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Also see:South Australia - Immigration - White Australia Policy
Adelaide - Chinese Population.
The Chinese in the South East
- Surely, it is time that this excessive immigration of unsuitable colonists should be stopped. We left the home of our fathers to found in this part of the world a nation... But our hopes will be frustrated, our anticipations blasted and our love for our adopted land quenched unless an effectual stop is put to the introduction of an element that promises soon to disorganise society by introducing the manners, customs and vicious institutions of the most depraved nation on the face of the earth....
(Register, 14 May 1857, p. 3.)
The pursuance of the White Australia Policy rendered the Chinaman a curiosity in South Australia and by the middle of the 20th century he was rarely seen, either in the city or the outback. It is a fact, however, that 14,000 of them landed in South Australia in the first half of 1857 and detailed records show that 22 vessels arriving at Robe between January 17 and May 3 of that year landed 10,154 immigrants - all Chinese.
Repeated requests from the miners on the Victorian fields stirred the government of that colony and, in 1855, it imposed duties of one shilling a ton on every vessel (half-yearly) and five shillings for each passenger other than Chinese for whom £10 had to be paid. Further, only one Chinese passenger could be landed for each ten tons of the vessel's tonnage. This impost curtailed the immigrant trade for a time but then it was realised that if Chinamen were landed in South Australia they would not have to pay anything.
The Argus in Melbourne on 4 June 1856, p. 2 said:
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The present Act for checking the introduction of the Chinese has proved at all events a partial failure. Like Southey's rats they seem to come
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In at the windows, and under the floors,
And down through the ceilings, and up through the floors.
If Mr Childers stops the way at Portland they land at Rivoli Bay [sic] and cross the frontier where they please. Or they accompany Captain Cadell up the Murray and reach the goldfields that way.
The Melbourne Herald drew a historical parallel between the City of Adelaide and the capital of ancient Greece. Athens had its Themistocles who though he "could not fiddle, knew how to turn a little city into a great one'and it concluded that Adelaide must have its Themistocles because it wished to "annex the goldfields", because Adelaide wished the ocean steamers to call and leave their mails en route and because Adelaide "chuckles" over the Chinese immigration as a means of profiting by the evasion of the Victorian law. The Editor of the Register was qiuick to respond:
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With regard to the cry of "annex the goldfields" the Herald ought to know that it is pure drivelling, unmitigated absurdity which no six men in Adelaide of sane mind ever dreamed of. Adelaide is desirous of sharing in the enterprise and profit of the overland trade for which the Murray river offers certain facilities.
And equally mistaken is the Herald in supposing that Adelaide "chuckles"over the Chinese arrivals; or is desirous of pocketing the trifling gains derived from these Celestial birds of passage... In the course of our observations upon Victorian affairs we have once or twice commented on the Anti-Chinese Act passed by the legislature of the sister colony. We ventured to doubt the expediency of some of the provisions of the Act and to suggest that alterations would be necessary. This was before the arrival of the first Chines ship at Port Adelaide...
Guichen Bay, on which Robe was situated, was the nearest suitable harbour to the diggings while others went to Port Adelaide but from there they had a longer walk - unless they could afford the means of conveyance. Some entered Victoria by taking a boat up the River Murray and on this entrance there were no dues to be paid, though a communication from the Victorian to the South Australian government, asking that colony to impose some restriction, said that if something was not done, impositions would be put on Chinese immigrants entering in that way:
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On 8 April 1856, a party of 150 Chinese left Adelaide for the Victorian diggings, Their escort, under the command of Lionel Edwards, late a carter on the Port road, consisted of five men each in charge of a two horse dray, for the conveyance of their food, cooking utensils and general luggage. The average rate of travelling was 12 miles a day. The chief Chinaman of the party had for several years lived in South Australia where he amassed a considerable sum through his industry and economy. Later, he returned to his native land and induced this large party to migrate with him to the goldfields. The overland route, though very boggy in winter was considered preferable to the Guichen Bay route which suffered still more from heavy winter rains.
