430
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH JUNE, 1881.
"I attribute the commercial prosperity of the "Chinese in San Francisco to their great com-
"mercial probity." Another leading American
merchant of San Francisco, in his evidence, says,-
"The Chinese pay their debts ten times more “ promptly than our white men; they are clear- “ headed, " shrewd, intelligent, and capable of “ managing business on a large scale; this is "especially true of the hong merchants of Hong-
“ kóng.”
National characteristics such as these make China a safely progressive country, and make it the duty and interest of a trading Colony like this, and a commercial Empire like England, to be at peace with China. I would push this prin- ciple of to the extent of not worrying them
peace with advice. They will understand, in course of time, that there is something to be learned, espe- cially in physical science, from Western nations.
But, above all, we should avoid, either in dealing with the Queen's subjects in this Colony, or in our relations with the Empire near us, any attempt to force on the Chinese institutions which are unsuited to them, and some of which in course
we, of time, may, perhaps, discover are unsuited to ourselves. Those are the principles by which I
have endeavoured to guide my four years' admi-
nistration of this Colony, and now, in submitting
to you these returns, which correspond with the
period of that administration, I can only express the hope, and I do it with every confidence, that, when the next census is taken, all classes in this
Colony will be as prosperous as they are to-day.
The motion that the papers be printed was passed.
THE PENAL LAWS AMEndment BILL.
The GOVERNOR then moved the introduction of the Penal Laws Amendment Bill. He said it embodied certain recommendations that he had submitted to the Secretary of State, to the effect that the Branding Ordinances, and all Ordinances imposing flogging on the Chinese race exclusively, be repealed; that public flogging and flogging Chinese on the back be abolished, and that no flogging be allowed in Hongkong except for such offences as would entail flogging in England. Her Majesty's Government had authorized the introduction of the Bill. It was read a first time and ordered to be printed. The second reading to be taken at the next meeting of Council.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Certain votes that had passed the finance com-
mittee were then confirmed.
His Excellency adjourned the Council sine die.
庸
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為
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此 南 捷 且 北 善
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例誦讀
又立定嗣後在香港過有當笞
云下次定例局會議時再將此, 將此例誦讀一次乃飭刋印叉
提舉此例經奉 朝廷批准故
責罪囚之律督憲又云本部堂
時飭廷
再刊批
此文故堂答笞刑刑之藩刑
紳均 第未
同心
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耳 定第 再
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支度
員位條目准局
局局各幾 數所
发
謂堂
度支 督憲
局所 爰請