The Hawaiian gazette., 1870-05-11
CooIie Emigration.

The following is the reply to the memorial sent
in to the Coonialoffice on the above subject.
and alluded TO elsewhere :--'aat N Is. 1Eiioii0l
Downing-street, December 24tb, 1862. slm
SIR, Il am directed by Earl Granville TO ac-l
knowledge the receipt Of your letter Of the l7th1
instant, enclosing memorial on the subject Of
the Coolie trade from Hongkong. and requesting
that lis Lordship will receive q deputaton from
the several Societies which are interested in the
matter. Is7 Gag Yla ,sI9 q mp p d rs.wsiI
In reply, am to inform you that the subject
has already received the careful consideration OF
this Department, and that recent instructions,
which have been sent to the Governor OF Hong
kong prohibit for the future all emigration from
the colony TO foreign countries, and allow il only
to place within her Majestys colonial possessions.
Under these circumstances il viii probably be-
unnecessary for the Deputation TO havethe troub.a
lie Of coming to this Office. lsasi .il su haA
lam, Sir, Your obedient Servant, 10
toz4 Il F. Z. SAsDFoRD.
To Edwin Pears, Esq. "a
1t will be interesting TO ascertain what is the
exact state Of the emigration question in Hong
kong at the present time. By the Ordinance
now under consideration Of the Legislative
Council, it appears that the whole matter is tobe
placed under the management Of the Governor,
who may make such provisions as may seem ne
cessary, under instructions from the Secretary Of
State for the Colonies. According TO the last
news from home, those nstructionsat present are
10 the effect chat Governor shall, Tor the future,
prohibit all emigration from this Colony to foreign
countries, and allow it only to places within Her
Maiestys Colonial possessions. This, il must be
confessed, appears to be very great mistake
aud it is certainly to be regretted that 50 ex-
tremely crude settlement Of highly important
question has been arrived at Everybody win be
ready 10 admit that coolie emigration requires
prope. regulating and that an Ordinance for this
purpose could not but be Of advantage; but ut
the same time. 1t is clearly unwiss to throw away
that portion of the trade that is legitimate be-
cause there is some dificnlty in regard 70 such
part as is iegitimate. At the present time the
question Of Chinese emigration to the United
States is assuming great importance and there is
every likebood that, in the course Of few years,
the matter will be placed upon such footing Ia
that country, that large number Of Chinese viii
be engaged TO proceed to it. 1t would be very
absurd, under such circumstances, that Hopgkong
should be shut ont from trade which may be en-
trey legitimate, and is likely TO prove Of benefit,
10 the Colony Such line Of policy is obviously
to be condemned and even as regards the gem
eraI cooIie traffic it would be far fsore 70 the in
terests Of the Chinese that there should be one
port at which the trahie is coascientiossly con-
ducted, and TO which it would consequently nat
uralIy find its way. than that there should be no
escape for the Chinese from the old abuses except
By sustaining altogether from emigrating. Emi-.
grafton is great necessity for the Chinese en-
pire, with its redundant population, and it would
be at once uncaIled for and unwise, TO put stop
to it needlessIy. II is, therefore, to b hoped
4 that the present Instructions from the Colbhial
! Osica, which have been evidently sent under .
mistaken view Of the bearing Of the subject, may
be rec6nsidered. Nobody can doubt that they
are too sweeping and while Il is true they viii
put on end 10 abuses connected with, coolis emf
grafton ia Hongkohg, shsy win, at the same time,
I strike very unnecessary blow at tieglimate em,-
grafton from the Colony. Hong EoAg, Ddav
Press. March 9th, 1870
II y sJ4ui4f91t -ify4zH1 li+4 i9l 1isi tl'et