MAORI WOMENFOLK. EMPLOYED BY ASIATICS.

COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY.ACTION BY GOVERNMENT.FIRST SITTING TO-DAY, A committee, whoch has been appointed by the Government to investigate the employment of Maori girls and women by Chinese and Indians in Auckland, commenced its sittings this morning at the offices of the Health Department in Anzac Avenue. Without publicity, the committee has been set up in response to requests hy members of the native race, following disclosures which have been made in the l'ress and otherwise during the past rear or so in Auckland. The proceedings arc in private, and are under the chairmanship of Dr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of health, with whom are associated Mr. W. Slaughter, representing the Labour Department, and Mr. Tukere Te Anga, representing the Native Department. Preliminary evidence is being heard by the committee, to-day, and the proceedings will continue to-morrow and 011 Saturday. In its order of reference the committee is empowered to make thorough investigations into the question of Maori girls and women being employed by Chinese as workers in market gardens, and by Indians in fruit shops and elsewhere. The committee is asked to suggest in its report to the Minister of Native Affairs remedies that may be required. The scope of the inquiry will embrace questions such as wages, health, housing and general health and sanitary conditions. The question as to whether it is in the interests of public morality that Maori womenfolk should be so employed will also be reported on by the committee. Among those who will give evidence will be a number of members of the Akarana. Maori Association, which organisation has taken a prominent part in asking for an investigation. Opportunity for hearing Chinese and other Asiatics will also be provided, and the committee will make a comprehensive tour of districts around Auckland where Maori girls and women are employed by Asiatics. Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 210, 5 September 1929, Page 7

WHITE NEW ZEALAND.ITS COLOURED PROBLEM. CHINESE AND INDIANS.

WHITE NEW ZEALAND.ITS COLOURED PROBLEM. CHINESE AND INDIANS. RIVAL OF CONTROVERSY. There has developed a controversy on the White New Zealand question which threatens to rival that which was excited when a madman shot dead an aged Chinaman as a protest against the Asiatic influx. On this occasion there has been no shooting: the ball has been set rolling by a meeting of farmers and townsmen at peaceful Pukekohe," the 'constituency of the late Prime Minister, I Mr. Massey. At this meeting it was dei dared that there were now Hindus and Chinese in their hundreds, where a feuyears ago the only dark skin to be seen was that of the native Maori race, higii in the scale of civilisation. In some places the Asiatics controlled the fruit trade, and at the city markets the buyers of Pukekohe produce were largely j Asiatics. The increasing hold of these j people, it was pointed out. was very serious, because their frugality of living made it impossible for a European to bring up his family in decency to compete with them —something could bn done, and must be done. Europeans must put their minds to Cases were instanced to prove that when Chinese I entered into competition with Europeans in any line of business there was only one result—the European went out of business, especially in the laundry, fruit j and market garden trades. It was urged jby one speaker that landowners should [invariably refuse to sell or lease hind 'or premises to Asiatics, and that raer- I chants should refuse to deal with them.The result of the meeting was the formation of a White New Zealand League, and the carrying of a motion that landowners and business men should refrain from dealing with Asiatics. No Definite Policy. There is in this country no policy of excluding Asiatics on the lines of the White Australian policy—which is one thing that Australia is praised for here —and each year sees the number of Chinese and Indians added to. either as permanent residents or as temporary visitors, who try very hard to remain here. There are not a great many Asiatics in the South Island—probably it is too cold, or too Scotch, for them but there is abundant evidence that there is an all-sufficiency of both Chinese and Indians in the north. The fruit shops whose fine displays compel admiration, are a feature of the principal streets of Auckland. They are almost entirely run by Chinese, and there is not a suburb Ito which these men. who may be seen lin their scores bidding at the auctions in the City Markets, have not "peacefully penetrated." And at various corners we see the übiquitous Indian, popularly referred to as the '"Hindu," with his stall and his piles of polishcl fruit, paying but a scanty rental for his stand. As he competes mostly with the Chinese, there is perhaps less resentment against him on the part of the European population than might otherwise be. lin this country, but as to how long it J takes a newcomer to repay it is one of those secrets which are hard to clear up. lit is said that a young Chinese has to labour for vcars to clear .himself of the debt. Standard of Living. It is not doubted that tlie Indian subsists on a food standard which would not maintain a white man ill working condition, and it is this economic advantage which gives him the pull over the European when it conies to competition in trade. As for the Chinaman, hs does not live nearly so frugally as is generally supposed. The young Chinese of to-day is emulating European standards. When he has emerged from his shell, so to speak, he dons tailor-made I suits, tan shoes, silk sox, white collars I and expensive hats. He may be seen thus, much multiplied, about the streets or in the marts any day. As to food, he is a gastronomic expert. He buys i the fattest ducks and cockerels, the choicest pork and the best cuts of [butchers' meats, and he buys plentifully. ilt is not in denying himself food that ihr saves money: lie is sparing in "ais I pleasure, as the European knows I pleasure, and his entertainment costs him little. However, he is often a gambler, and the sight of a Chinaman on a racecourse is so familiar as to pass unnoticed —and the luck of a Chinaman with the horses is said to be amazing. There is no more law-abiding citizen —a Chinese, or a Hindoo for that matter. 1 rarely has to face a magistrate, excepting for the committal of some technical offence Really the matter of restricting the influx of Asiatics rests with the Minister in charge of the Immigration Department. He issues the permits which allow them to land and take up their residence here, and the granting of these permits are solely at his discretion. Chinese or Indians who come out here- to reside have, to pay a poll tax of £100. This tax is readily found by their compatriots who sponsor tlieir arrival. His Industry and His Pay. All around Auckland, and all along the Main Trunk Line as far south as Wellington, can be seen the market gardens of the Chinese and the trading carts of the Indian hawker. In every town are Asiatic fruit shops and Asiatic laundries. At Kohimarama Chinese are said to be paying rentals of JSO per acre per annum for land for vegetable-growing, a rental which would well make the white owner pause when he is asked to sell at valuation for other purposes. The industry of the Chinaman is proverbial, and here it is clearly shown. In the shops his work is limited by tlle interval between the hours of opening and closing fixed by law—which are long enough, in all conscience—but in the market gardens- no summer's day is too long for him, and in the winter he works early and late by the aid of the moon or artificial light. But the lessee of the garden may be making a fortune by the combined labour of his assistants working out their poll tax; a similar state of affairs may be the portion of the conductor of some of the fruit shops. The Minister' in charge of Immigration has, it is stated, a pile of applications for admission, which is added to by applications from Chinese who came in under temporary permits entitling them to stay for six months, seeking permanent location. Many Chinese come here under temporary permit, and, having got the wedge in, seek to split the log this way. Their dodge, however, is rarely successful. i There have been attempts at smuggling un detected from Suva, the latest but ships are now searched prior to leaving the port of embarkation and before, being berthed here, and it is said that for an Aiiatic to enter New Zealand unperceived is almost impossible Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 300, 19 December 1925, Page 11

