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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND expression of their extreme regret and dis- ing rewards, to induce the Chinese fishermen to satisfaction at the unjustifiable attack made make known hidden dangers on the Coast, upon the Rev. Director of the Manila Ob- though cordially taken up by the various au- servatory and his colleagues by the Director of thorities, have not been prolific in actual re- the Hongkong Observatory, and at the conse-sults, the only award made being one of $50 to quent stoppage by the American Government Captain Pi, of the Chinese gunvessel Namtung, of the telegraphic meteorological warnings for assisting to point out the submerged rock from the Philippines. The members desire to on which the steamer Namoa struck in the place on record their high appreciation of the Haitan Straits in October, 1897. As, however, very valuable services at all times rendered by the fact of the existence of this Fund has now the Directors of the Meteorological Department been made so widely known, it is hoped that of the Manila Observatory to the mercantile further claims will be made upon it when new and shipping community in Hongkong and surveys are in progress (Appendix C.) China, and their hope and expectation that
THE RECTIFICATION OF THE BOUNDARIES in a very short time full justice will be done the Directors of the Manila Observatory by the acknowledgment of the immense practical value of their labours in the past for the public benefit and in the cause of science and the restriction recently placed upon them be speedily removed." Mr. Lewis-I have much pleasure in second- ing the resolution in connection with this very important subject. I would like to suggest that the Committee take steps to secure like warnings from Zikawei Observatory.
Carried.
THE COMMITTEE.
The CHAIRMAN afterwards intimated the election of the Committee as follows:-Messrs. R. M. Gray (Chairman), A. MacConachie (Vice- Chairman), A. Haupt, J. J. Bell-Irving, T. Jackson, W. Poate, H. A. Ritchie, N. A. Siebs, and T. H. Whitehead.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings.
The following is the Committee's report sub, -mitted to the meeting
The Committes have pleasure in now submit- ting to the Members of the Chamber the follow- ing report of their proceedings during the past
year ..
INTERNAL TAXATION ON FOREIGN GOODS
IN THE TWO KWANG.
It will be remembered that in 1897 a protest was addressed to the British Minister at Peking against the practice in the Two Kwang of farming out the taxes, and His Excellency was at the same time requested to use his influence to procure from the Authorities publication of the internal tariffs, it being of great import
was
ance to merchants and traders to know what taxation goods have to meet after being franked by transit pass. On this head further corres- pondence has been carried on, and it elicited that a concession allowing imported goods to be sold in transit, under certain trifling formalities, had been agreed to at the sugges- tion of the German Minister at Peking. As an additional result of the representation made on the subject, the Viceroy at-Canton abolished the farm for collecting likin on kerosine oil, under instructions from the Taungli Yamen, who further ordered that the practice of farm. ing such taxes should be discontinued. With regard to the publication of the internal tariffs, however, the information gleaned by Mr. Brenan was not satisfactory, as it transpired that, although most articles of foreign import are nominally liable to a tso-li tax of about two per cent., the system of collection is so singular that there is really no actual guarantee obtain- able as to its amount. Your Committee accord- ingly addressed Her Majesty's Minister at Pek- ing on this question, pointing out the impolicy of the recognition of the tso-li tax and urging His Excellency to insist upon the adoption of some scheme whereby consistent taxation can be guaranteed and the illegal exactions which at present hamper trade finally abolished. To this communication no answer has yet been returned, (Appendix A.)
THE SEIZURE OF MR. WATTS'S COAL at
OF HONGKONG,
The unsettled state of affairs at Peking and the concessions obtained by other Powers from China induced your Committee early in May to endeavour to impress upon the Foreign Office the opportuneness of pressing the demand on the Chinese Government for the long-needed extension of the boundaries of this colony. The changed conditions under which warfare can now be conducted had rendered it impera- tive for the safety of the harbour that its approaches should be secured; whilst the growth of the population, the development of its industries, the increase of its water supply. and the desirability of providing for its future expansion alike called for some enlargement of its boundaries. Your Committee therefore addressed strong representations to the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs both by telegram and by letter. Again, | in July, when the conditions of the convention signed at Peking on the 9th June by which a large area at the back of Kowloon together with Lantao and other islands were leased to Great Britain for ninety nine years, it became known that a condition had been incorporated thereiu by which the city of Kowloon was to be made & Chinese reservation, your Committee promptly addressed a vigorous protest to Lord Salisbury
on
the subject, both by wire and sub- the Imperial Maritime Customs were claim- sequent despatch. Learning later that
ing new concessions, which would materially restrict the freedom of the trade of the port, further protests, in the shape of despatches and resolutions were addressed to the Hongkong Government for transmission to the Foreign Office and to the British Minister at Peking and a full statement of the objections to the reservation of Kowloon and the proposed formal establishment of the Chinese Customs in Hong of Commerce with an earnest request for their kong communicated to the London Chamber assistance in the matter. What has been the result of the Chamber's representations, in which they worked in line with the China Association and the Navy League, has still to be learned, has apparently not yet found opportunity to for the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs reply. There is, however, judging by recent official statements, reason to believe that the protests made have not been without good fruit
inasmuch as the customs Statious are to be re-
moved from the Colony. (Appendices D. & E)
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[April 8, 1899,
THE QUESTION OF THE INDIAN CURRENCY.
