Chinese in Queensland--Stories from the Records

Chinese in Queensland: Stories from the Records Queensland and China have close links dating back to some of the earliest days of the Colony. Chinese in Queensland: Stories from the Records reﬂ ects on this relationship and the Chinese community’s contribution to the building of Queensland.

This story is told through old documents and rarely seen photographs from the collection of historical public records held at Queensland State Archives, Runcorn.

The ﬁ rst Chinese immigrants arrived as indentured labourers in the 1840s at a time when there was an emphasis on bringing workers and their families into Queensland to work in various agricultural industries.

The opening of goldﬁ elds in the late 1860s saw the number of Chinese immigrants increase, many as settlers rather than indentured workers. They became the cornerstone of a number of trades and professions in the Colony, working as sugar and banana growers, market gardeners, miners, shopkeepers, cooks, furniture makers and in other essential occupations.

In 1888 the Queensland Government brought in legislation to limit the number of Chinese people entering the State, however, since the easing of legislation in the 20th century, the Chinese community’s positive inﬂ uence in a variety of social, cultural, industrial and professional areas in Queensland has grown signiﬁ cantly.

Chinese settlers in various Queensland towns created strong local ethnic communities and this is reﬂ ected in areas such as Brisbane’s Chinatown. The Chinese have played an integral role in the development of all aspects of Queensland life and remain a strong and vibrant cultural community throughout many regions in the State.

Dancers in costume for the performance of the traditional Chinese Lion Dance during the Queensland Day celebrations at Brisbane’s Chinatown in 1987. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098174 (DID 1892) Premier’s Department, Public Relations, Public Relations and Media Ofﬁ ce, Photographic Unit

Chinese compass c1938. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1092453 (DID 1884) Agriculture and Stock Department, Publicity Branch

Documents from the insolvency fi le for the Kwong Nam Tai Company including a memorandum Record of Ah Moy who was convicted of a requesting money for breach of the Chinese Restriction Act and sent payment of Chinese wages, to HM Gaol, Brisbane, in 1894. The Chinese and a Causes of Insolvency Proclamation published in the Immigration Restriction Act, 1888 was passed to document dated 24 October Queensland Government Gazette limit the passage of Chinese settlers and 1889. The listed causes in 1891 stating that Jue Yow had immigrants into Queensland and between the of insolvency include received an exemption, a Australian Colonies. The penalties were generally losses in fl ood of 1887, provision under the Chinese a monetary fi ne or imprisonment depending on heavy business expenses Immigration Restriction Act, 1888, the breach of the Act. and slowing of trade after to allow for passage to China and Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098176 (DID 1894) May 1888. Brisbane Correctional Centre entry to Queensland upon return. Queensland State Archives Queensland Government Gazette, Item ID 1098211 (DID 1910) 21 February 1891, p. 595 Public Curator Offi ce, Brisbane

Naturalisation application of Thomas Ashney dated 6 October 1860. Thomas was one of the Chinese immigrants who arrived on the Nimrod to Moreton Bay in 1848 as an indentured labourer. The application includes details regarding his marital status, age, occupation and residence. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098197, letter 60/2105 (DID 1896) Colonial Secretary’s Ofﬁ ce

Petition dated 2 June 1877, by numerous residents of the Stoney Creek Camp on the Palmer Goldﬁ elds. The petition requests the establishment of a small police force in the area and the extension of the mail service from Oakey Creek to Stoney Creek Camp. The signatories include various European and Chinese storekeepers and other businessmen from the area. D T Seymour, Commissioner of Police, responded to the petition and stated that additional policemen would be made available to the Inspector for the area and that further reinforcements would be provided when the request was granted. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098203, letter 77/3358 (DID 1902) Colonial Secretary’s Ofﬁ ce

Certiﬁ cate of naturalisation, dated 8 November 1869, issued to Benjamin Ingham which provides biographical details. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098212 (DID 1911) Supreme Court, Southern District, Brisbane

Letter from Foxton and Hobbs, Solicitors, dated 8 August 1901, to the Home Secretary’s Offi ce applying for a certifi cate of naturalisation, on behalf of Mr Henry Lee. The letter includes an extensive personal history of Mr Certifi cate of naturalisation, dated 8 November 1869, issued to Oath of allegiance sworn by Benjamin Ingham, dated Lee and his time in Queensland and New South Wales. Benjamin Ingham which provides biographical details. 28 November 1869. The oath has been signed in Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098208, letter 01/12774 Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098212 (DID 1911) Chinese characters. (top-numbered to letter 01/14231) (DID 1907) Supreme Court, Southern District, Brisbane Colonial Secretary’s Offi ce Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098218, oath 896a (DID 1917) Supreme Court of Queensland Application outlining the request for a garden area at Cloncurry by Charlie Ah Sing in 1906. The application Letter from Samuel Allen and Sons Ltd to the Crown Solicitor, form includes geographical detail Brisbane, dated 3 March 1909, requesting the deed of grant regarding the location of the garden. for an allotment of land situated at Proserpine. The land was Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098196 (DID 1895) purchased by Mr W Ching Do under the Sugar Works Guarantee Mining Warden, Cloncurry Act 1893. The Act promoted the growth of the sugar industry in Queensland and enabled sugar works to be established via debentures (unsecured loans) or guaranteed loans issued to individuals by the Treasury Department. Under the Act, the entire loan amount was to be paid in full, with interest, to the Treasury within 15 years. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098206, letter 09/860 (DID 1905) Crown Solicitor’s Offi ce

