His Excellency, Hwang Hon Cheng, from Peking, China, visited Australia from 1906 -1907 as Chinese Commissioner in response to an urgent petition from well respected Chinese business leaders, The 1906 Petition was sent to the Chinese Ambassador in Britain requesting the appointment of a Chinese Consular Representative in Australia to ease the escalating Discrimination and address the Immigration Restrictions in Australia. Hwang Hon Cheng visited Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne , Adelaide and Hobart and after reviewing his recommendations Britain agreed to the appointment of the first Chinese Consul-General to Australia. In 1908 Mr Leong Lan Fun, Taotal of Swatow was appointed Consul-General for the Commonwealth with his headquarters in Melbourne. Animosity, suspicion and misunderstanding had existed between Chinese and European settlers since the Gold Rush of 1850’s. Language, customs, frugality and mostly their ability to obtain profit from crops seen as uneconomical by Europeans eg parsley, garlic and salad vegetables. Many of the Chinese workers did not purchase land instead their main aim was to obtain enough money for their family and return to China. There were a few still managing market gardens around East Bentleigh until the 1950’s, by which time they were highly regarded by the general community. A large photograph of His Excellency the Chinese Commissioner , Hwang Hong Cheng, in a wooden frame c1906His Excellency the Chinese Commissioner / Hwang Hong Cheng, moorabbin, bentleigh, ormond, brighton, gold rush, chinese immigration, chinese market gardeners, markets, cheltenham, cabinet makers, early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, , hwang hon cheng, leong lan fun, peking china, melbourne

Folded typed A4 document dated 10th January 1941 relating to Cohn production of carbonic acid gas and complying with Commonwealth of Australia 'Security to the Customs' provisions.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Grey / green Document, Form 19 re the Distillation Act 1901-1925 dated 30.9.1938 W.D.Mason Collection, an Acknowledgement of Notice to use a Still other than for Distilling Spirits. The Commonwealth of Australia, State of Victoria. The Still was intended for distilling Water at Queen Street Bendigo. The Still must not be removed, sold, altered, dismantled, or disposed of without permission (Distillation Act 1901-34, Section 10). Signed J.J.Kennedy; Collector of Customs for the State of Victoria.Customs House, Melbourne.business, retail, w d mason

Black and white photograph of weatherboard house surrounded by a picket fence. (2 copies- 1 large, 1 small). Typed notes detailing history of cottage.Typed notes contain the following: "Cottage and Lot 15, Sec.C, Township of Ringwood - comprising 1 acre - were acquired from the Crown by John Price on 17th July, 1888, for £30. Subsequently, a 4-roomed weatherboard cottage was built on Lot 15. On 21st May, 1901, the two allotments and the house were transferred to Lewis Findlay East for £85, and on 13th March, 1942, were sold to R. Barr and L. Beaumont for £650 with two additional rooms and some other improvements including reticulated water supply. Lewis Findlay EAST and his family occupied the cottage until 1910. It is believed that before the cottage was purchased by East, it was occupied for a period by McCubbin the artist. Lewis Findlay East was a member of an Australian Rifle Team which went to Bisley, England, in 1901, and won the Kalapore Cup. He was an officer of the Department of Customs, and later became Secretary of the Commonwealth Marine Branch, receiving the I.S.O. His son, Lewis Ronald East, became Chairman of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission in 1936, and received C.B.E.".