438
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[December 23, 1905.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTION., affairs in an earnest, vigorous and conscieations | the board of the Diocesan School. Moreover
MR. POLLOCK HEADS THE POLL.
At the City Hall on December 21st the three candidates for the prospective vacant sent in the Legislative Council, caused by the retirement at the end of the year of Sir Paul Chater, addressed the unofficial Justices of the Peace. They were Messrs. H. E. Pollock, K.C., II. W. Slade and E. A. Hewett,
Mr. F. A. HAZELAND the senior magistrate, presided over a large attendance,
The CHAIRMAN at the outset explained the purpose for which the moeting was called, and indicated the procedure to be followed, He had rec-ived three nominations-Mr. E. A. Hewett, proposed by Mr. A. G. Wood, seconded by Mr. E. W. Mitchell; Mr. H. E. Pollock, proposed by the Hon. Mr. Gershom Stewart, seconded by Mr. Playfair; Mr. H. W, Slide, proposed by Sir Paul Chater, sec uded by Mr. J. R. M. Smith; and asked if there were any other nominations.
There being none forthcoming,
The CHAIRMAN said he would be glad if the three candidat-8 would agree as to the order in which they should speak.
Mr. HEWETT remarked that they had a rule in the Chamber of Commerce that the cand dates should address the meeting in the order that their nominations had beou received.
Mr. POLLOCK did not think that rule was binding on the meeting, and he proposed that he should address the meeting last.
The Hon. MR. GERSHOM STEWART seconded. The vote was being taken when it was intimated that the other two candidates were agreed that Mr. Pollock should speak last.
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Mr. Slade then agreed to speak first. Bir PAUL CHATER, on rising from his sont was greeted with loud applause. In proposing Mr. Slade, he said: -Gentlemen, We are hero to-day to electa repres-utative from the Justices of the Peace to the Legislative Conucil of this Colony, and in proposing to you, as I have now the pleasure to do, Mr. H A. W. Slade, I feel that no words from me are necessary to recom. mend him to your suffrages, since he is well known to you, having been a resident of the Colony for the past seventeen years as a mem ber, and for some years past as the head, of one of the oldest established firms in the Colony. Mr. Slade is largely interested in the commercial welfare of the Colony, and has an extendel experience therein holding as he does a seat on the directorat, of some of our leading public companies! he is chairman of the Hongkong and Shang hai Bank and the Union Insurance Society of Canton, and a member of committee of the Chamber of Commerce. If is, moreover, a resident in the true sense of the word not liable at a moment's notice to be transferred to other sceues ; the life of Hongkong is his life; its welfare his welfa e; aud I feel sure that if you elect him you will have elected one who can safely be trusted to work for the interest of the Colony with nutiring zal and ability. I beg therefore to propese to you Mr. H. A. W. Slade (applause).
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spirit. Ho was the sort of man they wanted, and the speaker hoped they would send him there.
Mr. SLADE said that when Sir Paul Chater approached him sometime back and told him he did not intend to seek re-election, and asked the speaker if he would be willing to be nominated, be felt very diffident about it, but Sir Panl represented the case to him, and on speaking to one or two other gentlemen, the impression was that it was a very desirable thing that the new representative should, if possible, be a person in a similar position to himself, namely, a business man. For that reason he was before the electors It se med to him that every one, when he considered a particular question, did so from his own standpoint, a lawyer looking at it from a legal point of view, and the property owner from the point of view as to whether the value of property would be affectel. As head of a firm here, his interess were entirely coinci- dent with the interest of all other merchants, and the knowledge he had gained in business would enable him to consider how proposals were likely to affect the commercial pros. perity of the Colony. Again, as a director of certain buks here, other interests were brought closely unler his n tice, such as the important question of property. All matters which in any way affected the values and int rests of property, from the experience he had gained in his connection with public com- panies, he could give an opini in o", As regards the Colony's shipping interests, there again he had experience which would enable him to look at it from a proper point of view, both in his own bus ness aud as Lloyd's agout here. He had no connection outside the Colony which would in any way bias his opinion. On the question of finance he would be able to give a better opinion than the others, as a merchant's opinioù was likely to be of most ra ne, and he thought fe would be better able to consider how a proposal should be brought forward which was likely 10 affect the prosperity of the Colony. He could assure the electors that if they elected him, his best efforts would be used to furthering their interests in the Council.
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Mr. Woop had much pleasure in pro- posing Mr. E. A. Hew.ti. He had been sufficiently long and well known to the electors for them to kuow his qualifications.
Mr. MITCHELL, seconded the proposal. Ha did not think a better mau could be found to represent them.
