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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[April 8, 1899.
ment in this form to "save face," which people | generally in China cannot understand, then the should have been for 999 years, and not for 991. Many people have been sorely puzzled about this apparently inexplicable problem. The Chamber, by its letter of the 22nd Septem- ber last, have given very clear expression to the views of the community both native and Foreign. →Their arguments being simply unanswerable, | and the large constituency of shareholders in the House of Commous the term of
em-
others
But surely, is such a thing at all possible?. "We know ourselves how very week we are. Although a man may himself be muzzled he yet pleasure in popping tit-bits into
find
months, whilst watching with vicarious enjoy- ment the deglutition process. Your Committee, in their admirable letter of 22nd September last, have pointed ont that by direct action of leases in this colony was extended to 999 The application of this rule to all Crown leases was strongly recommended by the Land Commis- sion appointed by Sir William Henry Marsh on the 30th April, 1886, and the only reason the absolutely needless and utterly aumesuing of which we are aware for a change is found in limitation of the term of the Kowloon con- cession. The British nation is entitled to the possession of much more than this infinitessimal portion of the Chinese Empire in perpetuity, and I trust that this Chamber will not fail to urge upon the Government the necessity of securing this concession for 999 years. We may then be able to securesub- leases for 500.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the adoption of the report.
Mr. GRANVILLE SHARP seconded.
in the "freehold of 999 years," such as it is, consitute themselves the bulwark of the colony's prosperity. Every native Crown lessee is him- self a hostage for the peace and order of Hong kong. We, the present residents in Hongkong, are not alone interested in the preservation of the integrity of our landed securities. The monied men at home who advance upon mortgages, no attempt whatever is made to reply to them. our old-established and successful Banking, In. The Government simply states that after due surance, and Steam Companies, who lend their consideration of the views expressed by the spare capital and reserve funds upon these Chamber, the Secretary of State adheres to his securities. decision that leases shall, in future, be reduced England discount the bills of the manufactur
As the agricultural counties in from 999 years to 75 years, or at the longesting distriots in the North, so naturally the 99 years.""" "As it is impossible for any one to Colonies make use of the savings in the mother transfer, even by indentured sheet, more than country. We are now suffering from the hu possesses, it might puzzle our lawyers to depletion caused by the withdrawal of funds make a good title for a 99 years' lease from upon apprehensions regarding silver values. Her Most Gracious Majesty to a Hongkong It is most undesirable that this should be fur. Crown lessee of a building lot in the new ther intensified by fears in reference to our Concession, seeing that a portion of the head land tenure. There is no more fruitful cause tenant's lease, dated 9th June last, for a like of financial mischief in England than the period has already expired. Very great incon- glut of venience must arise as the period of the Chinese the positive greed with
money seeking employment, and which the most Government's lease to Great Britain progres- shadowy and specious projects are sively diminishes, in the constant abbreviation braced." With money obtainable at 3 per of the term for which sub-leases can be granted. cent. the borrower is no longer servant to the
THE INSANITARY STATE OF THE CITY. If no leases for 99 years are possible, we are at lender, but his master. It is the result of mis- shut up to 75, which the Chamber has taken and erroneous legislation that money is at
The Hon. T. H, WHITEHEAD said—At the rightly said will greatly discourage investments the same time worth two per cent. on one side years-1896, 1897, and 1898, I offered a few Chamber's annual meetings in the last three in the colony. I do not think that the 999 years' of the world and twenty per cent. on the other, remarks in connection with the grave injury leases will be enhanced in value by their further in the several portions of the British Empire. being done to trade by the insanitary condition. issue being proscribed, but rather that all pro- Why should the English people be almost com perty will share in the general depression which pelled to invest their money in French, Russian, members, I feel compelled to again direct of Hongkong, and, at the risk of wearying will ensue upon this change. It is a sad disap- and German stocks, to say nothing of Turks pointed attention to the state of matters still pointment to those who have been expecting the and Argentine Republics, by legislation which prevailing and which are extremely unsatisfac advent of a period of local prosperity upon places British Colonial securities at a disad-tory. The terrible visitation of the bubonio the completion of the Reclamation. This vantage? Hongkong, in face of many diffi- plague in 1894 was attended with lamentable vast undertaking could never have been culties, has done well, as shown in the conclud. loss of life and the most hurtful consequences. accomplished had leases of 75 years prevailed ing pages of the report presented to-day for our along the ses front. Neither would those five adoption. Why should so important and funda-
to the general interests of the colony. Since magnificent blooks at its eastern end have been
then there has been a recrudescence of sporadio built. No sane
mental a change be made as that now declared, man would lay out half a
cases of plague each year and two somewhat viz., the reduction of the term of Crown leases extensive epidemics, one in 1898 and the other 7 million dollars on a block having only a 75 from 999 to 75 years? I shall never forget the in 1898. The deaths from plague were:
years' lease. The greatest sufferers will be the last three words which my General Manager in 1895, 1078 in 1896, 19 in 1897, and 1160 36 Chinese, as they are the largest borrowers. (a little man, but a giant in finance), hissed in 1898, while there were 2,485 died in 1894. The Chinese, here are not alike to those in the through his teeth at me, as he closed the door United States. There they are sojourners. between us on my departure from England for terests of the Colony are being seriously injured Besides this grievous mortality the general in Here they make their home. They bring their Bombay, "Don't make changes." Mr. Chairman, and the vast and growing shipping trade of the warnings in America for investment in Hong. I believe that the immediate and ultimate success kong Property owned by foreigners is gener- of this new colony-the Kowloon concession-
port suffers heavy loss inasmuch as quarantine ally disposed of upon their leaving China, is intimately bound up with this curtailment of
restrictions are imposed at the present moment always at their death, whereas that belonging the term of British Crown leases.
