Chin Ting (James)

Also known as Chin Ting/Chan Moon-ting/James Chin Ting.

Chin Ting was born in Sun Gai village in 1859, one of three brothers from Xinjie village of the Zengcheng district of Guangzhou, who emigrated to New Zealand^[1][2]. He arrived in New Zealand in 1886, settling soon after in Carterton and then Pahiatua where he opened a store, the Pahiatua Seed Co^[3], which was located opposite the Bank of New Zealand on Main Street, Pahiatua,^[4][5] most likely at 90 Main Street, Pahiatua.^[6]

The Bank of New Zealand Archives holds a 1893 sample of Chin Ting's signature in the branches "Signature book No. 1" as well as some ledger entries for Chin Ting.^[7]

He was naturalised in 1894^[1][2][8] after being in New Zealand for eight years^[3].

On 25 November 1897, he wrote to the Member of Parliament, the Hon. Mr S.E Shrimski regarding the Asiatic Restriction Bill, specifically on the subject of allowing Naturalised Chinese to bring their wives into New Zealand without paying the Poll Tax.^[9]

In 1898 he brought out his wife, Ching Fan, marrying her onboard the S.S. (Steam ship) Wakatipu in Wellington Harbour, accompanied by the Reverend Ogg^{[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]} (not the Reverend Alexander Don, as recalled some years later ^[24]), as a test case for the Poll Tax^[1][2]. This marriage was reported in newspapers throughout New Zealand^{[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]}. Authorities still required payment of the Poll Tax, however, as they argued that the wedding did not take place outside of the three-mile limit^[24]. They did successfully manage to have the Poll Tax refunded, and established the precedent that the wives of naturalised Chinese men in New Zealand did not have to pay the poll-tax, a precedent exploited to the full by many other Jung Seng men from that time on^[1]. It took seven years for the Poll Tax to be refunded.^[2]

On 30 July 1902, the Wairarapa Daily Times ran an advertisement for Pahiatua Seed Co agent, W. Gillespie and Co:^[25]

On 31 August 1903, the Wairarapa Daily Times ran an advertisement for Pahiatua Seed Co agent, W. Gillespie and Co:^[26]

The Pahiatua Herald of 7 November 1902 ran an advertisement for his store.^[27]

The 1905 the Wise's New Zealand Post Office Directory contained the following listing:

Chin Ting (Pahiatua Seed Co) Pahiatua.^[28]

The Alexander Turnbull Library holds a copy of a Pahiatua Seed Company Vest-Pocket Guide^[29] :

In 1907 he moved to Wellington to look after fellow Sun Gai villager ("Village cousin") Chan Fook-on's store Yee Chong Wing in Manners Street^[2] while Chan Fook-on was suffering an illness. After Chan Fook-on died in 1908 he took over Yee Chong Wing, changing its name to Te Aro Seed Company in 1914.^[2][30]

One of his daughters, Lily Yen, owned and operated L Yen & Company.

Chin Ting was a successful merchant, and would reinvest money in New Zealand.^[31] He owned and operated a market garden on the land where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now stands at 140 Moxham Avenue, Hataitai.^[32][33]

At least one of his children, Joseph Ting was born above the Yee Chong Wing shop.

Chin Ting was a strong community man and leader in both the Jung Seng and wider Chinese communities. He was a founding member and first president of the Chong Wah Hui Goon Chinese Association (or Chung Wah Wui Gun) in 1911^[2] (Considered the forerunner of the Wellington Chinese Association, which Chin Ting was also instrumental in establishing and leading^[34]).

On the occasion to mark the 11th anniversary of the formation of the Republic of China ("Double Tenth" celebration), Chin Ting addressed the crowd at an event at Athletic Park.

Like other Chinese business at the time, Te Aro Seed Co. would often act as a 'staging post' for recently arrived Chinese migrants, especially those from Zhengcheng.^[2] Whilst providing support to the Chinese community, he saw the need to establish the Tung Jung Association^[2]. In 1925 he became a founding member and first President of the Tung Jung Association in 1926^[2].

He took his family back to China in 1928, returning in 1938. Chin Ting died in 1956.^[1]

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