October 8, 1896.
Council the Hon. C. P. CHATER said :- Having in mind the painful experience of the past, and knowing as I do that a few sporadic cases of plague have recently made their appearance, I am loth even to appear to in any way hamper the Govern- ment in regard to any measure that they may see fit to take with a view of eradicat- "ing this disease. I therefore, at the present, refrain from criticising these by- "Inws, though I see serious objection to "their operation.. I trust, however, that when the Government is satisfied that the colony is thoroughly cleansed, they will consent to reconsider this matter." If the hon. gentleman saw serious objection to the operation of a by-law requiring the cleansing and limewashing of houses twice a year he will probably see still more serious objection ton by-law authorising the servants of the Sanitary Board to burn and destroy the internal fixtures of houses according to their own uninstructed discretion. The public will look to Mr. CHATER and his unofficial colleagues in the Legislative Council to resist this attempt of the official Sanitary Board to relieve itself and its officers of all accounta- bility to the law of the colony.
UNITED STATES.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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The Exclusion Act is most unfair and most to boss his masters. Manngin "foolish, because it is admitted by all who are always the paid serv "have studied political economy that com- companies. Sir THOMAS SU petition, and competition alone, will keep instance, is the paid servant "the market in good health, whether that O. Company; if he "bosses his master.
'market is one of commerce or labour. Put all that can be said about it chat "aside from your minds that I am a high it is very much to their benefit. The "Chinese official and mandarin, and look objection is that when Mr. GILLIES wanted upon me as a man who is studying the to go away on leave there would be no one, "best interests of a country. I say to you with the same experience to take his place "that to exclude cheap labour or cheap com- That consideration applies to all
merce from your country is unfair and ments, whatever their character, and pos- against the best interests of your country.sesses no force at all. In private firms the By excluding the Chinese and taking Irish senior partner in course of time has to be you get inferior labour and pay superior succeeded by a junior partner, and in public prices for it" All this is very interesting, companies the chairmen, directors, and but the Chinese question in America is dead. managers in like manner make room We hope, however, when Li resumes power for others. in his own country again, he will not forget his declaration that to exclude cheap com merce is unfair and against the best interests of a country. The declaration might be given a pointed application as against lekin squeezes.
RUSSIAN DESIGNS IN THE FAR EAST.
The concentration of a large army in the neighbourhood of Vladivostock and the THE CHINESE QUESTION IN THE strengthening of the Russian fleet in the Pacific have naturally led to much specula- tion as to Muscovite intentions in the Far East. It has been suggested that Russia has hostile intentions against Japan, also against England, and that she is making preparations to carry them into effect. We do not think the indications lie in that direction. Russia means, we take it, to secure an additional slice of Manchuria, including Port Arthur; also to exercise an effective voice in controlling the destinies of Korea. Her movements in that direction, she conceives, might possibly be objected to
An objection has been raised to Mr. BRYAN the Presidency of the United States on the ground that he once presented a petition to Congress urging the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Law. It does not appear that Mr. BRYAN took any `active interest in the matter, but it is urged that "there is no evidence showing that he "dissented from the propositions advanced "in the demand for repeal, which he tacitly "indorsed when he presented it without a
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We might wax sentimental on that point, but out of consideration for the feelings of our readers will refrain. There is only one more objection urged by the correspondent, and that is put in the form of the following question.— "And suppose that either of these clever "and experienced men were to make a "series of mistakes (Homer nods) who "would like to keel-haul the chairman?” As to that, supposing the occasion for keel-hauling to arise, no greater reluctance to carry out the process would be displayed than under existing circumstances, and when the attack could be concentrated on likely to prove useful than when it has to be a responsible individual it would be more
distributed over a full board of directors and produces no more effect than striking at a sand bag. Seeing how many companies in the Far East are under the control of general managers and general agents with consulting committees only, shareholders principle of a managing director with a would hardly be likely to object to the full board to assist him and act as a check
'disclaimer.” The San Francisco Chronicle | by one or more of the Powers, and she wishes upon him when a check was required.
