380
COLOURED LABOUR IN
AUSTRALIA.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
entertained in the case of Japan, whose population is not much more than sufficient for the development of her own resources.
MARRIED WOMEN AND THE LI- CENSING LAW.
November 19, 1896.
in which our soldiers, both Penin lar native, are fighting, not hesitating to shed the blood."
ANOTHER ACCOUNT According to information received from private source the affair bears complexion from that placed on the 8th November. The rebels Operations commenced in earnest strongly fortified and provided with N denfeldt and other quick-firing guns, and in the attack on Noveleta, notwithstandin assistance from men-of-war in the bay, Spanish troops were obliged to retire with heavy loss. Whereas the official account states the loss at 35 killed and 103 wounded it is said that on Monday midnight (9th) the steamer Isabel I moored alongside the quay close to the Magallenes monument with 240 severely wounded, all of whom were taken to the military hospital in litters; and on Tuesday morning the steamer Filipino came up the river at 11 a.m. with 60 more wounded, some of them slightly only and able to walk. This makes 300 wounded in place of 103 as stated in the official account. The rebel loss is not stated in the extract quoted above from the Comercio, but it is said to have been given outst 400. Considering, however, that the rebels were all behind parapets and in rifle pits, which the Spaniards were unable to take, this must be purely conjecture and published for political motives. On Wednesday, 11th, news was received that the Spaniards had lost 200 more men in a second unsuccessful attempt to take Noveleta. The Spaniards estimate the insurgent force there as 10,000 men, so what they may be in Imus, the great stronghold seven miles inland, it is impossible to say. In order to buoy up public opinion the newspapers came out with extra editions on Monday after- noon, anticipating as usual glorions victories. and stating that the first shot fired from the shell burst in the public square just at the
Although it is unlikely that in the southern portions of Australia there will be any diminution in the hostility of the public to the introduction of Asiatic or coloured labour, it would seem that in the northern portions the necessity of assistance of this character in the development of the country's resources is securing increased recognition. Mr. NOEL BUXTON, a son of the Governor of South Australia, who has been recently touring in Northern Queens land, has, we read in our last Australian mail news, been interviewed since his return to Adelaide, and he stated that from what he had seen in Queensland he was con- vinced that Japanese or Indians should be encouraged to settle in the Northern Territory if the agricultural resources of the Settlement are to be de. veloped. He argued that the adop tion of this policy would bring into existence many industries providing direct employment for white labour, and he re- gards the fears entertained in some quarters with reference to a possible Japanese invasion of Northern Queensland as absurd. Another witness, a Mr. LAKE, has also been recording his views of the Kanaka question in the South Australia Register, Mr. LAKE has visited Queensland and over the Kanaka fields and the Kanaka question, and he writes :- I was last week on a plantation that could not go on in the "face of the difficulties that beset the planterwithout a proportion of coloured "labour. On that station they employ 250 "Kanakas and 210 European workers. If "the rabid sentimentalist or the febrile "defender of white labour could rule, that
'plantation would stop working; and the this colony having no separate estate it is just seven miles from the coast and consider
"
gone
deportation of the blacks would involve "the dismissal of the whites. I am not in "doubt as to how those 210 Europeans "would feel towards the people who should "end their present occupation. I talked "with a good many of them, and they "certainly are not sending forth "Macedonian ery, Come over and help
塔馨霉
10
any
us,' but are only anxious that the industry
"that affords them permanent, profitable, and agreeable occupation should be let "alone by outsiders.' Mr. LAKE urges, therefore, that in the development of the Northern Territory example should be taken from Queensland and a free use be made of Kanaka labour. Japanese and Indian. labour would probably prove still more valuable and as Mr. BUXTON points out, the fear entertained of a "Japanese invasion" is absurd. But although it is becoming re- cognised that the tropical districts of Australia cannot be developed by white labour there is no suggestion that the prohibition of Chinese immigration should be in any way relaxed. An ample and efficient labour supply could be drawn from China, but, rightly or wrongly, the Aus tralians have barred their doors against the subjects of the Celestial. Empire, and their decision appears to be permanent and irrevocable. In some of the colonies an agitation is also being carried on for the exclusion of the Japanese, which would be a very shortsighted policy, for between Japan and Australia there is every probability of a large trade being established if no artificial restrictions are placed on the intercourse of the two countries, and, while in the case of China the immense population gives some plausibility to the argument that in the absence of restriction the Chinese might overrun Australia and ultimately outnumber the whites, no such fear can be
Rather a nice point of law was raised at the annual licensing sessions on Thursday and the result seems to point to the danger of appointing laymen to administer the The Mar- law without legal assistance. ried Woman's Property Act not being in force in this colony, the question was whether a married woman could hold a publican's licence in her own name. Clearly not, we should say, but the Justices decided otherwise, and the grounds on which they arrived at the decision are not a little pecu- liar. In the first place it was said that the licence was a valuable consideration to the woman. In so far as that is the case the valuable consideration must vest in the husband, the wife being incapable of holding property in her own right. Furthermore, the idea of valuable consideration at taching to a publican's licence has, if we are not mistaken, been negatived by the Courts in England. Another argument advanced in favour of granting the licence to the wife was that it might be lost if it were granted to the husband, which seems another way of saying that by allowing a man to hold a licence in his wife's name he may successfully evade the penalties provided by the law in certain cases. Such, however, were the arguments that seemed to weigh with the Justices, and the licence_was ac- cordingly granted to the wife. But the Ordinance requires that a person to whom a licence is granted shall enter into
A wife in recognisance in a certain sum.