Guichen Bay was by no means a safe harbour and between February and June 1857 no less than three vessels were wrecked but with, surprisingly, little loss of life - the Phaeton in February, the Sultana in April and the Koenig Willem II in June were all lost. Like all the immigrant vessels to Robe they had come from Hong Kong, eager to land their passengers and return to China for another batch - it is known that there were between 30,000 and 40,000 Chinamen in Victoria in June 1857.
Henry D. Melville was the first Sub-Collector of Customs at Robe, a position he held for 14 years, and recalled the Chinese invasion of the 1850s:
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They crossed on foot to evade the poll tax of £10 per head and the government of the sister state never forgave South Australia for this loss to them of about £20,000. I had great difficulty securing the opium for duty and on one occasion Ormerod's store was broken open by the Chinamen to gain possession of the cases containing it. There were then about 3,000 celestials camping about the township and Lt Saunders and 40 men of the 12th Regiment were sent to keep order. The Chinamen were a great benefit to Robe for they paid for all they obtained and must have left thousands of pounds in the district..
On a lighter note, Charles Savage, reminiscing in 1925 said:
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I remember that one time there were five ships laying in the bay each with about 400 Chinamen on board. They formed a big camp near Robe and Tom Hales (the jockey) and I slipped across to the camp one night and cut the ropes of several of the tents. The Chinamen swarmed out like ants and gave chase, each man carrying a knife. Tom and I knew the country thoroughly so we got away safely, but were glad of police protection when we got to the Hales's house. The Chinamen gathered a green weed growing on the rocks near the beach and ate it like cabbage.
A party of Chinamen arrived at Mount Gambier in July 1856 and:
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Many of them seemed footsore and exhausted upon their arrival. They carried all their effects with them slung on the extremities of a bamboo cane in true Chinese fashion. One thing is particularly noticeable about them is their uniform good behaviour whilst in encampment. Amongst the several relays passing through here, I have invariably remarked perfect good order and decorum. Their national vice, however, of gambling accompanies them whilst on the road and it is singular, though painful, to observe how intensely the passion for play burns in this effeminate race.
In 1863 it was reported that 51 Chinamen were charged at the Hamilton Police Court with entering the colony of Victoria without paying the capitattion tax and were committed to the Portlandl gaol for one month's imprisonment and hard labour. 122 of them had landed at Guichen Bay from the Independence and set off for the diggings laden with luggage carried by means of bamboo canes and escaped the penalty of crossing the border until they arrived eight mniles beyond Hamilton when the unfortunate 51 were apprised early one morning by a trooper that their presence was required at Hamilton.
Not all the Chinamen proceeded to the diggings and it is apparent that a few of them found employment on local stations for in September 1864 the sudden death of John Swan, "the Chinaman who has long settled on the Benaira [sic] station in the employ of Mr Lorimer" was reported while, in 1875, four Chinamen secured four acres of land "in Mr Blume's paddock next to the German Chapel" and set up as market gardeners. They came from Melbourne, where they had been settled for seven years, and an opinion was expressed that "vegetable growing will prove a poor game at Mount Gambier. Nature is too bountiful for market gardeners." Time was to disprove this statement for members of the Chinese race were still active as market gardeners on a property along Penola Road until occupied for the same purpose by Mr James Rowell in the late 1940s.
Sources
Geoffrey H. Manning, A Colonial Experience, Observer, 14 June 1856, p. 3, Register, 14 June 1856, p. 2, 19 July 1856, p. 3, 1 May 1878, p. 5, 19 August 1903, p. 6, Advertiser, 19 June 1925, p. 14, Chronicle, 12 March 1936, p. 16, Border Watch, 24 April 1863, 17 September 1864.
General Notes
A proposal to import "coolies" from India "to relieve the difficulty under which the colony suffers" is in the Observer,15 April 1854, page 1a (supp.).
