March 7, 1904.j
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
2nd February, 1904. Sir,-With reference to your letter to the Editor of the Hongkong Daily Press dated 16th ultimo, on the subject of the treatment of Hong- kong manufactured sugar in Japan, I am in- structed to draw your attention to an apparent inaccuracy in your figures relating to the im. port duties. It appears that in the spring of last year the import duty on sugar entering Japan under No. 15 Dutch Standard was raised from .204 yen to 271 yeu per 100 Japanese kins. Further the kin being only equal to 1.32507 lbs. avoir. the duty works out at fractionally more per pical of 133 1,3 lbs than the figures in letter show.
your
The following figures show clearly to what extent the Hongkong refineries ar discriminat- ed against by the Japaness Government: -- Japanese refiners' import raw
sugar and pay
yen 271 duty. Japanese refiners refine raw sugar
and receive a drawback of yen .271 duty.
Japanese refiners pay consump tion tax on refiued sugars
+++
yen 1.69 2.20 2.80 (according to quality)
Total tax on Japane e refined
Bugirs...
yen 1.69 2.20 2,80
...yen .271
.748 .827 (according to quality)
Hongkong refiners im-"
port refined sugar and pay import duty
Hongkong refiners im-
port refined sugar and pay consumption tax
...yen 1.60 2.20 2.84
(according to quality)
Total Tax on Hongkong
refined sugars Difference in favour of
Japauese refined sugar yen 27
yan 1.871 29.8 3.627
.748 827
This Chamber understands that as a matter of fact, very litle refined sugar under No. 14 Dutch Standard is imported into Japau and the higher duties of yen.748 and yen 827 represent such a heavy percentage on market value that it is easy to believe they are really prohibitive.
n
this connection a glauce at the following. figures representing the value of refined sugars imported into Japan is instructive :—
yen 15,013,320
1897... 1898. 18:9 19 0.
ов
21
19
་་
21,105.595 9,156.363 15,598,3:04 1901
21,111,991 190!...
5,589,157 Although the discrimination" alluded to in your leiter may have been aimed chiefly against bounty-fed Continental sugar it obviously applies equally to sugar from Hongkong not bounty-fed, and there is wanting any evidenca of a desire ou the part cf Japan to treat Hong- kong products as Japanese products are treated in this Colony.
Į
Any comments with which you may favour the Chamber on this subject will be appreciated. -I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant,
(Sd.) A. R. LoWE,
Secretary.
Masanichi Noma, Esq., Consul for Japan,
your
Hongkong. Japanese Consulate, Hongkong, 4th February. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of letter dated 2nd iostan', and in reply I have the honour to express my high appreciation for your kindness that you had drawn my attention to a certain inaccuracy in my figures relating to the import duties of sugar. which was caused by my misuse of a reference book-I have the honour to be, Sir, your obs- d.ent servant,
(Sd.) MARANICHI NOMA,
Consul for Japan.
A. L. Lowe, Esq..
Secretary, Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
DATING OF NEW YORK TELEGRAMS. Lead letter dated 9th ultimo, from the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce asking the Chamber to support them in their endeavour to obtain an alteration in the practice of the Commercial Cable Co., of omitting the
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
date and hour of despatch in messagos passing over their lines, which is found to be of serious | inconvenience to merchants in China dealing with America.
After some discussion it was decided to support the sugges ion of the Shanghai Chamber by addressing the New York Chamber on the subject.
INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS AND SHIPBUILDERS.
ANNUAL MEETING,
The thirteenth annual general meeting of members of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders of Hongkong was held in the rooms, No. 3 Des Voux Road Central, on the 27th ult. There were present: Messrs. D. MacDonald (president), W. C. Jack (Vice- president), E. O. Murphy, H. T. Richardson, J. D. Logan, J. D. W. Thomson, C. F. Foeken, W. Ramsay, T. Skiuner, A. Baiu, J. MacDonald, T. Robertson, J. Lambert, A. Ritchie, E. C. Wilks, J. McLachlan, W. Auld, A. Milroy, P. Simcock, W. G. Winterburn, H. K. Archibald, W. Stewart, F. Marchie, R. Knox, J. F. Miller (hon, secretary), and others.
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The PRESIDENT said-Gent'emev, - The annual report and s atement of accounts having been in your hands for some time I propose, with your permission, to follow the usual custom and take them as read. For some years past the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders has not been progressing as it should do, and the close of the year 1903 as you will see from the report finds us in a worse condition than we hare been in since the Institution was started just 13 years ago.
