LTO THE EDITOR OE TIll "SPROTATOE."]
SIR,—Your correspondent, Miss A. Werner (Spectator, October 28th), says it is impossible to secure Chinese labour for the mines without depriving the immigrants of the society of their womenkind and families, and that "no emigrant dreams of taking his wife with him." Miss Werner does indeed admit some exceptions, as at Singapore, but these apply only "where Chinese of the wealthier classes have effected a permanent settlement." Is this a quite accurate presentment of the facts? In the official Report on the Straits Settlements just issued (Cd. 2,684, p. 33) there is a return of Chinese immigration for the five years 1900-4, from which I take the following, figures giving the immigration for 1904 :—men, 179,650; women, 14,395,; children, 10,751. Commenting upon these figures, the Acting Colonial Secretary, Mr. Brockman, says : "It is satisfactory that the immigra- tion of women has fallen 1 per cent. only." As a matter of fact, it is considerably in excess of that for 1900, when the male immigrants numbered 180,477, and the women only 11,982, with 8,488 children. Miss Werner may say that the percentage of women to men is small. True; but better over 8 per cent., plus children, than none.7.-I am, Sir, &c.,
GEORGE WEDLAXE. Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi,
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