STORM IN A TEA-CUP.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10559, 15 February 1912, Page 5

STORM IN A TEA-CUP.

{To The Editor.}

Sir,—7. A'storm in a tea-cup appears ' to have arisen over a remark made by Mr 0. C. Cooper at a meeting of the Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association last and my attention- has been drawn to the fact that a resolution favouring the abolition of poll-tax on Chinese was reported to have been unanimously passed at that.meeting,,'. Of course no s*uch resolution was either proposed or discussed, but when the letter dealing. with the Waterside Union's, demand for paper-lined bags inside the manure sacks was being discussed, Mr Cooper, in suggesting a local committee, said that during ■ tlie luncheon hour, when the meat strike - was the topic of conversation, a suggestion had been made to him that . sooner or later it might be necessary to abolish the Chinese poll-tax and flood the country with cheap labour. I am satisfied that neither Mr Coop- . , er claimed the quotation as original, nor did he. intend the remark to be token seriously, and I am also satisfied the smile-on. his face'whenj . speaking that'he was ,not seiuous lum, ■. self, nor was ; it' taken seriously ;" tiy '-'■ those gentlemen present,— ; \l. am, • etc:, HUGHMORRISON, President. Masterton A. and P. Association. Master-ton, Feb. 1 Mi, 1912. .