SUPPLEMENT TO THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
and reliability of the Canadian Pacific Rail- | arranged before the International Telegraph Co.'s present Pacific service, that an Conference in London in May, 1903. Through equally satisfactory Alls ervice would the influence of Lord Curzon, the Cable Com be provided on the impro conditions panies were obliged to reduce the tariff to India stated above, hereby
that thein 1902, and it was pointed out to them that if för sucht!
senger ser. they desired to extend the reduced rates to cordingly en to the Can- the Far East, the difficulties in the way could. caño Rail”
and that a copy be easily overcome. resolution be mailed to the Post- masters General at London, England, and Ottawa, Canada.”.
FRENCH TÄRIFF AND HONGKONG PRODUCE.
Since 1900 further correspondence has taken place during the year, and it is satisfactory to notice that this Colony has been placed in the same footing in this respect, with the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States as the result of further negotiations between the Home Governments.
CHINESE EMIGRATION ORDINANGE, 1901.
E
[May 93, 1908.
PROPOSED DIRECT PARCEL POST EXCHANGE
BETWEEN HONGKONG AND THE UNITE
STATES: OF AM-RICANSI
As the Home Authorities have recently been able to establish a parcel post exchange with the United States of America which enabled parcels to be sent from Hongkong to the laster country, vid London, joint representations The report of the Inter-Departmental were made by this Chamber, and that of Amoy Committee on Cable Communications stated to the Hongkong Government with a view to a that, with the exception of those to the Gold direct service, thereby reducing the time Const and Nigeria, existing rates were entailed in transit. The Hongkong Govern, not excessive, but in view of the reduction ment have recommended that the Foreign in the Indian rates after its issue, your Com Office in London should negotiate a conven-:· mittee addressed the London Chamber of tion with the Government of the United States Commerce on the subject of the reduction of America for this purpose, and the Com- of rates, and the manner in which the mono-mittee have hopes that this may be accom- poly enjoyed in Hongkong by the Joint plished before long. Telegraph Administration had been brought about, with the idea of obtaining some re- medy of the position of affairs by strong representations of that Chamber in the proper quarters.
The Committee hope that their represents tion will not be without effect at the forth coming Conference in May next.
CONNECTION OF HONGKONG AND SWATOW BY CABLE.
Swatow merchants to the E. E. A.& C. T. Co., An application having being made by the Ld., to connect Swatow with Hongkong by cable, the Committee were asked to repre sent the advisability of the proposal to H. B. M.'s Minister at Peking with a view to the obtained. consent of the Chinese Government being The Committee recognised the advisability of the proposed connection, and replied that, on information being received that the Telegraph Company concerned was prepared to entertain the matter, represents tions of a favourable nature would be made to the proper authorities on the understand- ing that further exclusive landing rights in this Colony were not sought for.
METRIC SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES:
The Chinese boarding house keepers peti- tioned the Government in July last against the onerous conditions contained in this Ordinance, and sought the assistance of the Chamber on the ground that the shipping interests of the Colony might suffer through the probable driving away of the coolie emigration business to neighbouring ports. The Committee did not think it advisable to protest against the clauses of the Ordi- nance regulating the amount of the security to be found by the holders of boarding-house licences, but agreed to represent to the Government the advisability of curtailing the 48 hours during which emigrants were obliged to remain in the boarding-houses, more especially as regards male emigrants over 16 years of age. The Government were approached on the subject, and it was sug gested that the time should be reduced to 24 hours. However, the Government would not agree to this suggestion and the Com- mittee were surprised to learn that the petitioners had intimated that they no longer, desired the curtailment of the 48 hours rule laid down in the Ordinance. COLL ISIONS, BETWEEN JUNKS AND STEAMERS. In 1901 representations were made to the
In answer to an enquiry from the Govern- Government on the subject of regulating sail-ment, emanating from the Secretary of State ing craft in the harbour in order to prevent for the Colonies, a reply was sent that the the dangerous custom of sailing craft crossing compulsory adoption of the Metric System of the hows of steamers. Endeavours were made Weights and Measures throughout the Em- to get a similar regulation in Hongkong to pire had the strong support of this Chamber that enforced at Singapore, but without and that, as the Metric System was under- success. However, in 1002 this subject was stood and largely in use in this Colony, pursued and met with better success at the comparatively little difficulty would be found hands of the Government, the result being n adopting such a change in Hongkong. the passing of the Junks(Collision) Ordinance, No. 39 of 1903, which practically places junks and steamers, on the high sons only, on account of the necessary expense entailed on the same footing, between sunset and sunrise, as regards lights. The Committee regard this Ordinance as merely a step in advance, and further representations are to be made with the object of endeavour- ing
put a stop to the speculative actions brought by owners of junks for excessive collision damages, in the hope that "on account of the necessar ense entailed on the defendant steamship owner in order to successfully defend the action in the Hong kong Courts, he (the steamship owner) will prefer to settle the matter out of Court. The Committee consider that it is only reasonable to require the plaintiff to bring his action within a reasonable time after the collision and to furnish security for defendant costs unless able to produce evidence that he is resident in the Colony and possessed of property within the jurisdiction of the Court,
CABLE RATES,
The hope entertained in the last report that the reductions in the rates between Europe and India and the Straits might be extended to the Far East has not beeng lised, but on the contrary. drop in exchar has enabled the Joint Telegraph.
