ANTI-ASIATIC RIOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8533, 11 September 1907, Page 5

ANTI-ASIATIC RIOT.

Lighting in Vancouver. . Received September 10, 9.10 p.m. LONDON, September 10. Reuter's correspondent at Victoria (British Columbia), reports that Saturday's rioting at Vancouver lasted till daylight on Sunday. Thepolice were powerless and appealed to the Japanese to confine themselves to resistance, and not go into the streets. While thepolice were defending a number of handsome Japanese stores, in Powell Street, against 2,000 rioters, hundreds of bricks were thrown damaging the stores to the extent of thousands of dollars. The Japanese could stand it no ionger and hundreds rushed into the streets armed with sticks, bottles and knives, =houting "banzai !'\ They cleared the street in five minutes, and followed the fugitive whites un the streets. Some of the Japanese fired volleys from pistols, others jabbed the rioters in the face and body with broken bottles. Japanese women assisted their husbands, supAllying them with broken bottles from homes. When matters were at their worst there were 8,000 rioters in the streets. Sunday's issue of the Japanese papers warned the Japanese to prepare for any emergency as the police were unable to guarantee protection. Rioting began in Chinatown in the evening, the police using their batons, which were smashed repeatedly. A mob. numbering 2,000, who proceeded along Pool Street, found the Japanese had a veritable armed camp in a fine block of buildings. Japanese were parading in front with clubs and revolvers and long knives and threatened to use bombs if attacked. Received September 10, 10.5 p.m. LONDON, September 10. The mob was eventually dispersed. The Mayor (Mr Bethune) is arranging to suppress the anti-Asiatic Leagues. The Japanese' Gonsul states that the windows of 53 Japanese establishments in Powell Street were d >stroyed. Claims will be presented . to' the'city forthwith. He has cabled ■"/•to the Japanese embassy in London particulars of the riot, and declares that he regards the incident as of much more importance than the San Francisco trouble. Mr Bethune declares that the City will not pay any damages. ! Received September 10. 10.5 p.m. W OTTAWA, September 10. M. No'sse, the Japanese Consul at Ottawa, and Sir Wilfrid Laurier informally discussed the rioting. It is understood that Canada will make, reparation. Meanwhile negotiations to restrict Japanese immigration continue. Received September 10, 10.30 p.m. LONDON, September 10. The Morning Post and Press, discussing the Vancouver riot, agree in contending that tho Japanese will be readv to listen to reasonable argumerits based on purely economic grounds, and wouid recognise . the - right of other nations to secure their' _ labouring classes from unregulated competition.