77
this very question. Accordingly I refused to issue my license, and it happened that six or eight months after some trouble did occur at Sydney with the very steam-ship Company in question, owing to the fact that though I did not give my license in the form they had sought, yet some Chinese were conveyed in another way not in violation of our Ordinances, and the fact of these people arriving in Sydney led to disturbance and caused the local Government no small trouble.
There was another form of emigration to Sydney, Queensland, and other parts of Australia, against which I set my face in this Colony the moment I saw its possibility, or knew that it had ever taken place. That comes under the category more indeed of another subject recently discussed at this Council, the deportation of criminals, than under that of emigration properly so called, and it is referred to by Mr. DEANE in his evidence before the Committee on Police and Crime. Mr. DEANE tells the Committee that some of the deportees or criminals who received conditional pardons were sent to Australia. The practice was in the event of an emigrant ship being about to sail, these Chinese criminals were asked where they would like to go to, because neither the conditional pardon nor the deportation warrant of the Governor recited the place to which the criminal was to be deported; it simply stated in the one case the man was willing to leave the Colony and not to return for life, and in the other case he was ordered to leave and not return for five years, as the case might be. However in these cases it turned out that if a prisoner expressed a wish to go to Sydney, Brisbane, or any other port of Australia, the practice, Mr. DEANE said, was for the Police to see that man on board the emigrant steamer or ship, and, having seen him safely on board, to make sure, as far as they could, that he left the Colony. I think one witness—not Mr. DEANE, but one of the Inspectors—told the Committee he had seen thirty or forty, at all events a considerable number of the deported criminals on board one ship.
The Chief Justice.—What date was this?
His Excellency.—This used to go on regularly up to two and a half years ago, when I put a stop to the practice. I recently called for a report from Mr. DEANE upon this subject, and he says—(His Excellency read the report of the Captain Superintendent of Police, to the effect that if a deportee desired to leave for any place to which a steamer ran, he was seen on board by a Constable, who remained until his departure; if he desired to go to any native village to which a passage boat plied, the same course was pursued; if he wished to go to Kowloon City, he was escorted to the boundary and there released). The Committee of which my honourable friend (Mr. RYNIE) was a member, not only took the evidence of Mr. DEANE and one of the Inspectors, but in their report they touched upon the subject, and, if I remember rightly, disapproved of the encouragement of the Emigration of Chinese criminals to Australia. However, I have not allowed that, and not one deportee has gone to Australia since my arrival in this Colony.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
DEPORTATION OF CHINESE CRIMINALS FROM HONGKONG TO AUSTRALIA.
The following letter, received from Sir HENRY PARKES, Premier and Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, is published for general information, in continuation of the documents promulgated by Government Notification No. 184 of 30th July last.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 9th September, 1880.
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
NEW SOUTH WALES, COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, SYDNEY, 30th July, 1880.
SIR—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of June 19th, enclosing extracts from the despatches and speeches of His Excellency Sir JOHN POPE HENNESSY on the discontinuance of the deportation of pardoned Chinese Criminals to Australia.
2. It is very satisfactory to this Government to learn that His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong has throughout his administration held such clear and decided views in opposition to the deportation of Chinese Criminals to these Colonies; and I beg you to accept my best thanks for your courteous consideration in so fully informing me upon the subject.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
HENRY PARKES.
Dec.
!
77
this very question. Accordingly I refused to issue my license, and it happened that six or eight months after some trouble did occur at Sydney with the very steam-ship Company in question, owing to the fan that though I did not give my license in the form they had sought, yet some Chinese were conveyed in another way not in violation of our Ordinances, and the fact of these people arriving in Sydney led to disturbance and caused the local Government no small trouble.
There was another form of emigration to Sydney, Queensland, and other parts of Australia, agains which I set my face in this Colony the moment I saw its possibility, or knew that it had ever taken place. That comes under the category more indeed of another subject recently discussed at this Council, the deportation of criminals,than under that of emigration properly so called, and it is referred to by Mr. DEANE in his evidence before the Committee on Police and Urine. Mr. DEANE tells the Committee that some of the deportees or criminals who received conditional pardons were sent to Australia. The practice was in the event of an emigrant ship being about to sail, these Chinese cri minals were asked where they would like to go to, because neither the conditional pardon nor the deportation warrant of the Governor recited the place to which the criminal was to be deported; it simply stated in the one case the man was willing to leave the Colony and not to return for life, and in the other case he was ordered to leave and not return for five years, as the case might be. However in these cases it turned out that if a prisoner expressed a wish to go to Sydney, Brisbane, or any other port of Australia, the practice, Mr. DEANE said, was for the Police to see that man on board the emigrant steamer or ship, and, having seen him safely on board, to make sure, as far as they could that he left the Colony. I think one witness--not Mr. DEANE, but one of the Inspectors—told the Committee he had seen thirty or forty, at all events a considerable number of the deported criminals.. on board one ship.
The Chief Justice.--What date was this?
His Excellency- This used to go on regularly up to two and a half years ago, when I put a stop. to the practice. I recently called for a report from Mr. DEANE upon this subject, and he says-(His Excellency read the report of the Captain Superintendent of Police, to the effect that if a deporte desired to leave for any place to which a steamer ran, he was seen on board by a Constable, who r mained until his departure; if he desired to go to any native village to which a passage boat plied, the same course was pursued; if he wished to go to Kowloon City, he was escorted to the boundary and there released). The Committee of which my honourable friend (Mr. RYNIE) was a member, not only took the evidence of Mr. DEANE and one of the Inspectors, but in their report they touched upon the subject, and, if I remember rightly, disapproved of the encouragement of the Emigration of Chinese criminals to Australia. However, I have not allowed that, and not one deportee has gone to Australia since my arrival in this Colony.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
DEPORTATION OF CHINESE CRIMINALS FROM HONGKONG TO AUSTRALIA.
The following letter, received from Sir HENRY PARKES, Premier and Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, is published for general information, in continuation of the documents promulgated by Government Notification No. 184 of 30th July last.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 9th September, 1880.
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
NEW SOUTH WALES, COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, SYDNEY, 30th July, 1880.
SIR-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of June 19th, enclosing extracts from the despatches and speeches of His Excellency Sir JOHN POPE HENNESSY on the dis- continuance of the deportation of pardoned Chinese Criminals to Australia.
2. It is very satisfactory to this Government to learn that His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong has throughout his administration held such clear and decided views in opposition to the deportation of Chinese Criminals to these Colonies; and I beg you to accept my best thanks for your courteous consideration in so fully informing me upon the subject.
I have the honour to be.
The Honourable THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
HONGKONO.
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant.
HENRY PARKES.
Dec.
!
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