CHINESE AND THE FACTORIES ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 135, 16 September 1910, Page 4

CHINESE AND THE FACTORIES ACT.

We generally quarrel with the Chinaman because he is ah Asiatic and is more industrious and uncomplaining than we, and because he makes a living by doing things we despise. 'We have more law to the square inch in New Zealand than any other country on earth, and when politicians have exhausted every possible subject on earth they will possibly make it illegal for Martians to land without a language test. We are not going to allow Asiatics to commit suicide by working themselves to death at any age from 60 to 100 in laundries, and the Factory Act is about to operate on John. Mr. Hwang, the highly cultured and polished Chinese gentleman who is looking after the interest of his poll-taxed brethren as consul, strongly objects to the provisions of the Factories Act amendments in go far as they affect Chinese laundries. "The spirit of the measure," he said, "is entirely against the Chinese laundrymen, and, in fact, it seems designed to catch them. A difficulty will arise at the outset over the obligation to keep a wages and overtime book. Since the education test was imposed in 1908, there !have been no newcomers, and very few of the_ Chinese in the Dominion can write English. Of course they can keep books in Chinese. The New Zealand Government might shoulder the task of training Its inspectors to read Chinese. I think that would foe the best thing for it to do." The wages paid in Chinese laundries, Mr. Hwang contends, oouldl not fairly be made the subject of comparison, because it is usual for the Chinese tO' receive food and lodging from their employers, in addition to money .wages. Many of them are paid 30s per | week and food and lodging in addition. Mr. Hwang does noit think there will be any difficulty over the question of working hours, but he says that if the Chinese laundrymen are compelled to close iMr shops at 7 p.m. or earlier, it will seriously injure their business. Many Chinese do not work in the laundries more than 8% hours per day, but, having io deliver*-- <>j- kccj

shops open for the convenience of their patrons. The spectacle of the State stepping in to preserve the health of a people whom it tries to keep out of the country is a little amusing.