а
follows that such a recognisance entered into by her must be valueless. If the Justices think that the Married Woman's Property Act ought to be introduced into this colony we are entirely at one with them, but while decisions except in accordance with the it is not in force they have no right to give
existing law.
THE REBELLION IN THE PHILIPPINES.
THE FIGHTING AT NOVELETA
HEAVY LOSSES.
The attack upon the rebel positions in Cavite commenced on the 8th or 9th November. The Comercio of the 10th, the latest date received,
refers to the affair briefly and guardedly as
follows :- :
"A note has been communicated by the Head. quarters to the Press on the operations now coming to a head in Cavite. According to this, yesterday the attack was commenced on the entrenched positions of Cavite Viejo and than ten thousand rebels. General Rios' bri- Noveleta, which were defended by more gade, divided into two columns and supported by the vessels of the squadron, after a fierce combat obtained possession of the Noveleta isthmus, the redoubt and village of Bincayan, which were destroyed, and of the Imus road, which was fortified. Our loss was thirty-five killed, including five officers, and a hundred and three wounded, including one staff officer and four other officers. Our troops conducted them- selves heroically, so much so that the officers cannot find words to sufficiently praise their gallantry. The circumstance of the field of operations being so near and the ease with which information can be transmitted to the enemy necessitate great reserve as to the plans but we may assure our readers that the valiant projected for the suffocation of the insurrection, army will soon arrive, covered with glory, at its goal. The sensible losses which these opera tions have cost are the best proof of the manner
oruiser Castilla was so well directed that the
moment when the same was crowded with people. Reference to the map will show that Imus ing that the Castilla was anchored at least, one mile from the shore and that Imus was invisible is considered that between Imus and Cavite lie this is rather a "tall" order, especially when it the towns of Cavite Viejo and Noveleta, both of which are held by the insurgents.
RETURN OF DR. RIZAL.
Dr. José Rizal returned to Manila by the transport Colon on the 3rd November, and was consigned to prison, at the disposition of the military authorities.
MORE TROOPS.
1,383 troops arrived by the Colon.
According to a Madrid telegram of the 4th November General Polavieja accompanied by four other Generals had arrived at Barcelona to embark for the Philippines.
PROPOSED LOAN,
Madrid, 4th November. The issue of a loan of ten million dollars in
Manila, the operation to be undertaken by the Banco Espanol Filipino, is under consideration.
INCREASE IN THE TOBACCO DUTY.
Madrid, 4th November The export duty on tobacco is to be increased.
PRISONERS HELD BY THE REBELS. The Provincial of the Order of St. Augus- tine has received a letter, dated 20th October
but without the name of the place where written, from the Rev. Father Domingo Can- denas, the parish priest of Talisayy Batangas. Father Candenas having disappeared from Talisay when it was attacked by the rebels it was supposed that he had been murdered. Later news negatived that supposition but stated that he had been wounded. Father. Candenas now writes with his own hand, but does not say whether it is correct that he was wounded. H simply states that he is
the same
treated, and that there are wit circumstances as himself, Senor Domingo Mar tinez, Senor Manuel Martinez, and Her Miguel, a sergeant of infantry, all Europea
MINDANAO;: The revolt of one of the na
Mindanao has now been mutineers, broken up into ing
leave the island
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.