Race Aliens, Evening Post, 10 May 1923

RACE ALIENS^[1][]

RESIDENT IN NEW ZEALAND[]

INCREASING CHINESE.[]

A further return has been issued by the Census and Statistics Office, covering the figures as apply to race aliens in New Zealand. The term "race aliens'' denotes a person of other than European descent, and does not involve the question of nationality. "Racially, the population of the Dominion is, and always has been, of a high standard of purity; indeed, the maintenance of pure European or 'white' standard of population has been invariably a consideration of immigration legislation,” states the report, which goes on to say the numbers of non-Europeans have never been sufficiently large to give rise to serious problems.

The "white" population of the Dominion in the 1921 census comprised 99.55 per cent, of the total population (excluding Maoris [sic]). Maoris (sic), whose numbers totalled 52,751, are the. subject of a separate, census, and are not dealt with in any volumes of the so-called "European census," which includes all other inhabitants. A table in the return for 1921 gives the following figures: European 1,209,239 (males 616,629, females 592,610); Maori half-caste, 4235 (male 2107); total European, 1,213,475; Chinese, 3266 (males 2993); Syrians, 707 (males 378), Indians, 671 (males 622); other Asiatics, 149 (males 92); other race aliens, 645 (males 422); total race aliens, 5438. The Maori half-castes comprise only those living in European manner.

In 1916 the total number of non-Europeans was 3204. The increase in four and a half years has therefore been 69.73 per cent. Nearly three-fourths of this increase has been due to the expansion in the number of Chinese and Indian residents. In 1881 the Chinese totalled 5004, or 1.02 per cent of the population, as against 2641 in 1871. In 1881 legislation was directed against the free entry of this race, and a poll tax of £10 was instituted. For many years the Chinese population decreased steadily. In 1916 the number had decreased to 2147. In 1896 the poll tax was raised to £100, causing a further decline, but from 1916, when the figures reached the smallest total, there has been a steady increase. Under legislation in 1920 a limit was placed on the number allowed to enter. "A feature of vital importance," states the report, "to which attention should be drawn is that of Chinese females. Though their numbers are yet small, there is a steady and continuous increase. The intercensal increase between 1916 and 1921 was 976 males and 143 females."

Next in numerical importance are the Hindus, British subjects, who numbered 6 in 1881, and now total 671. The increase between 1916 and 1920 was 490, but it is believed that the number in 1916 was understated.