MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 16 May 1881, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

» Mr George Seward, the late United States Minister to China, has just published a very interesting history of Chinese immigration, viewed from a social and economical standpoint. In the States anti-Chinese feeling runs so high that any thing m the form of Chinese immigration will doubtless be viewed there with a good deal of ilfavor;but the facts and statistics which Mr Seward has collected must be of value to all those interested in the question. The distinguished author shows that in 1879 there were altogether no more than 100,000 Chinese in the whota of the United States, 75 000 of whom were to be found in California. Since that date the number of fresh arrivals has scarcely balanced those removed by death and emigration, so that to-day the proportion of Chinese to whites in California is about one to seventeen The fear of the United States citizens that in a short time they will be swamped by the exodus from China does not therefore seem very probable, though one can scarcely doubt

the wisdom of the new treaty, by which the Government at Washington has the power to limit the number of immigrants China may send forth should it ever become nessessary to do so. Whatever may be throught ia the far west of Chinese labor now it would be unfair to deny that the development of the Californian cities has in past mainly depended on Mon« golian labor. It is estimates in Mr Seward's book that in California nlone Chinese labor has by the building of railways and the reclaming of tidelands, increase 1 the value of property by 289,700,000 dol. With regard to the argument that the Chinese live penuriously, and send the money they scrape together out of the country, Mr Seward argueß that the stories told are gross exaggerations of the real turth. John Chinaman in America is according to Mr Seward., a man of the world, who spends his money freely on good living and amusements, find* sends less home than does the white immigrant. In acquitting the Chinese of the charge of being unusually vicious, Mr Seward says of them in effect, that they are men with men's vices. But as a rule they are a peaceable people, easily governed, with forms of selfaindulgence of a less malevolent kind them those . of the whites. The secret societies which the Chinese are said to have formed in California are explained £away by Mr Seward as being merely tribal combinations for mutual aid. An English critic is unable to form a reliable opinion as to the accuracy of many of tbeje statesmants, but the care which has been taken in the compilation of the book is manifest, and tbe high and responsible position which Mr Seward has held for so nany years gives to his labors, to some extent, the stamp of authority, Tbe Dunedin Star publishes the fol* lowing particulars regarding the Tara* raa's passengers :— lt is estimated that about twenty-five people took out passages after joining the steamer at Port Chalmers. Of these we have ascertained the names of four. John Barry is said to have been at one time engaged as driver of Iyeson's Green Island coach, Dennis English William English, and Aelxander M'Kenvie were shearer?. The last mentioned is well-known in- the Otepopo district, where his father kept ah hotel for many years. The Kaes are brothers, who came dosvn country in early part of the week to proceed to the Mount Brown digging*. "We learn that tbe Bank of New Zealand had shipped old silver (called* in by the Government) to the value of £4000 by the vessel. It was insured in Melbourne, but with what offices is not known here. Mr George Martin who joined the vessel at Port Chalmers came from near Timaru, where his relatives reside. Mr Ramsay is the eldest son of the Rev. D. Ogilvy Kamsay, minister, of Closeburn, Dum* frieshire, aod nephew of Mr .Keith Kamsay, of this city. He had come to the colonies for the benefit of his health, and was returning home. We believe that Captain Garrard was making bis last trip before being married to a young lady in Melbourne. He was only twenty-cine years of age and is understood to be youngest captain in tbe intercolonial service. Mr Brianbridge wai n cousin of Mr Mackay, of Messrs Hack iy. Bracken and Co., and was returning to the country in ilKhealth. The ' Rev Mr Water house was well known as having been for many years in charge of the Wesley an Mission at Fiji, and Mr Waterhoase (another of the passengers drowned) is his son: The ftev Mr Richardson was President of the New Zealand Wesleyan Conference, and the Eev. J, Armitage one of tbe secretaries of the Conference, and editor of * The Wesleyan/