THE CHINESE. Departure of the Guthric and the Chingtu.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 275, 23 June 1888, Page 3

THE CHINESE. Departure of the Guthrie and the Chingtu.

Sydney harbour is now free from vessels carrying Chinese* immigrants. The steambhip Outline sailed for Hongkong under circumstances which .seemed to afford some guarantee that the homeward voyage would be a peaceful one. The vessel had coaled at Newcastle, and on the occasion that she sailed hence for that port there was a most determined attempt by her passengers to breakaway trom the suneillance of the police Since the ship returned to this port there had been many manifestations of discontent on the part of the passengers, and they had not hesitated to declare that, unless they received something by way of compensation, they %\ould very unwillingly lea\c Sydney. After much consideration, the conclusion was arrived at by the local representatives of the owners of the vessel that it would not be desirable to send the Chinese to sea without previously pacifying them. The next thing to be done was to ascertain what the views of the passengers were as to the amount they should receive. In order to elicit definite information upon this point, the mediation I of Mr Quong Tart (of Sydney) and Mr Lew Tye Shing (of Melbourne) was sought. The two gentlemen named, as well as Mr Meeks (of Oibbs, Bright, and Co.) and one or two others, visited the vessel and interrogated the Victorian -bound passengers as to the amounts they would accept in full satisfaction of any claims they might have against the owners of the vessel. The adults signified their willingness to receive CU each, and it was agreed that the " boys" should be paid £6 each. This agreement simply related to 40, Victorian-bound passengers who had not been sent to their destination. There were also on board 18 other Chinese passengers originally booked to Sydney, holders of exemption papers which had boon rojected by the Customs. It was | held that these 18 hud no one bub them-

] selves to blame for being senfc back to J Hongkong, and therefore no offer of com pensation was made to them. The terms of the agreement entered into with the other 40 provided that they should each be paid £1 on their departure and the balance after the vessel had passed Port Darwin. Some time was occupied in paying over the sovereigns and taking the signatures of the recipients, in transhipping 10 Chinese passengers to the Waihora tor conveyance to New Zealand ports, and the embarkation of some Chinese passengers from Sydney. A few minutes before the vessel sailed the 15 rejected men were called aft, a,nd Mr Quong Tart and Mr Lew Tye Shing (acting , on behalf of themselves and other > Chinese; residents in Sydney and Melbourne^.pre- - sented each of them with a sovereign — an unexpected ' donation, for which they expressed -.their deepest gratitude. Mr Tart obtained from- all of the unfortunate fellows a promise that on the return journey they would not attempt to create any disturbance.' The Guthrie cast off from the wharf at a quarter past 4 o'clock with 85 Chinese. Of these, 40 were originally booked to Melbourne, 18 were holders of rejected exemption papers with which they had sought to land at Sydney, 11 were passengers from Sydney, including one transhipped from the Sea Nymph, and 16 were members of the crew. The steam&hip Chingtu sailed for Melbourne at about 5 o'clock. She took hence 75 Chinese, 59 of whom were members of the crew, and 16 passengers brought out by [ the steamship Changsha.