THE CHINESE QUESTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1736, 12 May 1888, Page 1

THE CHINESE QUESTION.

. Melbourne, May 9. The Chines* residents at Ballarat have resolved to co-operate with their brethren in Melbourne in their appeal to, the ChinesejiGovernment for assistance in the present difficulty. Cooktown, May 9. The South Australian Government Resident at Port Darwin predicts an early and unprecedented rush of Chinese to Australia, owing to the conviction held in China that Australian ports will shortly be closed to Chinese. Sydney, May 10. Several of the Chinese passengers by the Afghan have been allowed to land, their naturalisation papers being in proper order, Brisbane, May 10. On the strength of a legal opinion, obtained by Chinese, they will not leave the Jroydon goldfields, and the miners threaten to eject them if they return to the field. Special constables have been sworn in to preserve order. Six hundred of the Chinese on the Croydon goldfields have themselves in order to prevent ejectment. Adelaide, May 10.

The Government hav* suggested an Intercolonial Conference to discuss the Chinese question. London, May 8.

The Evening Standard referring to the anti-Chinese agitation in Australasia considers that expulsion is altogether contrary to international law, and that China would be justified in retaliating by expelling the English from China. It also considers that lire action of the Australasian Governments will render residence in China dangerous to Europeans. The St. James' Gazette thinks that Australia has commenced to shut the door against Mongolian immigrants in good time. Sir Francis Dillon Bull is communicating with Lord Koutsford relative to the antiChinese agitation in the colonies. Lord Knulsford has informally assured Sir Graham Berry, the Agent-General for Victoria, that the anxiety of the colenies as to the inlux of Chinese is justified, but he desires to satisfy himself that the request of the colonial Governments are within the obligations of the existing treaty between England and China.

Wellington, May 10,

Government have experienced considerable difficulty in dealing with this question. There is but very little doubt they would have prohibited Chinese immigration altogether but for the fact that the Governor would not have given his assent to the Bill. The principle of limiting Chinese earning by one steamer has already been assented to by the Queen In the Tictorian A.ct, and no veto is feared. The increase in the poll tax is intended to be considerable, but the amount is not fixed. The Government hope by these means and the stoppage of papers, to cope with the difficulty, but they cannot shut out the Chinese altogether.

Sixty-five Chinese Were transhipped from thd Te Anau to the Waretea at Lyttelton for Greymouth. A large crowd gathered on the wharf to wUch the transhipment, but there was no attempt at disturbance.