83
B.
NEW GOVERNMENT BUILDING,
Des Voeux Road,
Hongkong, 5th December, 1916.
SIR,I have the honour to submit for the information and consideration of His Excellency the Governor copy of a letter received by this Chamber from the Trade and Industry Committee of the Royal Colonial Institute with copy of the Chamber's reply which correspondence speaks for itself.
The resolution set out in the enclosure has the entire support of my Committee who, in the interests of British Merchants of this Colony, and in the interests of the British Empire would gladly welcome local legislation of the nature desired.
The Honourable
Copy.
The Colonial Secretary.
I am, &c.,
E. A. M. WILLIAMS,
Secretary.
(Enclosure.)
ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE,
NORTHUMBERLAND ÅVENUE,
LONDON, W.C.,
21st July, 1916.
SIR,-1 am desired by the Trade and Industry Committee of the Royal Colonial In- stitute to submit for the consideration of your Organisation a proposal made by this Committee embodied in the following Resolution: --
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That with a view to encouraging the establishment of new industries in the 'British Empire and giving a measure of confidence and security to capital "to be embarked therein, as well as assisting the expansion of existing in- dustries, the Governments of the Empire be urged to make it obligatory on all Government Departments, Municipalities, Railways, Dock and "Harbour Boards, Gas, Water and Electric Light Corporations, and all "such bodies spending public monies, or enjoying charters from Govern- ment or other public authorities, to purchase Empire-made goods and "to place all contracts with British firins, exceptions to be made, by special permission of proper authority, only, in cases where such a course is considered to be at variance with public interests."
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It is not necessary to emphasize that if it is made rompulsory in each part of the Empire that Government Departments and Municipal and other Public Bodies place contracts only with British firms (using that term in its widest Imperial sense), it would prove a very strong factor in stimulating the establishment of new, and the growth of existing industries as well as consolidating Inter-Empire trade.
The Imperial Government and each of the Dominion and Colonial Governments hav- ing powers to legislate are being approached on this matter by the Council of the Institute, and in the opinion of this Committee it would be in our mutual interests if your Organiza- tion would co-operate in bringing before your Government the necessity of passing the necessary legislation to give effect to the principle embodied in the Resolution.
I have, &c.,
JAMES R. BOOSE,
Acting Secretary.
Trade and Industry Committee.