Chin Ting (James)

Also known as Chin Ting/Chan Moon-ting/James Chin Ting.

A Chinese Wedding

Title

The wedding of Chin Ting and Ching Fan was reported in Newspapers throughout New Zealand

Text

The New Zealand Times reports that a unique and interesting wedding took place on board the s.s. Wakatipu on Thursday afternoon, when Mr. Chin Ting, a well-known and well-to-do storekeeper from Pahiatua, was united in the bonds of matrimony by the Rev Mr Ogg to Miss Ching Fan, of Hong-Kong. The latter came by the Wakatipu in charge of another Chinese lady, in the capacity of chaperon, and left the boat only after she had become Mrs Chin Ting. The ceremony was witnessed by a large number of Chinamen and white people, and the principals were most stylishly attired, and attracted a great deal of attention. It is stated that a formal application will be made for a refund of the Poll Tax on Mrs Ting, and that if this is not complied with, a test case will be given that a Chinese woman married to a naturalised Chinaman before landing in New Zealand is under existing law exempt from the Poll Tax.

Chin Ting was born in Sun Gai village in 1859, one of three brothers from Xinjie village of the Zengcheng district of Guangzhou, who emigrated to New Zealand^[1]^[2]. He arrived in New Zealand in 1886, settling soon after in Carterton and then Pahiatua where he opened a store, the Pahiatua Seed Co^[3], which was located opposite the Bank of New Zealand on Main Street, Pahiatua,^[4]^[5] most likely at 90 Main Street, Pahiatua.^[6]

The Bank of New Zealand Archives holds a 1893 sample of Chin Ting's signature in the branches "Signature book No. 1" as well as some ledger entries for Chin Ting.^[7]

BNZ Pahiatua Branch. Signature Book No. 1 (1893). Contains Chin Ting's sample signature. Image source: BNZ Archives https://www.bnzheritage.co

BNZ Pahiatua Branch. Signature Book No. 1 (1893). Chin Ting's sample signature. Image source: BNZ Archives https://www.bnzheritage.co

He was naturalised in 1894^[1]^[2]^[8] after being in New Zealand for eight years^[3].

389 b — Entry for Ching Ting (Page 388) in the *Register of Persons Naturalised in New Zealand before 1949 (Department of Internal Affairs.).* Retrieved from http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE25589397

On 25 November 1897, he wrote to the Member of Parliament, the Hon. Mr S.E Shrimski regarding the Asiatic Restriction Bill, specifically on the subject of allowing Naturalised Chinese to bring their wives into New Zealand without paying the Poll Tax.^[9]

In 1898 he brought out his wife, Ching Fan, marrying her onboard the S.S. (Steam ship) Wakatipu in Wellington Harbour, accompanied by the Reverend Alexander Don^[10], as a test case for the Poll Tax^[1]^[2]. This marriage was reported in newspapers throughout New Zealand^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]^[19]^[20]^[21]^[22]^[23]^[24]. Authorities still required payment of the Poll Tax, however, as they argued that the wedding did not take place outside of the three-mile limit^[10]. They did successfully manage to have the Poll Tax refunded, and established the precedent that the wives of naturalised Chinese men in New Zealand did not have to pay the poll-tax, a precedent exploited to the full by many other Jung Seng men from that time on^[1]. It took seven years for the Poll Tax to be refunded.^[2]

On 30 July 1902, the Wairarapa Daily Times ran an advertisement for Pahiatua Seed Co agent, W. Gillespie and Co:^[25]

P29pZD1XRFQxOTAyMDczMC4yLjUuNiZjb2xvdXJzPTMyJmV4dD1naWYmYXJlYT0xJndpZHRoPTM1Mw== (2) — Page 1 Advertisements Column 6. (1902, July 30). *Wairarapa Daily Times*, 1. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19020730.2.5.6

On 31 August 1903, the Wairarapa Daily Times ran an advertisement for Pahiatua Seed Co agent, W. Gillespie and Co:^[26]

P29pZD1XRFQxOTAzMDgzMS4yLjIyLjYmY29sb3Vycz0zMiZleHQ9Z2lmJmFyZWE9MSZ3aWR0aD0zNDM= (2) — Page 3 Advertisements Column 6. (1903, August 31). *Wairarapa Daily Times*, 3. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19030831.2.22.6?query=john%20bent

