NEWS from 100 years ago: CHINA: OUR GREAT ALLY

Parliament is debating a new immigration law. The law will, among other things, tighten already tight controls over immigration from China. Lobby groups are at odds over the law. Wage workers, market gardeners and small shopkeepers tend to see Chinese immigrants as rivals who will undercut their livelihood. A good many wealthy landowners and business people, on the other hand, want to ship in Chinese immigrants because ‘coolies’ are willing to work long hours for poor pay. The debate is not limited to economic questions but touches on what sort of society people want, what people think of as human rights, together with matters like war and diplomacy. William Matheson, owner of the Tiratahi estate in the Wairarapa, points out that the Chinese republic backed the British Empire in the First World War. He goes on to argue that China remains ‘an ally who is of great importance, not only because of her vast size, but because of her trustworthiness in keeping agreements, as shown in past history.’ The new immigration law, adds the landowner, will be ‘a needless rebuff to a great ally ... Apart from ethical right and wrong, is it not foolish to give a large Empire a slap in the face ... ?’

The Dominion, 16 September 1920