WHITE NEW ZEALAND

Shannon News, 23 April 1926, Page 4

WHITE NEW ZEALAND

CAMPAIGN AGAINST ASIATICS. AUCKLAND MOVEMENT. Following on the formation of a White New Zealand League at Pukekohe, in which district it is stated that Asiatics are living at a very low standard, especially as regards housing, and are under-cutting white men in vegetable and fruit growing and in trade, a conference is being called in Auckland of representatives of the league, the New' Zealand Na- ; tives’ Association, white growers and white retailers, when a demand will be made on the Government to bring in legislation similar to that in vogue in Australia for the purpose of barring Chinese and Indians from the country altogether. Legislation will be asked for to prevent any further arrivals of either Chinese dr Indians, and to prevent any further leasing or selling of land or shops to Chinese or Asiatics. The conference will seek means to effect co-operation of white ■ growers and retailers for the purpose of collective marketing’ and buying. “The formation of a White New Zealand League,” says a ' manifesto, “was occasioned by the serious influx of Asiatics into Franklin County, the erection of crude • habitations alongside modern buildings of white settlers, and the consequent unhealthy environment they created, with their absence of sanitary conveniences; their method of working eighteen hours a day, frugal living, and generally our failure to assimilate them to our population. A review of New Zealand from a business standpoint discloses the fact of a steady but sure progress made by these people into our agricultural and commercial - life. The Native race, together with our own, is intermingling with . them, the result being half-caste citizens of the future. The doors of the Dominion must be bolted and barred against Asiatics.”

The manifesto continues: — “Those who are at present in the Dominion must be made to come more rigidly under its laws, such as the Shop Assistants Act, which is practically inoperative owing to supposed partnerships between these people.- The provisions of the Health Act must be more rigidly enforced to make them live in more healthy, and sanitary habitations. Some parts 'Of the Dominion are more suitable for onion and potato and vegetable growing than others, and this is being found out by the Asiatics, with the result that they are beginning to congregate in a few places, and by their frugal methods of living in sack shacks, with benzine tin roofs, they create an unhealthy, environment, in which the white settler has to rear his family. It .is almost impossible to sell land alongside Asiatics, for who is going to ask a wife to rear a family in such an atmosphere? Asiatics have in fifteen years almost eliminated the white man from the fruit trade in the chief cities of the Dominion, while in market gardening they have extended their operation in all directions, and in the course of the next few years must have control of this industry, which at one time was legitimate livelihood for hundreds of our own eople. In the King Country they have taken on general stores, and in several cities they have started in the drapery trade. They do extensive business in tbe laundry line ,and in oiher avenues of employment are gradually displacing the people of our own race. These people are allowed to come here under most unfair conditions. We build a high tariff wall against importations from England and sister Dominions ' and foreign countries, so that w e can protect our own industries, which give employment to thousands df our own industrial class; yet, on the other hand, weallow these Asiatics to come here and lower the cost of production by their own frugality. They are undesirables, and as such of no economic value to the Dominion. The "wealth they acquire is sent to their own countries, and consequently is not available to the Dominion. It is stated that in 1921 there were 1252 Asiatics employed as market gardeners, 21 as grocers, 724 in fruit, shops, 57 as general storekeepers and 373 in laundries, and the suggestion is made that these figures have largely been increased during the past five years.”