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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
posterity. In any
case, however, the use of the word "promise" in the telegram was injudicious and misleading, as Mr. CHATER could not give any promise bind- ing upon the colony nor would it have
THE LU-HAN RAILWAY. was not in a position to make any such promise and he is too sound a business
After many years of talk and much pro- man to make statements or promises that crastination, it seems tolerably certain that he might subsequently have to retract.
the Grand Trunk Railway of China will be We suspect the misunderstanding has arisen from a loose use of the word "promise" by actually commenced before the present year His Excellency, and that what was des- closes. According to our Shanghai morn- cribed as a promise was in fact nothing line-by far the most important yet pro- ing contemporary the first sod of this great more than the expression of an individual opinion as to the means by which the hypothejected in the Central Kingdom-is to be tical deficit might be made good.
cut in the beginning of next month. No Mr.
actual date appears to have been fixed, but CHATER was fully entitled to form his own opinion on that point and to give expression it is stated that the Viceroy CHANG and the great SHENG had decided upon the com- to it, and if the question was put to him as
mencement of November, and that the occa- between raising a loan or increasing the
son was to be attended with some pomp and taxation it was not unnatural that he should pronounce in favour of the latter. ceremony, that is to say, there will be much as it would have detracted from the tomtomming and banner-waving by the
Yamen character
ragamuffins and a good deal of memorial of the
to have
cracker firing with perhaps a little powder thrown the cost of it on to distant
spent in salutes. It is even expected that His Excellency the Viceroy may find time to cross over from Wuchang to Hankow to preside over the function, and the illustrious SHENG will make a point of being present, The latter official as loan raiser and railway constructor seems to have slipped into the place formerly occupied by LI HUNG- CHANG, and he will find it equally profit- able. SHENG has five million teals placed to his credit by the Board of Revenue for this work, and it will, as our Shanghai con- temporary observes, at any rate suffice for a commencement. It will be curious to watch the progress of this work under SHENG. There are few great natural obstacles in the way, and if the enterprise is honestly con- ducted it ought to be completed in a reason- able time. It is sincerely to be hoped that the Chief Director may, as a matter of policy, forbear squeezing too heavily on this occasion, both in order that China may get her great central line at a moderate cost and that the Imperial Government may be encouraged to continue the work and connect the capital with the great southern city of Canton.
been
correct of the Governor to accept any such promise if given. The utmost that Mr. CHATER could promise would be
that his own individual vote should be cast in a certain way if the question came up
in Council. Perhaps the condensation requisite in telegraphing is responsible for the use of the word "" promise "in a connection that was calculated to give rise to misappre-
hension.
SALE OF THE TAIPINGSHAN
PROPERTY.
It was not to be expected that the valuable land in the resumed area of Taipingshan would be allowed to remain unoccupied very long, notwithstanding the failure of the attempted sale in May last. The objection of possible purchasers on that occasion was the high Crown rent attached to the lots. Terms have now been arranged on that point, the Government having reduced the amount previously demanded by more than three-fourths, but on the other hand we be- lieve it is expected that on the average of the whole area the net premium realised will be somewhat greater, though judging
from the lots now advertised no material en- hancement has been made in the upset price, which indeed appears to be lower in the case of some of the lots. As to the Crown rent, the feeling amongst property owners and agents is distinctly averse to the fixing of a high rent, which, it is contended, operates like a compulsory mortgage and makes it more difficult to obtain a loan on the pro- perty should the owner at any time so de- sire, as a high Crown rent materially reduces the income available for the payment of in- terest. Looked at from a public point of view the Crown rents are one of the best forms of raising revenue, and some political economists would limit taxation to this one particular form, which, it is contended, would fall upon all interests more equitably than a multiplicity of indirect taxes, which fall heavily on some interests and allow others to escape entirely. Whatever may be said on this point by way of abstract argument, however, it is clear that the com- munity of Hongkong is not prepared as yet to accept the principle of high Crown rents, and in attempting to increase the revenue from this source the Government will have to advance slowly.
The Kobe Chronicle learns that Mr. Hobart Hampden, second assistant at the British Con- sulate, leaves Kobe in the course of a day or so to take charge of British interests at Tamsui during the temporary absence of Mr. Bonar,
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
Council was held at the Council Chamber A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative
on the 25th October. Present:--
Sir
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR, WILLIAM ROBINSON, G.C.M.G.