Above centre: Chinese man in traditional dress seated with opium pipe, Palmer Goldﬁ elds c1877. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1092454 (DID 1885) Premier and Chief Secretary’s Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic Unit

Extracts from a Mining Warden’s register showing miners’ rights and business licences issued at Palmerville in November and December 1874. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098202 (DID 1901) Mining Warden, Maytown

Chinese canegrowers working on the Hop Wah plantation near Workers carrying produce on a Chinese banana View of Cooktown c1880. By 1877, there were at least Cairns c1878. The Hop Wah syndicate consisted of Chinese plantation at Geraldton, now known as Innisfail, 1902. 15,000 Chinese residents in the Cooktown area. In 1880, workers, many of whom had also worked on the Palmer Queensland State Archives Item ID 1092457 (DID 1888) some Chinese settlers began working in tin mining at Premier and Chief Secretary’s Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Goldﬁ elds. Hop Wah also grew cotton and a variety of Photographic Unit Granite Creek near Cooktown. subsistence crops on a plantation of more than 600 acres. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1092456 (DID 1887) Premier and Chief Secretary’s Department, State Public Relations Bureau, The land was selected by Andrew Leon, a prominent Chinese Photographic Unit businessman in Cairns. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098175 (DID 1893) Premier and Chief Secretary’s Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic Unit

Application, dated 9 October 1877, which was submitted by William Ulie for Selection 363 located in the Calliope Homestead Area within the Land Agent’s District of Gladstone. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098210 (DID 1909) Lands Department

Petition by Chinese canegrowers residing in the Cairns and Innisfail districts dated 15 September 1915. The petition requests that prohibitions under the Sugar Cultivation Act 1913 cease to be applied to cane workers and growers of Chinese birth and descent. The Act states that occupiers of land for sugar cultivation, and workers employed in the sugar industry, must pass a dictation test to engage in the cultivation of sugar cane upon any land within Queensland. Various monetary ﬁ nes are outlined in the legislation, with different sums charged to individuals depending on whether they are a worker or employer. The Act also includes the capacity for the court to order the forfeiture of the crop of sugar cane where the occupier has not passed a dictation test. The petition was unsuccessful. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098204 (DID 1903) Agriculture and Stock Department

Chinese banana growers loading produce onto the Carroo from punts in the Johnstone River at Geraldton, 1902 Queensland State Archives Item ID 1092458 (DID 1889) Premier and Chief Secretary’s Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic Unit Order dated 30 October 1916, signed by Mr Acting Justice Douglas of the Supreme Court, Townsville, requesting a meeting in chambers regarding the seizure and sale of liquor. The appellant is listed as Hong Choy of Cairns. A newspaper article published in the Manila Times on Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098207, letter 16/20814 (DID 1906) 26 October 1905 which discusses trade opportunities Extract from the constitution of the Chinese Temple Society, Crown Solicitor’s Ofﬁ ce as outlined for the purpose of managing the land and effects for Queensland in North China. The article was included which form the Joss House and its grounds at Breakfast within papers, correspondence and reports related to the Creek, Brisbane, 1964. The incorporation of the Chinese activities of Mr Frederic Jones, Queensland Trade Temple Society enabled the ownership of the Joss House by Commissioner to the Far East. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098200 (DID 1899) the society, on behalf of the local Chinese community, and Agriculture and Stock Department ensures that the property is maintained and will continue to be used as a place of worship. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098199 (DID 1898) Supreme Court, Southern District, Brisbane

Chinese artist, Mr D L Lam, creating a painting in a Letter from a branch of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuo Min Students from Malcolm Sue Kung-Fu School participating in traditional design, 1984. Tang) located in Townsville, dated 15 October 1926. The letter, a practical group demonstration during the Queensland Day Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098172 (DID 1890) certifi cates and a translation of the letter have been included in a celebrations at Chinatown in Brisbane, 1987. Premier’s Department, Offi ce of State Affairs, Public Relations Branch, Photographic Unit. correspondence fi le compiled in relation to the Chinese Nationalist Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098173 (DID 1891) Premier’s Department, Public Relations, Public Relations and Media Offi ce, Party and its activities in Queensland. The translation of the letter Photographic Unit indicates that the party was interested in creating a united China and that money and other necessities for the continuation of this effort were raised by branches of the Kuo Min Tang. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098205 (DID 1904) Police Department, Police Service Commissioner’s Offi ce

1 A series of school admission entries for the Hop Yek children who ﬁ rst enrolled at the Springsure State School in 1910, 1913, 1915, 1917 and 1918. The family was also included in a list of non-British residents produced by Queensland Police in 1913. The list is located within a correspondence ﬁ le (Queensland State Archives Item 2 ID 862496) of the Chief Secretary’s Department and contains names of residents from places across Queensland such as Townsville, Normanton, Roma 3 and Toowoomba. 1. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098213 (DID 1912) 2. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098214 (DID 1913) 3. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098215 (DID 1914) 4. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098216 (DID 1915) 5. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098217 (DID 1916) Springsure State School

Minutes of a meeting of the Medical Board of Queensland held on 8 August 1918 listing the additional registration by the board of Joshua Young Wai following his completion of a Master of Surgery (Ch.M.). Joshua Young Wai was previously registered by the board in 1916 following his completion of a Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.) degree. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1098198 (DID 1897) Medical Board of Queensland

Chinese Mandarin robes c1930. Queensland State Archives Item ID 1092455 (DID 1886) Agriculture and Stock Department, Publicity Branch