318
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 2ND APRIL, 1887.
PAPER.-The Acting Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid upon the table the following paper:-
Correspondence in connection with the proposed Loan. (No. 7).
PETITIONS. The Acting Colonial Secretary said that the Clerk of Councils had received two Petitions, and moved that they be read.
The following Petitions were then read by the Clerk of Councils:-
(1.)
TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT, AND THE HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.
The humble petition of Shellim Ezekiel Shellim, of the firm of David Sassoon, Sons & Co., Jacob Silas Moses, of the firmn of E. D.. Sassoon & Co., Ruttonjee Dadabhoy Tata, of the firm of Tata & Co., Marcus David Ezekiel, of the firm of Abraham, Ezekiel & Co., Mahomedbhoy Khetsey, of the firm of Tharia Topan, Jafferbhoy Khetsey, of the firm of Jairazbhoy Peerbhoy & Co., and Hormusjee Meherwanjee Mehta, of the firm of Framjee Hormusjee & Co., all of Victoria in the Colony of Hongkong, for and on behalf of the Opium Importers and wholesale Opium Merchants of the said Colony.
SHEWETH, That at a recent Meeting of the Opium Importers and wholesale Opium Merchants of this Colony, held for the purpose of considering the Bill now before your Honourable Council, entitled An Ordinance for the better regulating of the trade in Opium, it was inter alia resolved that the said Bill, if passed in its present form, would prejudicially affect their trade, and that your petitioners should be appointed a Committee to take such measures as they might consider advisable to bring their complaints before your Honourable Council.
That while fully recognizing the necessity of carrying out the object aimed at by the said Bill, namely, the prevention of Opium smuggling into China, and while sympathizing with its spirit, your petitioners submit that the means by which it is proposed to effectuate such object would inflict serious injury upon the Opium trade, and especially on the aforesaid Opium Importers and wholesale and retail Opium dealers, and prove a blow to the general commerce and prosperity of this Colony.
That your petitioners believe that the ends intended to be accomplished by the said Bill could be attained by other and less objectionable means, and that your petitioners are prepared to co-operate with your Honourable Council and the Executive in attaining the desired object.
That inasmuch as the Bill affects private interests, and was only brought in and read a first time on Friday, the 18th instant, it is desirable to postpone the second reading thereof so as to enable the persons who are more immediately interested, as well as the general public, to acquaint themselves with its scope and object.
Your petitioners therefore humbly pray
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1. That the second reading of the said Bill may be postponed until such day as your
Honourable Council may under the circumstances deem meet.
2.-That your petitioners may be heard by Counsel at the bar of your Honourable
Council as to their objections to the said Bill in its present form.
3.—That the said Bill may be so amended or modified as to remove the objections of your petitioners, or that it may be withdrawn and a fresh Bill introduced such as the necessity of the case requires.
And
your petitioners will ever pray, &c.
Hongkong, 22nd March, 1887.
TO THE HONOURABLE
(2.)
S. E. SHELLIM.
J. S. MOSES.
R. D. TATA.
M. D. EZEKIEL.
M. KHETSEY.
J. KHETSEY.
H. M. MEHTA.
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.
The humble petition of the undersigned merchants and traders resident in Hongkong. Respectfully showeth :-
1.-Your petitioners are dealers in Opium risiding and carrying on business in Hongkong.