It will be remembered with what 'feeling the first arrival of Chinese on the New Zealand gold-fields was regarded. The papers teemed with protests, it was gravely proposed to take some steps to pi event any further importations, and in 1868 a Select Committee of the House of Representatives was appointed to inquire into the whole subject of Chinese immigration. Years have passed and none of the predicted terrible effects of Chinese immigration have occurred. The Celestials, so far, have proved to be a peaceable industrious and inoffensive class of men, contributing largely to the revenue and being excellent customers to local traders. Let us see what the various Wardens of Gold-fields where Chinese are located say of them Mr Warden Stratford, referring to the Arrow district, says "The Chinese, as a rule, are confining their operations to old workings, or ground abandoned by Europeans, and, in proportion to number, they are producing a larger amount of gold than tl.e Europeans. Several parties have left fur China with considerable sums of money. The Chinese located on Cardrona seem a very orderly and well-conducted people. I have not heard of a single case of misdemeanor during my residence here of nearly four years." Mr Warden Fitz- Gerald, in his report on the Waimea district, eayß:— "The Chinese population, though somewhat diminished, is inoffensive and industrious." Mr Warden Revell reports The Chinese throughout the district have proved themselves an orderly, industrious, and persevering set of men." Mr Warden Shaw says "The Chinese population of the No

Town district are most orderly and industrious, for the most part working ground abandoned by Enropeans." Experience has thus shown that the Colony has gained by the introduction of Cninese tiiey have interfered little with the European miners, chiefly working a second time, with minute industry, ground which had been deserted by them, or in many cases giving high prices for existing claims and water-races. They will be large contributors to the revenues of the proposed new local governing bodies, ard we do not suppose that even Mr Woolcock would exactly approve of the 4194 Chinese miners now in New Zealand contributing nothing towards the revenue. The returns show that the Chinese miners now are one-fourth of the whole number of persons employed in mining in the Colony, the figures being Europeans. Chinese. Auckland 2052 Marlborough 54 Nelson 3453 450 Westland 3278 833 Otago 3608 2951 12,445 4194 Total, 16,639. There is all the more reason for retaining the gold duty, seeing that the Chinese, with all their good qua'ities, are not settlers. They take all they can get out of the Colony, and should of course be made to contribute a portion of their earnings to to the State. Grey River Argus, Volume XXI, Issue 2509, 25 August 1876, Page 2