"Chinese Immigration" is discussed in the Register,
4 May 1853, page 3b,
12 April 1854, page 2e; also see
Observer,
19 August 1854, page 5e,
28 April 1855, pages 6d-7e.
Chinese immigration is reported upon in the Register,
30 and 31 January 1856, pages 2b and 3c,
6 May 1856, page 3e.
"Calculating Celestials" is in the Register,
8 April 1856, page 3e; also see
9 and 22 April 1856, pages 3g and 4a,
3, 7, 10, 16, 17, 18, 21 and 30 June 1856, pages 3b, 3h, 2f, 3d, 3h, 2d, 2f and 2g, 24 July 1856, page 2h,
1, 9 and 13 August 1856, pages 2f, 3g and 2d.
"The Influx of Chinese" is in the Register,
4 June 1856, page 2c.
"The Chinese on the Overland Route" is in the Observer,
9 August 1856, page 2d (supp.).
"The Chinese Question" in the Register,
4, 6 and 18 June 1856, pages 2c, 3f and 2d,
2, 4 and 8 June 1857, pages 2c-f, 3e and 3b,
Parliamentary Papers
30/1857-58,
71, 91 and 91a of 1877,
156/1880.
Observer,
28 March 1857, page 4h.
Chinese emigration is discussed in the Register,
28 April 1857, page 3c,
2 and 13 May 1857, pages 3b and 2d,
2 June 1857, page 2c,
28 July 1857, page 2f.
"The Chinese Question - Importation of Disease" is in the Observer,
29 August 1857, page 5e,
5 September 1857, page 5h.
Register,
27 and 28 August 1857, pages 3f and 2f,
2 and 5 September 1857, pages 3h and 2e.
"The Chinese" is in the Observer,
10 and 17 July 1858, pages 6g and 6h,
2 February 1861, page 6d. Also see
Register,
5 May 1877, page 4d,
Advertiser,
14 March 1878, page 4e,
Observer,
12 January 1878, page 12b,
Observer,
30 March 1878, page 24g,
6 April 1878, page 13e,
4 and 11 May 1878, pages 11g and 11a,
8 June 1878, page 13b,
Advertiser,
10, 14, 15, 23 and 24 January 1879, pages 5g, 5f, 4d-5g, 4e and 6b,
13 February 1879, page 4f.
"The Chinese Bill and the House of Assembly" is in the Register,
30 September 1861, page 3c,
1 October 1861, page 2f.
"Prison Labour" is in the Register,
5 May 1863, page 2e.
"John Chinaman Again" is in the Chronicle,
21 December 1878, pages 5b-8e,
11, 18 and 25 January 1879, pages 8f, 11b and 5c,
1 February 1879, page 12c,
Observer,
7 and 14 December 1878, pages 6f and 10c-19a.
"China and the Chinese" is in the Chronicle,
2 March 1861, page 4g.
"The Great Chinese Exodus" is in the Observer,
11 December 1875, page 7c.
The following is in the Advertiser, 7 October 1861, page 3c:
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No matter how many celestials come here, I feel convinced, although the Chinese will not amalgamate with us, yet they will be obliged in the end to succumb to the superior attributes of the Anglo-Saxon.
"Asiatic Immigration" is in the Register,
24 June 1875, pages 4d-7c,
6 September 1875, page 4f.
A poem titled "Heathen Chinee in Australia" is in the Register,
15 February 1876, page 5e and
cartoons on
13 February 1886, page 24,
15 October 1887, page 11.
"The Chinese in Australia" is in the Register,
1 March 1877, page 4d,
Observer,
17 March 1877, page 13c; also see
26 May 1877, pages 13c-19e,
16 June 1877, pages 17f-20f.
"The European and John Chinaman" is in the SA Figaro,
11 July 1877, page 4b.
"The Chinese" is in the Register,
25, 26 and 30 April 1878, pages 6g, 6f and 6g,
2 May 1878, page 6e.
A poem titled "Mr J.L. Parsons on John Chinaman" and other information are in The Adelaide Punch,
