CHINESE SMUGGLERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 4, 30 December 1912, Page 7

CHINESE SMUGGLERS.

A REMARKABLE STORY OF

CUNNING

DUPLICATION OF NATURALISA-

TION PAPERS

(From the ‘Sydney Sun.’)

, A story of Chinese cunning and crime as astonishing as some of the deeds of the old Dowager-Empress has been told to the External Affairs and Customs departmental heads by Mr. J. Gabriel, a temporary employee, who was connected with exposures of the Chinese immigration frauds in West Australia last Christmas, and was sent to the North of Australia and China early this year to ascertain what leakage was occurring in the Immigration Restriction Act administration.

Mi'. Gabriel’s report deals with-sen-sational discoveries in Hongkong, and states that a secret society has existed there for years for the sole purpose of smuggling Chinese into Australia. It is understood that, following upon some seizures made by Mr. Gabriel and his associates in a Hongkong club, the members of the society were scattered over the interior of the empire.

Mr. Gabriel’s report, which.has, to some extent, been substantiated by the examination of book's and naturalisation papers, and by officers in Melbourne, claims that a remarkably cunning and clever system of smuggling has been proceeding for at least three years. In the old clays naturalisation papers were issued to Chinese. These should by now be becoming extinct; but they are really constantly turning up at the Customs Houses and being presented by bland Chinese as proof that they are naturalised Australians, who have been for a trip to their old homes, and have a right to enter the Commonwealth.

.The whole plot centres round these naturalisation papers, and it is claimed that the same papers have been used 1 by. Chinese over and over again, and that in this use Customs officers have connived. Alleged Irregularilies. Little Bourke Street has been the centre of activity. The enquiry into the charges of irregularity,preferred by the Victorian Collector of Customs against two officers is arousing great expectancy in the department, , The sensational particulars of Mr. Gabriel’s report will not be made known until full official investigation has proved or disproved them. __ '

How far'the Customs-Officers are to blame for the increasing influx of Chinese cannot be stated. Possibly it is simply a case of Chinese guile outwitting the Australian brain. It is certain, however, that, large numbers of Chinese have gained admittance, in some irregular way. It is said to have cost them large sums in, China and here. If it not been a traffic in outworn naturalisation papers then there has been smuggling on an even more cunning system. - Blinding the Government.

The new cluira Chinese has been a common sight in Melbourne recently. There are scores of-Chinese laundrymen who do not know a word of the language, and the Furniture Makers’ Union recently made strong, representations to the Minister for External Affairs that the Chinese cabinetmakers were' filling up their workshops with young recruits from China. The Opposition has been pressing the Government to stop the traffic, and Mr. Tudor has admitted that there has been, a serious leak, although Ministers have denied the accuracy of Mr. Knibbs’s recent figures, showing an alarming increase in the number of Chinese residents in the Southern States:

Two months ago an exacting system of checking was introduced on the Melbourne wharf, and out of a recent batch of 23 arrivals 22 were sent hack to their native land as having no right to enter Australia. Well Primed. It is,stated that under the new system of checking, Chinese have been proved to have been wonderfully, primed in Hongkong with local information. Chinese who have sworn that they lived in Coburg for many years, and have been able to talk about the streets and the residents there, have failed to identify.anything, when taken to the district by a Customs officer. Others have broken down under crossexamination.

It. is officially believed that the irregular influx has been worked almost solely through Victoria.