxious noisome character. If that grouud were taken —that oar civilisation must not bo endangered, then it would not be difficult to prevail upon tho Home Government to modify iw treaties, for it would bo impossible to def»nd a

treaty which forced upon any portion of the Eufflish nation each men as tho Chinese. All *e wonted was to be left alone in dealing with the question, and it would be dealt with effectnallV and satisfactorily. In Nelson the people made lip their minds that if the Chinese did come they would simply pitch them into Blind Bay, and let them find their way out, like ducks, as best they could. • (Laughter and After some farther discussion the'resolutions oassea at the meeting on Tusßday night were mad. The motion as amended was agreed to, w d the following gentlemen appointed a committee : His Worship the Mayor, Messrs. Hutchison, Capper, Newman, Fisher, McColl, Watson, Crook, E. Smith, Warcup, Giaborne, Harrison, B. W. Mills, Hollis, Barlow, Hall, Griffiths, Popiwell, Wallace, and Marks, with power to add to their number. It was understood that a Bub-oommittee would be appointed to arrange for the collection and trar.;:::iasion of money to the Sydney ffe&men. The meeting then adjourned, having first passed a vote of thanks to the chairman, and to Mr. Stuart Keid for having lent the hall.