14 December 1878, pages 4 and 5c; also see
21 December 1878.
A poem entitled "John Chinaman" is in The Lantern,
7 September 1898, page 2,
"Heathen Chinee" on
21 December 1878 and
"Justice for John (cartoon) on
21 December 1878; also see
The Lantern,
17 April 1880 (poem),
17 February 1881, page 8,
25 June 1881, pages 9c-10b,
4 June 1887, page 11 (cartoon),
a poem 'John Chinaman' on
15 October 1887, page 19; also see
12 May 1888, page 20,
16 June 1888, page 21,
14 July 1880, page 21.
"The Chinese Question" is in the Observer,
14 December 1878, page 10c,
4, 11 and 18 January 1879, pages 10f-21c, 11a and 11c-12a.
Also see Express,
10, 15 and 24 January 1879, pages 3e, 3e and 3e,
Observer,
15 February 1879, pages 10d-19b,
3 and 17 April 1880, pages 567a and 650b,
Register,
20, 21, 23 and 25 January 1879, pages 4d-6g, 6f and 6f, 1g (supp.),
3 and 7 February 1879, pages 6e and 4d-6a,
29 March 1880, page 6c,
26, 28, 29 and 31 July 1880, pages 4e, 5f, 4d-g and 6g,
11 and 20 August 1880, pages 7b and 2a (supp.),
6, 7, 11, 14, 22 and 24 September 1880, pages 6b, 6c, 2c (supp.), 6f,
5a-6e-3d (supp.), and 5d,
Express,
5 August 1880, page 3f.
Also see Register,
7, 12 and 20 October 1880, pages 6b and 7c,
7 and 16 April 1881, pages 1f (supp.) and 6f,
14, 15 and 17 June 1881, pages 4d, 5b and pages 4g-5b,
16 and 17 December 1884, pages 4h-5a and 5g,
3 December 1886, page 4h:
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The Chinaman is the reverse of a model colonist. He is here today with nothing at all and in China tomorrow with a modest fortune.
An informative letter on Chinese immigration is in the Advertiser,
19 May 1880, page 6f; also see
28 July 1880, page 4f,
5, 12 and 13 August 1880, pages 6e, 7b and 4d,
7 and 14 September 1880, pages 6f and 6f,
12 October 1880, page 6d,
17 June 1881, page 4e:
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Mr Parsons admires him but at a distance, and the greater the distance the greater the admiration. His chief ground of opposition... is that of antagonism of races. The old notion that all people are made of one blood to dwell together upon the face of the earth is ignored in his policy. The lessons of charity, the obligations to preach and promote peace on earth and goodwill towards men, acquire in his hands a peculiar interpretation.
Also see Observer,
15 October 1881, page 25e (poem),
11 September 1886, page 7a,
Advertiser,
13 March 1882, page 4d,
6 and 11 October 1883, pages 4e and 6a,
23 June 1886, page 4c,
7 September 1886, page 4d,
13 August 1887, page 4e,
13 September 1887, page 6d,
Register,
26 April 1887, page 5b,
13 May 1887, pages 4e-6d,
19, 25, 26 and 29 November 1887, pages 4h, 4g-5b-6b, 7b and 7e.
Also see Observer,
26 November 1887, page 31c,
3 December 1887, page 25c,
28 July 1888, page 24e,
22 September 1888, page 25b,
Advertiser,
24 and 25 November 1887, pages 4e and 5e,
6 December 1887, page 6f,
23 February 1888, page 7e,
29 and 31 March 1888, pages 5b and 4d,
4, 5, 7, 16, 17 and 19 April 1888, pages 5f-g, 5e, 7d, 4g, 7f and 6d-f,
26 September 1888, page 4c.
"The Chinese and the Trades Congress" is in the Register,
9 September 1886, pages 3e-6c.
"Chinese and Other Foreigners" is in the Register,
28 June 1887, page 4f.
"The Anti-Chinese Meeting" is in the Register,
19 and 26 November 1887, pages 4g-5b-6b and 6h.
