AGAINST THE CHINESE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9674, 13 December 1909, Page 5

AGAINST THE CHINESE.

MR J. CAMERON ON THE SITUATION.

Mr J. Cameron, Secretary of the Anti-Asiatic League, delivered an address to an appreciative audience from the balcony of the Wairarapa Age Office, on Saturday evening last. The speaker prefaced his remarks by explaining the objects of the movement, which advocated the total exclusion of Asiatics from the Dominion. Various means were proposed to bring about this end. During his remarks Mr Cameron stated that the Chinese in Wellington were opposing the passage of the Factories Amendment Bill before the House this session, and stated that he would like to know whether it was the Chinese or the Europeans wno were running this country. Shortly afcer the European laundrymen's deputation waited on the Hon. Mr Miliar in Wellington, last Aupust, the Chinese Consul, on behalf of the Chinese, had stated that the Chinese charged higher pricea ftr work than the Europeans did. They also worked shorter hours, and that their partnerships were genuine and should not be restricted by law. The Chinese prices, according to Mr Cameron, fluctuated like the weather at Mount Cook. In regard to their houra ot labour the Chinese worked considerably longer hours than the European traders, as were in no way amenable to our labour laws, which were unfair to our own tradespeople. He had no hesitation in saying that their partnerships were ah impudent evasion® of what our factory laws intended, which clearly showed the necessity for more drastic measures being [taken by the Government. In answer to an interjection about Chinese selling rotten fruit and light-weight vegetables in Mastertoii, the. speaker Stated that thig, was the? practice of. the ,Chipese ; all over the Dominion, and the people should not come to him complaining about the treatment that was meted • out to them in Chinese shops. White people deserved this sort of treatment if they had no better sense than to deal with Chinese in preference to patronising their own race. In a competition for low cunning the speaker expressed the opinion that the Chinese would gain the first prize every time. Parents were strongly advised to keep their children out of Chinese shops for reasons that could not be expressed in public address, and the speaker stated that if more circumspection was not shown .by parents in this direction he intended appealing to the Government to amend the Police Offence Act making it an offence for children to be seen in Chinese shops. Mr Cameron rI&o dealt with the question of defence, and expressed pleasure at the fact that the Government was giving practical attention to it. There was no doubt that China was awakening to her power, and within the next twenty years would be a power to be reckoned with. Legislation would be effective in the meantime in the way of keeping Chinese out of thu Dominion, but with the possibility of invasion there was evury necessity to make our internal defence more secure. The large majority of people in the Dominion were thoroughly sick, of the Chinese, and would gladly welcoti.e a-y legislation that would effectively prevent any further admission of Asiatics into the country, and also put a stop to the immorality and conjcquenfc degradation of our youths, which was in a large measure Mttributatjle to th" of Chinese in the Dominion. ' '