Adm
to increase the rates payable in Hon
25 per cent. The chairmans.
last annual imination between ing reduced ence of the ception paintain that reduction of on the cO tion of ratio it cannot be
meeting that th nfairdis
India
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The
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to by
the Cable Companie
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MERCHANT SHIPPING AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1901.
Notice was received in September last that the Secretary of State for the Colonies had received the Memorial from the Shipping Firms and Agencies dated 7th November, 1901, praying for the amendment of the clauses so as to limit the liability of owners and agents of vessels in respect of such costs and expenses of persons taken ill on board to those on the ship's articles, but that he saw. no reason for complying with the request of the signatories, The Committee regret this decision and have taken steps to warn the principal Chambers of Commerce in Great Britain so that they may be put on guard against any similar innovation being pro- posed in the Home legislature.
OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE CANTON RIVER. One important result of the Chamber's representations to. H. B. M.'s Minister at Peking and Sir James L. Mackay has been the inclusion of clause V in the new British Commercial Treaty with China under which the Chinese Government undertakes to re- move within the next two years the artificial obstructions in the Canton River. Perhaps it is yet early for any start being made in this direction, and it may be necessary to keep this from becoming a dead letter.
POSTAL GRIEVANCES.
The Committee have been instrumental, at the instigation of the Amoy Chamber, in ob- taining the ready consent of the Postmaster- General to grant greater facilities for posting late correspondence the previous night in order that it may leave by the steamers sail ing at daylight. The Postmaster-General also agreed to revert to the former hours of closing the mail for printed papers and books for the Homeward Fackets.
-
· PUBLIC HEALTH AND BUILDINGS BILL.
This measure which has been introduced as the result of the reports of the experts-- Professor Simpson and Mr. O. Chadwick, sent out by the Home Government to investigate the sanitary condition of the Colony-should have an important bearing on the well-being of the Colony in the future. It is too soon to say that benefits to any extent have been derived from its enactment. Plague was not, no doubt, due to the energetic cleansing however, so rampant in 1902, but this was, work done by the Sanitary Board and also to the better climatic conditions prevailing in the spring. It is a matter for regret that the plague returns are not of so satisfactory a nature so far this spring. Whilst the Bill was passing through its early stages on the Legislative Council, the Committee were approached by the European property owners who sought the support of the Chamber to their petition against the Bill as it then stood, on the ground that proper measures were not incorporated in the Bill relating to compensation to owners who would, under its provisions, have had to make alterations to their properties, and the following resolu- tion was passed by the Committee:
;
"While recording their entire sympathy with the objects of the Public Health and Buildings Bill, which is admittedly intro- duced for the benefit of the Colony at large, yet on grounds of equity this Chamber decides to support the principal of fair compensation being given to Crown lessees, in cases where buildings (having been erected inder Government sanction and in compliance with the requirements of then existing Ordinances) will be affected by the proposed legislation."-
:
The Government - afterwards met the objections to the original Bill in a more magnanimous spirit with the result that the final measure had the full support of the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council, and a very valuable Ordinance was quickly placed on the Statute Book.
THE CHAMBERS' REPRESENTATIVE ON THE
· LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, }}< The Hon. T. H. Whitehead having obtained leave of absence in June last, the Officer Administering the Government invited the Chamber to select another member.... Mr. Robert Shewan, of Shewan, Tomes & Co., was selected at the special meeting held on 5th June last, defeating Mr.-B. C. Wilcox, of Messrs. Turner & Co, by 58 votes to 36.
The Committee could not allow Mr. White- head's severance with the Chamber to pass · without comment, and at the monthly meet- ing of the 13th July last, the following resolution was passed and afterwards.com- municated to him :-
de 300
“That this Committee hereby records its high appreciation of the valuable services rendered by Mr. T. H: Whitehead through- out the long period from 1890 to the present time, during which he repres ented the Chamber of Commerce on the Legislative Council of Hongkong, -and expresses its profound regret at the loss ⠀⠀⠀ sustained by the Chamber through his departure from the Colony Piggyrtatoes). Mr. Whitehead'a second period of office having expired on 24th September last, Mr. Robert Shewan was elected without opposi tion for a period of six years at a special meeting held on the 3rd October, 1902]) =
SCARCITY OF WAZER AT BINGAPORE. Ā
The fact of the unusual occurrence at the win
1