"The Parliament and the Poll Tax" is in the Observer,
10 March 1888, page 27c,
"The Chinese Question" on
12 May 1888, pages 35-36.
"The Chinese in Australia" is in the Chronicle,
24 and 31 March 1888, pages 6f and 5a-13e.
"The Chinese Poll Tax" is in the Register,
13 May 1887, page 6d,
"Poll Tax on Way Lee" is in the Observer,
6 October 1888, page 31c,
17 November 1888, page 26d,
11 May 1889, page 30a.
"The Chinese Question - Mr Way Lee Interviewed" is in the Register,
6 and 7 April 1888, pages 5h and 7c,
"Mr Way Lee and the Poll Tax" on
19 March 1889, page 5b.
"The Chinese in Australia" is in the Register,
9 April 1888, page 4h,
"The Chinese at Our Doors" on
8 May 1888, pages 4g-5h-6e.
"What Do the Chinese Think of Us" is in the Observer,
2 February 1889, pages 25b-33d,
Register,
29 January 1889, page 4f,
"The Chinese in Australia - A Chinaman's View" in the Advertiser,
27 November 1900, page 7b,
"The Chinese in Australia" on
11 May 1889, page 25b.
Also see Register,
6 December 1887, page 6d,
24 January 1888, page 4h,
28 and 29 February 1888, pages 7f and 4f,
8, 13, and 21 March 1888, pages 7g, 5b and 6e,
9, 16 and 30 April 1888, pages 4h, 7d and 3h-4g,
8, 9, 16, 18, 26 and 31 May 1888, pages 4g-5h, 4g-6g, 4f, 7h, 4g and 4g,
18 and 20 June 1888, pages 4f and 7h,
4 and 25 July 1888, pages 4e and 4f,
23 August 1888, page 4e,
2 October 1888, pages 4h-5c,
8 May 1889, page 4e.
"Chinese Petition to the Parliament" is in the Register,
29 June 1888, pages 3h-4e.
"What Do the Chinese Think of Us?" is in the Register,
29 January 1889, pages 4f-5g,
"Chinese in Australia" on
8 May 1889, page 4e.
Also see Advertiser,
10 June 1890, page 4f,
12 and 31 December 1890, pages 4c and 4c,
26 November 1891, page 4d,
Register,
1 December 1891, page 4g,
Advertiser,
11 August 1893, page 7a,
12 September 1893, page 6d,
11 October 1893, page 5e,
22 October 1894, page 4g.
"What Do the Chinese Think of Us" is in the Register,
29 January 1889, page 4f,
"The Chinese in Australia - A Chinaman's View" in the Advertiser,
27 November 1900, page 7b.
A letter from Mr Way Lee on the Restriction Act is in the Advertiser,
29 September 1891, page 6e; also see
7 October 1891, page 4c for editorial comment.
"The Chinese at Home and in Australia" is in the Register,
1 November 1891, page 4g.
"Orientals in SA" is in the Register,
12 March 1892, page 5b,
Observer,
12 March 1892, page 29d.
"Licensing Asiatics" is in the Observer,
8 and 15 July 1893, pages 31a and 14e-42b.
"The Hon W. Haslam and Asiatics" is in the Advertiser,
31 July 1893, page 3h,
"The Chinese in Australia" on
3 May 1895, page 6h.
"The Wily Celestial" is in the Register,
11 August 1893, pages 5a-6h; also see
26 October 1893, page 4h,
23 November 1893, page 5b.
"The Chinese and Our Treatment of Them" is in the Register,
27 August 1894, page 6c.
"Chinese as Slaves" is in the Observer,
19 August 1893, page 15d; also see
1 September 1894, page 28d.
"Influx of Chinese" is in the Register,
27 October 1894, page 5c.
"Australia and the Asiatics" is in the Observer,
12 January 1895, page 42a.
"The Heathen at Home" is in the Register,
4 April 1895, page 4g.
"No Japanese Need Apply" is in the Register,
14 May 1896, page 5b.
Japanese immigration is discussed in the Advertiser,
15 July 1896, page 4f.
"What is a Coloured Immigrant?" is in the Register,
25 August 1896, page 4g; also see
6, 10, 16 and 18 November 1896, pages 4f, 6e, 3c and 7g:
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It is lamentable that we should have a government and law-makers - poor ignorant creatures many of them - capable of promoting a Bill so mean, selfish, cruel and unjust in its nature and intentions... they and their predecessors have helped to clear off the original race and owners of Australia...