COLONEL ELSDALE, R. E. (Officer Command. ing the Forces).
Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. W. M. GOODMAN (Attorney-General). Hon. R. MURRAY RUMSEY (Harbour Master).
Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G. (Captain Super- intendent of Police).
Hon. T. SERCOMBE SMITH (Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works).
Hor. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Ho KAI,
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD. Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G. Hon. J. J. BELL-IRVING. Hon. WEI A. YUK.
Mr. J. G. T. BUCKLE (Clerk of Councils). NEW MEMBER.
Mr. R. D. Ormsby took the oath of allegiance and his seat on his appointment as Director of
Public Works.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the report of the Director of Public Works for the half year ending 30th June, 1897, and the report of the Special Engineers on the Praya Reclamation Works for the half year ended 30th June, 1897.
[October 27, 1897.
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RINANCIAL MINUTES. On the motion of the COLONIAL SECRETARY, seconded by the COLONIAL TREASURER, Financial Minutes Nos. 20, 21, and 22 were referred to the Finance Committee.
SANITARY BY-LAW.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY intimated that
but he would do so at the next meeting. he regretted he was unable to bring forward the Sanitary By-law mentioned in the agenda,
CHARGES AGAINST THE POLICE. In pn suance of notice Hon, T. H. WHITE- READ asked the following question-Was the evidence taken by the Honourable the Captain Superintendent of Police and the Crown Solici- tor in connection with the charges against In- spector Stanton and other members of the Police Force submitted to the Honourable the Attorney- General for his opinion, and was he satisfied as to its sufficiency before action was taken there- on, and did His Excellency the Governor sanc- tion the dismissal of Inspector Stanton and other members of the Police Force with the ad-
vice of the Executive Council or on the sole recommendation of the Captain Superintendent of Police ?
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HIS EXCELLENCY-The question of the hon. member is not in order and cannot, therefore, be answered. I think it right to avail myself of this opportunity to state that I am somewhat surprised that the hon. member should have asked a question which, besides being irregular, does not seem to be intended to help the Go- vernment in dealing with a matter of extreme delicacy and of great importance to the welfare of this community. As Governor I am-respon- sible for my acts and I have no desire to shirk that responsibility.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-If I may be al- lowed to make one or two remarks I wish—-
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The hon, mem- ber is quite out of order, your Excellency.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD did not proceed further.
COLONIAL TREASURY BALANCES.- In pursuance of notice Hon. T. H. WHITE- HEAD asked the following question-Under what authority and for what purposes have the Crown Agents for the Colonies recently sold in London to the Exchange Banks o/d bills on Hongkong for large amounts; if this has been done in virtue of any special instructions will the Government lay a copy thereof on the table together with a copy of the Secretary of State's general instructions in connection with the cus- tody and the disposal of the Colonial Govern- ment's cash balances in Hongkong?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The authority Secretary of State. The purposes for which for which the hon. member asks is that of the
the Crown Agents recently sold in London on demand bills in Hongkong were (a) to pay for the silver used in minting, freight, and carriage expenses incurred in connecation with consign- ments of subsidiary coins, (b) to meet the usual expenditure incurred on behalf of this Govern ment by Crown Agents. The general instruc- tions in connection with the custody and disposal of the cash balances of the Government will be laid upon the table.
HONGKONG'S CONTRIBUTION TO QUEEN VICTORIA'S JUBILEE FUND.
In pursuance of notice the Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked the following question : Can the Colonial Government's contribution of 298,892.28 towards the Queen's Jubilee Fund be paid out of the existing balance of the sterling loan, or out of revenue balances in hand, or partly out of one and partly out of the other, or is it to be paid out of revenue? If out of revenue how is such revenue to be raised and will the Imperial Government forego its claim to the military contribution of 17 per cent. on $98,892.28, viz:-817,306.15, and present it to the colony as the Imperial Government's
contribution towards the Jubilee Fund?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The answer to the former part of the question will be given by His Excellency the Governor in his opening speech. As to the latter part of the question the Secretary of State has refused to remit the 17 per cent to which the hon. member alludes. HANSARD REPORT. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD gare notice of the following question:- If the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, after last meeting of the Finance Committee of this Council held
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