The Pahiatua Herald of 7 November 1902 ran an advertisement for his store.^[27]

The 1905 the Wise's New Zealand Post Office Directory contained the following listing:

Chin Ting (Pahiatua Seed Co) Pahiatua.^[28]

Wise’s New Zealand Post Office Directory 1905 P 917 — *Wise’s New Zealand Post Office Directory*. (1905). H. Wise & Company, Limited. PAge 917https://www.google.co.nz/books/edition/Wise_s_New_Zealand_Post_Office_Directory/LuU6AQAAIAAJ

Pahiatua Seed Company Pocket Vest Guide Page 01 Image 0001

The Alexander Turnbull Library holds a copy of a Pahiatua Seed Company Vest-Pocket Guide^[29] :

In 1907 he moved to Wellington to look after fellow Sun Gai villager ("Village cousin") Chan Fook-on's store Yee Chong Wing in Manners Street^[2] while Chan Fook-on was suffering an illness. After Chan Fook-on died in 1908 he took over Yee Chong Wing, changing its name to Te Aro Seed Company in 1914.^[2]^[30]

One of his daughters, Lily Yen, owned and operated L Yen & Company.

Chin Ting was a successful merchant, and would reinvest money in New Zealand.^[31] He owned and operated a market garden on the land where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now stands at 140 Moxham Avenue, Hataitai.^[32]^[33]

At least one of his children, Joseph Ting was born above the Yee Chong Wing shop.

Chin Ting was a strong community man and leader in both the Jung Seng and wider Chinese communities. He was a founding member and first president of the Chong Wah Hui Goon Chinese Association (or Chung Wah Wui Gun) in 1911^[2] (Considered the forerunner of the Wellington Chinese Association, which Chin Ting was also instrumental in establishing and leading^[34]).

On the occasion to mark the 11th anniversary of the formation of the Republic of China ("Double Tenth" celebration), Chin Ting addressed the crowd at an event at Athletic Park.

Like other Chinese business at the time, Te Aro Seed Co. would often act as a 'staging post' for recently arrived Chinese migrants, especially those from Zhengcheng.^[2] Whilst providing support to the Chinese community, he saw the need to establish the Tung Jung Association^[2]. In 1925 he became a founding member and first President of the Tung Jung Association in 1926^[2].