says the fact will not go unnoticed in the state of California. "Here there has been "a practical unanimity of sentiment on this "subject. All classes and parties have with one accord pronounced themselves averse "to Chinese immigration. It was owing to the "efforts of a United Pacific Coast delegation "that the passage of the Restriction Act was secured, and we are too much interested "in keeping the law in force to think for a "moment.of helping to elect a man to the Presidency who, may be relied upon to upset the result of the efforts of a quarter "of a century by again letting loose upon the country the flood of Mongol labour "which once threatened to submerge the
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white worker of the United States. All is fair in love and war, and, it might be added, according to the views of many, in politics. Whatever may have been Mr. BRYAN'S opinion upon Chinese exclusion when the subject was before the country, it is very certain that he would not now think of disturbing the decision, ar- rived at. Whatever may be said for or against exclusion as an abstract question, it is now settled for good and all, so far as the United States are concerned, and has ceased have any life as an actual political issue. Should Mr. BRYAN be elected, there- fore, the event would not partend any probability of a change in the law on the Chinese question, or any attempt to bring about a change. LI HUNG-CHANG is reported to have said, in the course of a press interview at New York, that he hoped for a modification of the GEARY law. The hope is a vain one. The Act may be all that Li says it is, and more, but, just or unjust, it is an accomplished fact, and d an attempt it would ruin the career of any American statesman. Acccording to LI,
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to place herself in a position to prevent, by the display of a large military force, any interference with her that might otherwise be attempted, and if there still be inter- ference, to be strong enough to frustrate it. Russian, we take it, does not wish to interfere with England in the Far East if England does not interfere with her, and we cannot see that England has much cause or justification for interference. Russia is acting in the North very much as England herself would do were she in the same position. This question would, no doubt, be adverted to in the conference which took place between the CZAR and Lord SALISBURY last Sunday and if the Prime Minister made a bargain that Russia's aims in Manchuria and Korea would not be interfered with provided Russia would undertake not to shut out British trade from any new territory that she may acquire, the British Empire would have no cause to
regret it.
THE CHAIRMANSHIP CT THE
DOCK COMPANY.
The Hongkong correspondent of the N. C. Daily News appears to think that the ar- rangement of having a Managing Director of a Public Company is a novel and untried one and that it would therefore be unsafe to experiment with it in the case of the Hong- kong and Whampoa Dock Company. In this he is mistaken, the arrangement being quite a common one in England. There is therefore no lack of experience in the mat- ter. The curious objection is taken by the correspondent that the chief manager is the paid servant of the company and that to appoint him managing director and chair- man of the company would be setting him
THE GRANITE DRESSING NUISANCI.
The ruling of Hon. Commander HASTINGS in the granite dressing case heard at the Police Court yesterday is of considerable interest and importance, and we imagine. there are few who will disagree with the decision the Magistrate arrived at. Briefly, what he says is that granite must be dressed at the quarry before it is transferred to the place where it is required. The defendant in yesterday's case was a Government con- tractor, and the prosecution—a private one- clearly showed that a great proportion of the granite blocks the masons were working. upon were actually in the same rude state as when taken from the quarry, and it is very likely that the whole of the stones used in the work were in a like condition on arriving here. Naturally residents strongly protest against a public thorough fare being converted into a stonemason yard and the gentlemen who took the initiative in having the nuisance stopped are to be commended for their action. It was impossible for them to have peace and quiet when the most irritating noise of the masons' punches was carried on almost at their front doors from early morn ing to evening on every day of the week, What really surprises us most in the is the apparent backing-up of the def by the Government. It is a matter mon knowledge that fine dressed ished granite is shipped from the Isles to all parts of the world, whil history is replete with instances moval of huge blocks of stone miles and without the aid of means employed nowadays for safo
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