Fan-tan Raid: Chinese Gambling Arrests

Thirty-two Chinese men and four Europeans were arrested in a raid here on Tuam Street in June 1899. This was at the home of Chin Sing, a site investigated after the earthquakes. We didn’t find much evidence of Chin Sing’s occupation, but it provided a look into the Chinese presence in 19th-century Christchurch.

Chin Sing was a cabinetmaker who took up residence on Tuam Street by 1883. His premises were on the north side of the street, east of High Street, and had been occupied by Yee Quong, another Chinese cabinetmaker. Chin Sing's premises were later demolished and replaced in the early 20th century. He leased part of Town Sections 976 and 978, and it’s possible he lived in one of the buildings on those sections in 1877. He operated his business here until about 1902. Many Chinese men who came to New Zealand in the 19th century intended to make money and return to China, often described as 'sojourners.'

Chin Sing had two sons, but no mention of a wife was found. Most Chinese men who came to New Zealand did not bring wives, and few married here. The poll tax, established in 1881 and increased in 1896, made it less likely for men to bring their wives due to the costs.

This 1899 raid wasn't the first on Chin Sing's property. The first raid for a fan-tan game at his premises was in 1891. Fan-tan was a Chinese gambling game and technically illegal under the Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1881. In the 1891 raid, Chin Sing was reported by Ah Quong, which suggested that Chinese residents in Christchurch were involved in smoking and dealing opium. The case was dismissed due to lack of evidence, and Ah Quong was ordered to pay the solicitor's fee. One detail that emerged from this case was that Chin Sing had a boarding house on his section here on Tuam Street.