The announcement made by the Secretary of State for the Colonies in June last that Sir Alfred Dent had been appointed a member of the Commission to consider the question of the Indian Currency, conveyed to the Chamber through the Local Government, elicited the opinion from the Banking authorities here that the proposals of the Indian Government to withdraw ten crores of current silver rupecs annually for the purpose of establishing a gold standard in India, would be injudicious and tend to aggravate the evils now existing in con- nection with the currency in that country. THE RENTAL OF WHARVES IN HONGKONG, The local Government having, in September last, by an Order in Council, suddenly raised the rental of wharves and piers to about ten times the amount hitherto charged, the Com. mittee addressed an earnest remonstrance to in the case of the steamboat companies, who the Executive on the subject, pointing out that only maintained these piers for the convenience of passengers and derived no revenue from them, great hardship would be entailed, and that the excessive increase in the rent was calculated to restrict the landing facilities in the colony. The Government, in reply, expressed regret at being unable to modify the scale of charges; but in Decetabor last His Excellency the Governor made an Order in Council repeal- ing the above-named Order together with the new regulations under it, and an amended tariff, on a more reasonable scale is now under con. sideration.
THE WORKING OP THE POST OFFICE.
During the past year the unsatisfactory working of the Post Office entailed a mass of correspondence, in which numerous complaints of delayed delivery of mails, of missout corres- pondence, and of theft or disappearance of im- portant letters formed the most conspicuous features. In response to urgent representations on the subject from this Chamber, Major- General Black, then administering the Govern ment, beside instituting several reforms and precautions in the service, suggested to the Colonial Office the necessity of appointing à trained officer from England to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of the Assistant Post- master General, with a view to securing effici ency in the working of the Postal Department;, but your Committee now now learn with regret that an officer, who has only had a local ex- perience in the West Indies, has been appointed to succeel Mr. Northcote in that post. The mander Hastings to take charge of the Post Committee welcome the appointment of Com-
Office on account of his well-known energy, but nevertheless fear that until new Offices are provided and the staff strengthened, some
causes of dissatisfaction must still continue to arise,
REDUCTION OF PERIOD OF CROWN LEASES,
Acting ou instructions from the colonial Office, the Government bave rodu cel the periol for which lenses of Crown Lands were granted, viz., from 999 years to 75 or at the most 99 years. Your Committee, considering that this course would not only place existing lots at an unfair premium but was calculated to restrict the demand for land and therefore to delay or prevent the expansion of the colony generally, addressed a strong remonstrance, through the Goverumeut, to the Secretary of State on the subject. Mr. Chamberlain, in reply, adheres to his decision, but states that terms will be in- bodied in leases providing for renewal at the time of expiry thereof at snch an advance in Crown reut as is justified by the then value of the land, and without fine, for a further similar period, and that in case of resumption for pub- lic purposes compensation will be given. This decision is very unsatisfactory.
THE LOCAL BANK NOTE ISSUE. The restriction of trade, the great incon- renience to the community, and the pressure felt by those engaged in commerce by the necessity imposed on the Banks to confine their note issue within prescribed limits, which the development of trade had long since outgrown, had for some time been felt to be a serious and increasing drawback. Complaints having been made early in the year that the Note Issas had exceeded the legalised amount, the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank reduced its issue on the 30th June within the prescribed limits, but the inconvenience caused to trade was so great that the management made a proposal to the Govern ment that for any excess of limit to the issue of notes the Bank would be prepared to lodge silver In June last your Committee, huving rogard dollar for dollar in the custody of the Colonial to the suspension of telegraphic communication Treasurer. At the meeting of the Committee with Manila, which precluded all idea of the held on the 13th July this proposal was au- receipt of the customary warning of the ap animously supported, and a copy of the resolu-proach of typhoons formerly sent by the Manila tions together with that of the minutes of the Observatory, suggested to the Government the meeting referring to the subject were forwarded | possibility of securing a supply of weather tele- THE PINNACLE Rock fund.
to the Government, by whom, on the authorisa- | grams from South Cape, Formosa. The Govern- The efforts made last year to bring the exis- tion of the Secretary of State, the Bank's ment. in reply, stated that they were already in tenos of this fund prominently to the attention proposition was subsequently accepted, and the communication with the Government of Labuau, of the Naval Authorities, Consuls, and Mari-stringenoy in the money market was thereby and hoped through the French Consul to secure time Customs Authorities with a view, by offer- ' completely alleviated.
observations from two stations in Annam, but
BAIWAN IN KWANGSI,
A good deal of further correspondence passed with Her Majesty's Consul at Canton on this subject early in the year. In the end Mr. Brenan arrived at the conclusion that Mr. Watts had not proved his case, and that in a dispute between two Chinese it was not for him to go behind the Magistrate's decision. (Ap- pendix B.)
STORM WARNINGS
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