KAIHU CLIPPINGS.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 201, 9 June 1893, Page 3

KAIHU CLIPPINGS .

[By Old Kaihu.] I see the “ old politician ” still keeps up his abuse of the Austrians, —accuses them now of robbing swill tubs and fighting hogs for the guts of slaughtered animals. Strange, Mr Editor, that we heard nothing of all this till the elections were coining on. Now hear what he had to say on the Austrian gumdigger question a little over a year since when striving for the Austrian trade for his store : Extract from leading article on the special taxation of gumdiggers, in Mr Hargaville’s paper the “Northern Advertiser” of Friday, February 19th, 1892 : “ Our correspondent especially objects to ‘ foreigners ’ coining on to the guinfields to work, because, he alleges, they spend very little and eventually they take themselves and their money away to other countries. An objection of this kind certainly would apply to Chinese, who are of an inferior race, of filthy habits, and with whom we have nothing in common, and a part of whose religion it is to leave their hones in their own ‘ Flowery Land ’ but it does not apply equally to Germans, Italiaus, Swedes, Hanes, Austrians, Eussians, or the subjects of other European Christian countries. These countries permit British subjects to freely employ themselves in any lawful industries within their borders, and it would evince the meanest and most ignorant prejudice on oar part, and a cowardly want of confidence in our own race, were we, by special taxation, to virtually interdict men of those nationalities, from coming amongst us. It would also constitute such an outrage upon international amity and good faith as would deservedly expose us to the scornful censure of every civilised community.” Now, Mr Editor, I have always maintained your contemporary’s hostility to the Austrians was merely electioneering claptrap and I think this extract proves I was right, but what can we say of the man who would thus in his own words “pander to the meanest and most ignorant prejudice” to catch a few votes ?