As one of the founders I re- member wall the high hopes that were enter- tained by the first Committee an Members of the great things to be achieved by this Institu- tion, and for a number of years it seemed as if their hopes might be realised. Lut grufle. men, we have fallen on evil times and unless the members wake up and take more interest and give more support to the working of the Ins- titution, the time is not far distaut when the question of winding up the Company will bare to be seriously rousidered; for the Institution at the present time is not self-supporting. The balance (which I see the printer bas kindly put in large letters) is slightly misleading as this balance is only attained after adding $505 00 subscribed for the now billiard table and about $10:09 from the Dance account, without which we should have been about $700.00 to the bad, and I am sure none of the members wish this Institution to be un on charity. The Engineers and Shipbuilders of this Colony are well able to maintain au Ios- titution worthy of the trades from which it takes its uaine, but if they to support such
decline
au Institution then there is nothing to be done but bow to the inevitab'e and shut up. Speaking for myself I should be very sorry indeed if we are forced to close- because it would be a sign that we E. and S. in Hongkong are lagging behind while kindred institutes all over the world are flourishing and forging ahead. Some members I am told, com- plain that they do not derive any benefit from the Institute, or at any rate not sufficient for the $2.50 subscribed per montb-well that I should say is the fault of the member, for you only require to walk into the reading room and look at the collection of papers and magazines and the splendid reference library to convince you that the member who is incapable of taking $2.54 worth out of that room in the same number of hours must be wanting in those qualifications which are requisite in every Engineer and Shipbuilder. Before closing my remarks I would draw the attention of members to the classes which have lately bes 1 s'arted under the direction of Mr. W. H. Williams for instruction in Practical Mathematics a.d Mechanics, and with this Institution in a flourishing condition there is
Do
reason why these classes should not be arranged so that every member who wished t› do so, might take part in them, and this is only one of the many benefits that members might derive from the Institute if they would support it in a whole-hearted and genuine manner Before moving the adoption of the report I shall be pleased to answer any questions or give any information within my power.
183
Replying to Mr. Murphy, the hon, treasurer (Mr. C. F. Focken) said the amount outstand- ing and due to the Institution was now about $1500.
The President proposed, Mr. Juck seconded, and it was agreed that the report and accounta as presented be adopted and passed.
Mr. Bain drew attention to the falling off in membership during the past few years, and said there was something wrong somewhere.
The President replied that the committee had been doing all in their power to make the Institute attractive to members, the majority of whom seemed quite disinterested in the matter.
D
The meeting then proceeded to discuss the question of admitting marine officers and gentlemen connected with shipping as associate members of the Institution.
of
Mr. Jack mentioned that the committee had already discussed the matter, and agreed it would be best to learn the views of members | regarding the proposal. In the opinion of the Committee gentlemen connected with the ping shipping interests, afloat and ashore-ship-
clerks, captains and steamers-should be associate members, but
officers
they would, of course, be subject to election by ballot by the committee, and if admitted would have the same privilege as ordinary members with the exception that they would have no voice in the management of the Institute,
Several members wore strongly in favour of keeping the Institution purely for engineers and ship-builders, and if necessary, the sub- scriptions might be raised. Eventually it was agree to postpone the discussion in order to get the views of seagoing members.
The question of increasing subscriptions was deferred to the next meeting.
!
The following officers were elected for the ensuing year.
President:-Mr. W. C. Jack. Vice-Presi- dents-II. T. Richardson and J. Lammert.
Donald, H. Richardson, J. Lambert, T. Banks, Committee of Management:-Messrs. D. Mac- Crake. W. Ramsay, J. D. Thomson, J. Logan, E C. Wilks, J. MacDonald, and T. W. Robert- son, Hon. Secretary:-Mr. J. G. Miller. Hon. Librarian:-Mr. J. D. W. Thomson. Ноя. Treasurer :-Mr. U. F. Focken.
Votes of thanks to the officers for their services during the past year brought the pro- coedings to a close.
ALICE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEET. NG. of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals T'he annual meeting of the Finance Committee
was held on the 29th ult. in the Alice Memorial Hospital. Hon. A. W. Brewin presided, and there Ho Kai, C.M.G., Rev T. W. Pearse, Mr. G. were also present Ron, C. W. Dickson, Hon, Dr. Murray Bain, Mr. J. Goosmano, Mr. A. Ram. Treasurer), and jahn, Mr. T. W. Tso, Rev. H. R. Wells (Hon. (Secretary).
Dr. R. MacLean Gibson
The SECRETARY submitted the annual report which showed that during 1933 the number of out-patients (individual cases) treated in connec tion with the Alice Memorial aud Nethersole Hospitals and Kowloon City Dispensary had beon 13,437, while the total attendances num. bored 4,888. Owing to the prevalence of bubonic plague during the summer months many left the Colony, and others were afraid to come
be reported as suffering from plague,
to the hospital lest they should As a result the numbers for 1903 were some- what less than in 1942. In the wards of the Nothersole Hospital there were 300 in-patients, and in the Alice Memorial Hospital 465, making a total of 825. It having been found necessary from time to time to reduce the number of beds in the Alice Hospital on account of frequout outbreaks of beri-beri among the patients, and because of the hospital having become surrounded by high buildings so that free access of air is almost impossible, the yearly total showel a decrease in the number of in-patients. Experience had shown that the Alice Memorial Hospital is admirably situated from the landing stages of launches from Shan- for out-patient work, being only a short distance kiwan, Yaumati, etc., but that the treatment of in-patients is not so satisfactory as in the Nether-