CHINESE IMMIGRATION

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 200, 30 November 1871, Page 6

CHINESE IMMIGRATION

The fallowing is the priricip^ paptnof the report of the Committee appointed by the General Assembly to enquire into the subject of Chinese Immigration : — By a table printed in Appendix IV! to Interim Report' No. 1.,, it will be seen that on the 19th October, 1871, the 'total number of Chinese in New Zealand was 4215, distributed as follows (by Provinces), viz. :— Canterbury, 9 j Wellington, 17; Nelson^ 3; Malborough, 1 ; Auckland, 2 ; Westland; 24 ; OtagOi 4159. . Of the whole number 5 are set down "as carpenters, $,57Q as miners, 103 as storekeepers, {1 as an hotelkeeper, 49 as gardeners, 3 as agents, 3 as cooks, 12 as labourers, 12 as hawkers, 6 as cabinet-makers, and 451 as " occupations not stated,' the bulk of these last being new arrivals, and probably bound I for (the gold fields. By comparison with the last census of the Colony it will be therefore seen tl^e $Eongplian element is rather less .ttiari If per cent, 'of .the whole population.; ' .though in Otago, where the Chinese are "principally located, they foim nearly 6 per cent, of the population. As mentioned in Interim Report No. 1., your Committee have forwarded, through the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, to the Governments of the neighbouring Colonies" of Victoria and New bouth "Wales, requeats for the furnishing of information, as to the effect' of Chinese immigration in those Colonies ; but replies being not yet to hand, your Com-mittee-are unable to include in this Report the official data which it was hoped would have been received from these sources. They, however, have obtained from the evidence of the witnesses examined, and the memoi*anda submitted (particularly the evidence of G-. Webster, Esq., M.ll.R.,and Viq memorandum of J. B. BradshawEsq , M.H.H.), a very lar^e amount of information with regard to this branch of their investigation. The evidence and information thus taken and collected has been, very various in its character, shpwing wide differences of opinion as regards the the various points of your Committee's inquiry, but your Committee find that the balance of evidence is largely in favour of the following statements, viz. : — 1. That the Chinese are industrious and frugal. 2. That they are as orderly citizens ■ as Europeans. . 3. That there is no special risk to the morality or security of the community to be apprehended from their presence in the Colony. 4. That they are not likely to introduce any special infectious diseases. 5. That they are well . adapted for menial and light mechanical and for agricultural occupations. 6. That nearly all those who come to this Colony do so for the purpose of mining for gold. 7. That, as a rule, they occupy and turn to good account ground which at present would not pay the European miner. 8. That, as a rule, they return to China so soon as they have amassed a netsumoffrom£loo upwards. 9. That no considerable number of them are at any time likely to become permanent settlers in the country. 10. Tbat they .spend less per head than the European population. 11. That the presence of Chinese in the country has not hitherto entailed any additional police expenditure. In 'vie% of the foregoing the Committee are of opinion that there have been no sufficient grounds shown for the exclusion of the Chines© ; and that no sufficient ease has up to the present time been made out to require the Committee to propose that legislative action "should be taken having for ef-~ feet the , exclusive of the Chinese or the imposition of special burdens upon them.

Instead o/ 1 ' scouring the bushj the Armed Constabulary in Wellington have beeri employee), nnd&r the direction of Colonel Gorton, in scrubbing the floor of the House of -Representatives. The " Evening Post " of the 23rd iilt., says : — "The office of Inspector of Stores rmist be a sihpeure during these peaceful times, as the gallant colonel who holds the ' appointment was employed to-day with a party of the .A.C., vigorously rubbing the • floor of the House- of Representatives with a"preparation of chalk arid milk, for 1 the. ball this evenmc. The little colbfie'l was to be seen with coat off and filippers'ottbis feet wildly rushing "about, and infonmhg hon. members that he could slid© five yards' wtfch eaeei TI& was also very officious in not allowing any of tne junior- clerks even to" have a peep at his handiwork;. If we mistake not, scrubbiug floors 1 is a favourite occupation of this gallant officer for be ojyoe-before -figured in a similar capacity -at £h$ - pdd Fellow's Hall. Truly he has conje,rted his sword into a broomstick." , • !

Ah Mong, a Chinese >firtn 'ir»' Melbourne, has failed. 'Tab liabilities are estimated afcjei«}QOOi JPhe'ftrijrjs beflifeve<l: to £i^jr^d»Kfcled.' ii^ -jMTpiTi^.-'stocky pmil'lo haTVily^Vmarte -4 catßp^w ?*2 (by astute Eb*o^&atu£ '