He took his family back to China in 1928, returning in 1938. Chin Ting died in 1956.^[1]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Chin Ting/Chan Moon-ting/James Chin Ting, Tung Jung Association, 2020 https://tungjung.nz/people/ChinTingChanMoontingJamesChinTing.html
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 ^2.7 ^2.8 ^2.9 Chan, H. D. M., & Tung Jung Association of NZ. (2007). Zengcheng New Zealanders: a history for the 80th anniversary of the Tung Jung Association of NZ Inc. Katoomba, NSW: Echo Point Press for the Tung Jung Association of New Zealand. Page 113
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Archives New Zealand. (2015, February 17). From: Chin Ting, Pahiatua Date: 8 August 1894 Subject: Memorial, with fee, for Naturalisation (R24762468). Retrieved 20 November 2018, from https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=24762468
↑ Pahiatua Herald, 8 September 1893, Page 4 Advertisements Column 8. (1893, September 8). Pahiatua Herald, 4. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PAHH18930908.2.24.8
↑ Pahiatua Herald, 24 August 1898, Page 2 Advertisements Column 1. (1898, August 24). Pahiatua Herald, 2. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PAHH18980824.2.17.1?end_date=31-12-1898&items_per_page=10&page=13
↑ email from Pahiatua Museum < pahiatuamuseum@gmail.com > & Gilda Mcknight <gmcknight@tararuacollege.school.nz>. (2021, April 20). Fwd: Cross and Sturton.
↑ Connor, T. & BNZ Archives. (2021, May 18). RE: Heritage General enquiries. https://www.bnzheritage.co.nz/
↑ Department of Internal Affairs. (1949). Register of Persons Naturalised in New Zealand before 1949, Page 388. Retrieved from http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE25589397
↑ New Zealand Parliament House of Representatives. (1897). Parliamentary Debates. Second Session, Thirteenth Parliament. Legislative Council and House of Representatives. (Vol. 100). https://www.google.co.nz/books/edition/Parliamentary_Debates/00cyAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 ‘Nga Koroua’. (1935, March 2). Pahiatua Herald 2 March 1935 ‘I REMEMBER.’ Pahiatua Herald, 4. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PAHH19350302.2.20?items_per_page=10&page=137
↑ Auckland Star. (1898, February 4). Auckland Star, p. 4. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18980204.2.44
↑ Daily Circulation. 1700. the Oamaru Mail. Tuesday, January 25, 1898. (1898, January 25). Oamaru Mail, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OAM18980125.2.18
↑ Local & General. (1898a, January 27). Lake County Press, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LCP18980127.2.4
↑ Local & General. (1898b, January 27). Otago Witness, p. 20. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18980127.2.75
↑ Local and General News. (1898, January 25). Marlborough Express, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MEX18980125.2.6
↑ Local and General. (1898a, January 22). Hastings Standard, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAST18980122.2.8
↑ Local and General. (1898b, January 26). Ashburton Guardian, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG18980126.2.4
↑ Local and General. (1898c, January 28). Patea Mail, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PATM18980128.2.5
↑ Notes and Comments. (1898, January 25). Thames Star, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS18980125.2.9
↑ Personal Items. (1898, January 24). New Zealand Herald, p. 6. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18980124.2.65
↑ Personal Items. (1898, January 21). New Zealand Times, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18980121.2.11
↑ Thames Advertiser. (1898, January 26). Thames Advertiser, p. 4. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THA18980126.2.47
↑ Things Slowly Learned. (1898, February 4). Clutha Leader, p. 3. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CL18980204.2.5
↑ Woodville Examiner. (1898, January 24). Woodville Examiner, p. 2. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WOODEX18980124.2.6
↑ Papers Past | Newspapers | Wairarapa Daily Times | 30 July 1902 | Page 1 Advertisements Column 6. (1902, July 30). Wairarapa Daily Times, 1. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19020730.2.5.6
↑ Papers Past | Newspapers | Wairarapa Daily Times | 31 August 1903 | Page 3 Advertisements Column 6. (1903, August 31). Wairarapa Daily Times, 3. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19030831.2.22.6?query=john%20bent
↑ Pahiatua and district pics old and new. (1902, November 7). Chin Ting. General Storekeeper and Seedsman. Pahiatua Herald. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/PahiatuaAndDistrictPicsOldAndNew/photos/o.293009670808596/809357289079820/?type=3&theater
↑ Wise’s New Zealand Post Office Directory. (1905). H. Wise & Company, Limited. https://www.google.co.nz/books/edition/Wise_s_New_Zealand_Post_Office_Directory/LuU6AQAAIAAJ
↑ Pahiatua Seed Company. (1897). Vest-pocket guide for the culture of flowers & vegetables / Pahiatua Seed Company. Pahiatua Seed Company. https://natlib-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?vid=NLNZ&docid=NLNZ_ALMA21196342650002836&context=L&search_scope=NLNZ
↑ Lee, L., Lam, R., & Dominion Federation of N.Z. Chinese Commercial Growers. (2012). Sons of the soil: Chinese market gardeners in New Zealand = Huángtǔ zǐsì. Pukekohe [N.Z.: Dominion Federation for New Zealand Chinese Commercial Growers.] Page 123
↑ Beattie, J. (2015). ‘Hungry dragons’: Expanding the Horizons of Chinese Environmental History—Cantonese gold-miners in colonial New Zealand, 1860s–1920s. International Review of Environmental History, 1. https://doi.org/10.22459/IREH.01.2015.05
↑ Hutt sister-in-law centenarians celebrate together, The Hutt News, 1 November 2011 http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/hutt-news/5885153/Hutt-sister-in-law-centenarians-celebrate-together
↑ McKirdy, P. (2005). Hataitai Local History-Latter-Day Saints Church. Retrieved 12 January 2018, from http://www.heritagehelp.co.nz/lds.html
↑ Turning Stone into Jade: The History of the New Zealand Chinese Association. Fung, David. 2015. New Zealand Chinese Association. Page 121