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would largely if not entirely disappear, we beg respectfully but emphatically to urge that our proposals be given a trial during the coming winter months, that no threats of opposition or rumours of a strike be allowed to thwart an attempt to remedy the prevailing difficulties and inconvenience, and that it should be fully recognised that a difficulty of this nature, arising in connection with the employment of Orientals, will only become aggravated, if not grappled with sternly and speedily. The community may have to face a brief dislocation of the private coolie service, but will, we think, be amply repaid for any temporary discomfort by the benefits expected to accrue.
32. In advance, we would earnestly deprecate any opposition to a fresh attempt to enforce registration on new lines and to make it effective by means of the penal clause, because such registration and such penal clause may not in the opinion of soine prove effective and may involve slight personal trouble, inconvenience and loss
of time.
33. We trust that all ranks and divisions of the non-Chinese community will be prepared to co-operate in order to make the legislation and measures, which we have proposed, effective and workable. If this co-operation, either from purely selfish consi- derations or out of mere sentiment, be withheld by an influential minority, it is to be feared that no remedial measures devised to meet the emergency can be successful.
We therefore hope that the wealthier members of the non-Chinese community will sink all considerations of personal inconvenience, dignity, trouble and loss of time, and will combine with the less favoured members of that community in lending their support to provide a remedy for the admitted evils which have given rise to this Com- mission.
HONGKONG, 6th November, 1901.
T. SERCOMBE SMITH,
(Chairman).
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX.
F. J. BADELEY.