As there is no difference between the blood of a Duke or a dustman, an Englishman or a Hottentot, there should be no restriction placed upon the migration of any nation...
(Also see Register, 21 and 26 November 1896, pages 9f and 6e.)
"The Restriction of Colored Emigration" is in the Advertiser,
6, 7, 16, 20, 24 and 26 November 1896, pages 4g, 6i, 6b, 6d, 6h and 6e,
15 October 1897, page 4h,
Register,
19 July 1898, page 4e.
"Undesirable Immigrants" is in the Advertiser,
16 June 1898, page 4f,
"The Influx of Aliens" on
27 September 1898, page 4e; also see
8 December 1898, page 4f,
"A Color Line in Australia" on
6 September 1899, page 4f.
"Immigration - White Australia" is in the Register,
3 and 4 October 1900, pages 9g and 6c and
in a letter headed "Can Palefaces Commandeer God" on
5 October 1900, page 7i it is said:
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Did the Almighty give the Paleface a perpetual charter to rule all the non-white races of the world? Hitherto it has rather seemed to be the case, but of late the coloured man is beginning to doubt and to ask for the credentials by virtue of which the Paleface claims a right to dispose of his coloured brother and everything that he has. [The Paleface is] inclined to consider protection of birds of the air, a prevention of cruelty to animals as a more heavenly duty than to protect against such conduct of the brother white as that of killing, murdering and drowning the non-white...
(Also see Register, 8, 9 and 20 October 1900, pages 7b, 3f and 4d.)
On this question Mr Caldwell, MP, has always shown a thoroughly rational, humane and truly Christian spirit. He has consistently maintained that we should not allow the glory of British citizenship to be only a figment of the imagination so far as certain entirely honourable but alien residents of the colony are concerned... On the one hand is shown a pitiful fear of a few alien units and on the other is exhibited a fierce determination to court darkness at all costs... A perusal of the report of some of the speeches in the Assembly... may well cause a reflective mortal to rub his eyes and shake his head and enquire - Is civilisation a failure? Is the Caucasian played out?...
(Also see Register,
27 October 1900, page 8g,
3 November 1900, page 11g.)
"From a Chinaman's Point of View" is in the Register,
8 November 1900, page 5g; also see
30 October 1901, page 6f,
25 November 1901, page 9e.
"The Chinese in Australia" is in the Observer,
25 May 1901, page 44b.
"A White Australia" is in the Advertiser,
12 August 1901, page 4b,
"Alien Immigration" on
13 September 1901, page 4b.
"South Australia and the Asiatics" is in the Advertiser,
15 November 1907, page 6e,
"The Asiatic Problem" on
8 January 1908, page 6c,
"The Asiatic Menace" on
3 September 1908, page 9a.
"The White Peril - What the Chinese Think" is in the Register
on 28 February 1911, page 7g.
"Chinese Gardener - Not a Prohibited Immigrant" is in the Observer,
2 November 1912, page 45d.
"Dominions and Asiatics" is in the Register,
10 June 1914, page 8d.
"Nine Chinese Stowaways" is in the Register,
27 May 1924, page 7b.
"Chinese in Court" is in the Observer,
14 and 28 June 1924, pages 28d and 11c.
"Too Many Chinese - 100 Arrive in a Year" is in the Advertiser,
7 June 1924, page 14d; also see
24 June 1924, page 10a,
"Chinese in Australia" on
11 January 1933, page 18f.