upou vessels arriving from Hongkong at the to Chinese descends to their children. Chinese not the money, and the Chinese have not the Rangoon, and elsewhere. The urgent attention
We have following ports-Saigon, Singapore, Java, I found families which continue after they are money, to thoroughly develop it. It must come gone. This change in title is very seriously re-
of the Government has year after year since 1874 from England, and the 75 years' lease will not been earnestly directed to the injuries and garded by these people, to whom practically and be favourably regarded as a security. But very losses resulting from the insanitary state of the Increasingly the Colony belongs. They pay the many will be willing to advance to Chinese on taxes and support the administration of the mortgage of a 999 years British title. The onial Surgeon's reports of 1874 and 1875 ordered the city: I refer more particularly to the Col- Government. The great majority of foreigners Kowloon Concession will, if rightly managed, by the House of Commons to be printed in are literally here to-day and gone to-morrow. A largely increase the resources of the colony. 1881, to Mr. Osbert Chadwick's report on the generation amongst them consists of three At first additional claims will arise from the sanitary condition of Hongkong presented to years, not thirty. Chinese families rarely die considerable area to be controlled, but we may both Houses of Parliament in August, 1882, and ont here. There are, of course, speculative presume that no attempt will be made to govern Chinese. They purchase and dispose of pro- this territory precisely as Hongkong is governed. report of the Permanent Committee of the another report by him dated July. 1890, to the perty, receiving any profit which may have A small loan may probably be needed, but, if Sanitary Board dated June, 1894. to the reports scorned, but these do not belong to the carefully expended, the dollars will soon come most substantial or influential class, amongst back and there will be no need to rely upon the July and August, 1894, to the Colonial Surgeon's of the Committee on Housing the Chinese dated whom be disposal of property is regarded profit from the falling in of 75 years' Crown report on the epidemic of bubonic plague dated much in the same: as the cutting leases for its repayment. The Hon. the Sec- March, 1895, and to the report of the Medical of timbers is looked amongst the retary of State for the colonies informs Offeer of Health for 1896. Speaking at a landed aristocracy in England. This is a good us that these leases will be renewed upon public meeting held in this building in June, and wholesome feeling, and it should be the such an advance in Crown rent as is justified 1894, at an election of two unofficial members business of the British Government to recognise by the then value of land, and that in the and encourage it. I cannot think that any event of the land being resumed by the Govern- truly said:" l'here is no doubt the present to the Sanitary Board, Mr. Jackson said, and thing has operated to bring about this disas-ment for public purposes, compensation will be state of Hongkong is a disgrace not only to the trous proposal but the lease for 99 years of the given. The narrower one's experience in this Government but to our civilisation," and Mr. the Kowloon hinterland. If it is really intended direction, the greater the satisfaction with | Ede, in a well and carefully considered minute, to get something out of the lot holders, it is which these assurances will be regarded. I at a later date wrote:-"Unless some well-consi- a great change of policy, and looks more like am afraid that Spanish, Portuguese, or French colonization. to view these conditions in the same light to resume, lay ont, rebuild on now principles, trustees will be disposeddered scheme be adopted to abate overcrowding, And how have all their schemes answered ? We that they regard the British sphere of in- at least the worst sections of the town, wa have no internal requirements beyond the power fluence in the Yangtze Valley, as somewhat shall never make of our ordinary taxation to discharge; we can by nebulous.
any real permanent an effort manage to meet the charge of the
progress towards immunity from filth and military contribution, together with costly
Robinson appointed an Insanitary Pro- disease." On 29th July, 1896, Sir William Government, provided that our resources are
perties Commission, which consisted of not squandered in fads and fancies. Oh,
Messrs. Stewart Lockhart, Chater, Jackson, bat," someone exclaims, “the unearned inore-
Ede, and myself, and the members made ment!" Hongkong is the worst place in the
personal inspection of a number of the houses world for a man to get anything without earn- ing it. The Government moreover is sure of
evidence, and after careful and prolonged con in the city of Victoria. They took expert its Crown rent, no trifling item, from the moment that the hammer falls. And, so soon
sideration the Commission reported on 9th March, 1898. Paragraph 4 of its Report as the buildings are erected, it comes in for 13 per cent, upon the annual value of the whole property. All those who invest their money
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ing Government officials from owning or The recent legislation prohibit dealing in land and property I think is far more injurious than beneficial, and as necessarily taking them out of sympathy with a most im- portant class, without whose active enterprise the advance of our Colonial interests would be impossible. No doubt an effort will be made by the Government to secure that each case be decided upon its merits. This will result in a constant succession, of bargainings and conten- tions between the Government and private in-reads:- dividuals, opening the door to favoritism on the one hand or injustice and oppression on the other,
many insanitary properties in the Colony, and "We regret to have to report that there are