CHINESE IN AUSTRALIA.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2028, 5 July 1875, Page 3

CHINESE IN AUSTRALIA.

In a former issue we directed attention to the great jnfluxotsClhineVe into the ports of Northern Australia. .... Air James M'Henley, " Anglo-Chinese linguist," of Cook town, in an interesting letter to the Brisbane Courier,exp'ainsthatin Australia the working class of Chinese have four guilds, the'objects of which are—l. To secure cheap "passages to and from the goldfields of Australia. 2. To build clubhouses at the seaports and inland, where required. 3. To pay the passages of members to China, when unable to

vr#vk through sickness or accilent. 4 & To. bury the dead who die without " jne'ans." 5. To purchase mining pro'"tfperty. 6. To pay the expense of law/wsuits where the interests of the guild are 7. To pay for repair of club houses; andi§.. To pay incidental _expenses. Ifc must be admitted that this is a formidable combination; and Mr M'Henley proceeds to inform us that "there are a number of commercial guilds separate from these, belonging to tho.*e who are engaged in trade. The capital possessed by them amounts to millions, which may yet become a fearful strain on the energies of European, capitalists ,of limited means. The headquarters of these guilds are at Melbourne, Sydney, San- Francisco, Hongkong, and Canton, while bauchrestablishruents exist in the principal centres, of commerce. Situated as'they are, they have at their command the principal markets- of the word, ' and are therefore enabled to undersell European traders. A fall in the market ruinous to 'European;".- traders would not be felt by them." All this, be it observed, for the purpose of taking capital from the country. Mr M'Henley considers, however, that, while to stop the coming of the Chinese is impossible, mumbers will nerer return to their native land, and that upon the plantations to which they will resort from; the goldfields their labour is wanted; ahd'"wiilj in its turn, create labour for thousands- of Europeans;" It may be' so; but it is Bomewliat 'doubtful whether snch beneficial Results have -followed the iriflux.qf Chinese .into other parts of Australia. -■-Sydney Echo.