"The question which I am called upon to argue to-day is an extremely important one and involves, as stated at the last hearing by' my The! friend, the counsel for the prosecution, "a great principle—a very great principle, because you have] not only to decide the question of the extradition of the accused in the dock but the legal rights. and duties of Chinese citizens who," after having been abroad, return to China. There are approximately 800,000] [Chinese citizens living in the Nether-_ lands Indies—the number of Chinese residents abroad amounts by the] latest statistics at my disposal to more than 10 raillion—more than! two per cent, of the population of [China herself and your decision in the case before you consequently will be of far-reaching importance.
"Chinese have been trading with the different. islands forming tle Netherlands Indies for 1,000 years and, as far back as in the Sung! Dynasty, authentic reports exist this effect, In 1623, we find the {following instructions left with the Governor. General and the Council the Indies. very great number of people fs necessary for the inhabiting of Batavia, ete. More money is requisite,'to send great returns into the Netherlands. "No people in tt world do us better service than the Chinese. As trade cannot be gotten friendly means, it is requisite by this present monsoon to send another fleet to visit the coast of China and take prisoners as many men, women and children as possible—by no means must you! suffer any women to return to China, or any other part out of the Company's jurisdiction, but with] them to people the same.'
The Chinese View These instructions are quoted in Professor MeNair's book, entitled "Phe. Chinese Abroad,' published in 1924 by the Commercial Press in Shanghai, which has been of very valuable assistance to me in this case, "Your Honour, therefore, will that the question of the rights of the Chinese in Netherlands India la of very long date and has been question of dispute between the 'Chinese and Netherlands Government over since, "That fact that the treatment of' the Chinese, no matter how many! generations they and their ancestors had resided in the Indies, differed radically from those of the Europeans, served to make the Chinese look upon themselves as Chinese subjects, instead of Dutch subjects and to' appeal to their home or ancestral government as soon os that Government aroused itself to an interest in its subjects abroad.
"Near the end of 1907 the Dutch Government took steps toward. changing the status of the Chinese in Java by passing what is known jas the 'Assimilation Law' to enable Asiatics to become subject to the same mercantile and civil laws as were Europeans, "As far back as 1891 negotiations for the appointment of Chinere Consuls to the Dutch East Indies! bad been carried on, but nothing' definite had been accomplished. The the oasean behalf - of the Dutah attempt to cut off definitely the re-authorities and the - complainants lationship of the Dutch-born Chinese Jand Dr, O. Piseher represented for with their ancestral land resulted in the defence. ayrevivel of the negotiations in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.