298
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 4TH JUNE, 1879.
to $910,523.32, leaving a surplus upon the year's transactions of $37,114.40. With respect to the sums expended, I think any one who looks around the Colony will bear me out when I say that we have never had the Surveyor General doing more useful work, expending money more usefully, than he has during those two years. We see it in every part of the Colony. Of the $157,000 which you voted my Honourable friend the Surveyor General has expended $142,000. I may tell you the. expenditure of 1878 exceeded the expenditure of 1877 by $37,315. The actual excess of revenue over expenditure was just about the same figure, $37,114, but the $37,114 was a clear gain upon the transactions of the year. When I mention that during the year we laid out $37,000 more than before, that was so much out of the surplus. That $37,000 occurred owing to our large revenue. I must not now recapitulate what I said in September, but I find that all items which really indicate a prosperous state of things in the Colony-upon these items there is an increase in the revenue. A question arises about the Post Office. I find the increase in postage in 1878 as compared with 1872 amounted to $20,649, that is, in the year 1877 our revenue was $62,675; in the year. 1878 it was $82,325. Actually the revenue from postage is not a subject which we may consider as a matter of very great importance, because we endeavour to expend our postal re- venue as far as we can in our postal arrangements, .but an increase indicates an increase in the commercial transactions conducted by correspondence. The light dues in 1877 amounted to $14,984, whereas the light dues collected last year amounted to $17,494. I had estimated only for $15,000, the surplus being $2,500. Well, now, what does that mean? The light dues are made up of a cent a ton upon all shipping but the native junks. You will easily see what the increase must have been in the tonnage. It means 250,900 tons increase in the trade of the Colony. These, of course, are facts which must be gratifying to us, because depression of trade we know exists elsewhere. It exists very largely in our own country, and it is satisfactory to know that this depôt of trade, the most important perhaps in the Queen's Colonial Empire, as far as its com- mercial results are shown by the shipping and in the revenue, is really in a healthy state and flourishing condition. And I think Her Majesty's Government may perhaps view with satisfaction the fact that out here, in this great depôt of commerce, we may be able to assist in alleviating the depression of trade at home by opening up the great Empire with which we do trade to manufactured goods, and I hope to do that as long as I have the Government by assisting in every way the commercial transactions of the Colony, promoting those transactions, and not only with foreign shipping, to which I have referred, but also the native junk trade of the Colony. The fact is that in spreading in China the manufactures of England and obtaining for the English consumer Chinese goods at a cheap rate we must not omit from our calculations the native junk trade of Hong- kong. Whatever harasses that junk trade, whatever tends in any shape or form to prevent its develop- ment we should carefully scrutinise. I pointed out to you we levied certain taxes, bringing in about $20,000 a year, on native junks; I have pointed out for your consideration how far we might relieve the junk trade of that burden. But there is something else that presses on the junk trade of this Colony. I have been now two years at the head of the Government here. I have had the honour of often presiding in this room at meetings of the Legislative Council, but I have never been asked a question with respect to that which intimately concerns the prosperity of the Colony. How does it come to pass that two years have elapsed and nothing has been said with respect to restrictions now placed on the native trade of Hongkong? I don't think it is the business of the head of the Government in dealing with matters of this kind to force his opinions upon a commercial community, but it is his duty to ascertain from those who are concerned how they regard the harassing of their trade, and what remedy they can suggest. I have consulted with those who are directly concerned in the native trade of this Colony, I have had opportunities now for a long time, more than eighteen months, of considering the burdens they suffer under and the suggestions they have made to me, and certain plans I have thought of with respect to this grievance, and having done so I will only now say to the Council that though I came to this Colony, as far as the subject to which I now refer is concerned, I'may say, with hands tied by the acts of my predecessor, and I must say also frankly, as far as I can judge from the records in the Colonial Secretary's Office, by the act of three advisers whom he took into his confidence. Nevertheless, I am prepared upon this important subject, as upon others where I see a case fairly established, and where I think it is within my power to carry out a reform, to do so. It will be perhaps a couple of months before I may have the satisfaction of meeting you again, for I am now about to proceed on a few weeks leave of absence which Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH has been good enough to give me, yet I can assure you that the question to which I am now referring, namely, developing the commercial resources of this Colony with reference to native trade, and doing that with the object of increasing the prosperity of the Colony, as well as alleviating the distress at home- these are questions which, whether I am in Government House or taking a few weeks vacation leave, will not escape my attention.
my
Honourable W. KESWICK.-Your Excellency's remarks are doubtless applicable to the system of Chinese collection of dues on native junks, and I have no doubt your Excellency's. remarks, in connection with the way in which your hands were tied, had reference to the rules which were made public through the Chamber of Commerce. You have mentioned that three advisers acquiesced according to the records of the Colonial Secretary's office I am not aware whether I am one of those to whom you have alluded. I belie however, that I am, and I feel myself bound to say that I took
A