WHITER NEW ZEALAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 26, 22 April 1927, Page 9

WHITER NEW ZEALAND

ASIATIC EXCLUSION URGED SWEATED LABOUR COMPETITION

(From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. “If the Government does not do something, and do it soon, there will not be a white man in the fruit trade in the Dominion in five years,” declared Mr. F. Ransom, who spoke for a deputation to Mr. Coates and Mr. Downie Stewart to-day, seeking a whiter New Zealand.

Mr. Ranson declared that the white man was up against the sweated labour and longer hours of the Chinese, whereas the whites were bound by the Shops and Offices Act. The deputation averred that when forced out of the laundries the Chinese went in for fruit. Many Chinese laundries merely camouflaged gambling dens detrimental to the community. Mr. Burley, representing the grocers, complained that Asiatics were being allowed to trade in tobacco and other goods after legitimate hours. Total prohibition of Chinese was asked for, and more rigid health conditions on present residents.

Mr. Downie Stewart pointed out that all recent Chinese arrivals (which he detailed) were either residents returning from China or visitors with six months’ permits. Since the restricting legislation of 1920 no permits had been issued and the Chinese admitted were only those securing permits during that year. The Chinese population was 3,262, which he considered small. A satisfactory reciprocal agreement operated respecting Hindoos, under which both Governments had the right to exclude migrants. Mr. Coates promised to investigate the question of securing legislation bringing Chinese under the Shops and Offices Act.