CHINESE IMMIGRANTS.RESTRICTIVE MEASURES.

MHSSIONARIES EXEMPTED. ißy TelegTapa.—Parliamentary Reporter,) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. In the House to-day the Premier moved the second reading of the Chinese Immigrants Amendment Bill, which, in addition to the £100 poll tax, imposes an education test of 100 words in English. Mr Massey said he was in thorough accord with the object of the bill. -Jγ Poole said in this Dominion there were wealthy Chinese, who found living on their fellow countrymen a profitable undertaking. They arranged for the importation of Chinese, paying their poll tax and passage money, and holding these unfortunate fellows as their slaves lor a number of years. Chinatown in 'Frisco was two cubic acres of -hell with the lid off." He hoped the Premier would see that the Customs officials made the education test as difficult as possible. Mr Gray said he vai surprised to see that in Wellington all the leading fruit shops were in the hands of Chinese, and the liest people encouraged them to stay iere by buying from them. llr R. MeKenzie said he would move that it be an instruction to the Government to increase the pcil tax to £500. Sir Joseph Ward said what they wanted to do was to effectually restrict Chinese coming here. There were now 2570 Chinese in New Zealand, of whom fifty-five were females. If they -wanted to keep them here a longer period than they now remained, the proposal of the member for Motueka was the right way to do it. Now they loft after a number of years, but if they paid £500 they would stay here altogether. An hon. member: Isn't that advisable? Sir Joseph Ward: It is better that they should go back and die in their own country. He thought if they had highly educated Chinese coming here, there would be less tendency to create all these abominations referred to by some members. They had also to respect the conditions existing between the old land and another country. They could not hope to get the Ircperia.l assent to such a proposal. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. In committee, the Premier moved as an addition to the principal clause, ''this •Act shall not apply to any minister or teacher of the Christian religion accredited to the satisfaction of the Colonial Secretary. The proposal was agreed to. Mr Fisher moved to amend the original 'Act by increasing the poll tax from £100 to £200. The amendment was accepted by the Chairman (Mr E- McKenzie), but, upon the Premier's motion, progress was reported to take the Speaker's ruling. This was against the Chairman, on the ground ihat no motion for increase of taxation could come from a private member. Mr Davey moved to add a new clause, providing that after the lapse of ten years no Chinese should be allowed to land in New Zealand. Sir Joseph Ward said he had not the slightest objection to the Committee carrying such a clause, but he reminded them that it meant they would carry no legislation at all on this question, for it would never receive the Imperial assent. Mr Hornsby regretted that the Premier had weakened on the bill, he having permitted ontside influence, a cleric, the Rev. Mr Don, Presbyterian Chinese missioner, to dictate a new clause, whereas he would not accept any new clause from members of the House. Sir Joseph Ward said he desired to •give the hon. member's statement an emphatic denial. Personally he did not know the Rev. Mr Don, but at any rate Mr Don, as Chinese missioner, had a right -to represent to the Government what he thought was required from the religious teaching aspect of the question. Mr Davey's proposal was rejected by 43 votes to 15. and the bill was reported .with- amendments. Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 272, 14 November 1907, Page 6

WOES OF THE JOES.STAYED TOO LONG.CHINESE MUST LEAVE.

ONE FINED £10, THE OTHER £5 Two Chinese by the name of Leong Yuk Joe and Chung Joe were ordered to be deported by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., this morning. Standing in the dock of the Police Court this morning, both these sorrylooking sons of the Flowery Land, through an interpreter, pleaded guilty when charged with remaining in New Zealand beyond the period for which their temporary permits entitled them. The Collector of Customs at Auckland, Mr. W. A. Penn, who prosecuted, stated that Leong Yuk Joe's permit expired in March of 1926, and Chung Joe's in October of last year. Both had overstayed their permits. Many other Chinese were giving much trouble in this way, and it had been suggested that terms of imprisonment should be imposed in addition to deportation. Great difficulty was experienced by the police iin tracing Chinese who overstayed their permits, said Constable Doel. At the present time 20 Chinese were being looked for. Mr. Wong Doo, a local Chinese resident, had purchased tickets for both men, who would leave for Australia to-morrow. Mr. Hunt fined Leong Yuk Joe £10, or one month's imprisonment, and Chung Joe £5, or one month in gaol. In addition both are to be deported from the Dominion. Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 182, 4 August 1927, Page 8