Mr. HEWETT said he would like in the first place to cordially endorse, as he was sure they already had done, the great regret the Just es of the Peace of this Colony experienced by he retirement of Sir Paul Chater after so many years representing that important body (applause). It was nsual cu such an occasion as that for the candidate who cam before them to make some remarks as to his qualifications, and to state his views. Ha ha i had the audacity to offer himself as a candilate because he believed that his past experience had fitted him for the important position which he sought. It was 24 years since be had first arrived in the colony, and during that period he bad been a resident here for ten years. With the exception of two brief visits home, he had spent the rest of that time in China or Japan. ut having regarded Hongkong as his destination he had always kept well in touch with all that was passing here. He did not wish to wave a red ag before then he did not wish to suggest they were ball-but he felt he must refer to the fire years municipal exp rience which he had had in Shaughai, and he should perhaps remind them of what that experiencs amuated to. It meant the control of a large police force of 0, a large volunteer force, a volunteer fire brigade, municipal gaol, a complete works department, sanitary and medical departments, a form of regulations which werd practically the
Mr. SMITH said he was sure all had beard with great regret that Sir Paul Chafer had decided to retire from the Council. Had he allowed himself to be persuaded to stand again, the speaker was certain that he would have been returned with acclamation, for he had proved himself right worthy of the honour and dis tinction, and had been a most able, energetic and popular representative, not only of the Justio.s of the P ace, but of the whole community. Instead of seeking re-election, however, he had proposed Mr. H. W. Slade to fill the vacancy, and had shown in a very convincing way that he could not have put forward a more suitable successor. Not Only was Mr. Slade a resident of many years' standing, but his whole futura business interests were centred here, so that he was equivalent of Our local ordinaces, and intimately concerned in all that affected the all que-tions, great and small, including general welfare, prosperity and development of, also exte sive finance, which must relate to the Colony. He knew of none amongst them au important enmunity representing song of whom it could be more truly said, that the Europeans and P000 Chinese. For two years interests present and future-of the Colony, he had been on the Hougkong Sanitary Board were his interests; neither did he know anyone and for many years he had been closely con. in a better position to follow a free and in- uected with educational establishments, both dependent course in the Council Chamber, and, here and elsewhere.
He had served ou
the if elected, he would apply himself to public governing board of Queen's College and on
he had been close'y connected with the various Chambers of Commerce in the leading ports of is part of the world, and he considered that he was fairly entitled to assert that he had obtained a very varied and extensive experience which must be of very great use in whatever psition he occupied. In his own business, and in his association with the Chamber of Com- merce it had been his business to make himself acquainted with all questions affecting the interests of Hongkong : such 88 the Kowloon railway, the fiscal question, the water supply, the sanitary question and the number. s questions which must arise in such an important community as this. With regard to the fiscal question he had been fortunate when up his recent visit home to express what he biliored to be the view of the colony on that subject. It had been urged that he did not properly represent Hongkong, but he failed to understand how such a suggestion could apply to him. It was 61 years since the P. and O. Company first dispatched a steamer to Hongkong, and so long as that company ofisted, so loug must their interests be closely bound up with Hongkong, whose growing importiuce was an every-day occurrence. For very nearly 3 years he had been in the employ of the P. and O., aud he intended with luck to serve them for another 30 years. If it were vouchsafed to him, he hoped it that considerable period to devote his at- tention to promoting the interests of Hong- kộng, whether he happened to be resident here or not (cheers), He had heard a rumour the other day to the effect that ho was going home; but he wished them to understand that were that true he would not appear before them that day. He had only just returned from a visit home, and he hoped to spend many days in Hongkong before going home. They were all busy men, and their first thoughts were taken up by their business. He possibly bad as much leisure as most men, and be could assure them that public work being his hobby, he gladly seized any opportunity of working for what he believed to be the public good. That being so, if they did him the honour to elect him as their represent- ative to the Legislative Council, ho could assure them that his t me and strenuous en-
deavours would be devoted to the furtherance of the interests which he was sure they all hal at heart (applause.) He came before them as un entirely independent candidate. He had actually the temerity to come forward on his own initiative. As he had said, it had always been his desire to work for the public god The rule he had set before himself in public positions which he had filled, was 10 do, without fear or favour, the greatest gool for the greatest number (applause) He dill not se-k that position for the honour which it conferred, but he came forward honestly lieving that he was qualified to fill it. If they elected him he would do what he believed to be his duty in looking after their interests to the full (cheers.).
The Hon. Mr. GERSHOM STEWART said his duty that day sat lightly on bim, as the can- dilate whom he recommended them to elect to the position, Mr. H. El Pollock, was already well and favourably known to them (applause). The interest which had been evinced in the election and the attendance there that day were sufficient answer to those who held the opinion that they were so engrossed in the pursuit of money or the pursuit of pleasure that they had time to take any interest in their public
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ffairs when they had the opportunity of 80 dding (applause). Three gentlemen had offered themselves for election that day, all of high character aud recognised ability, but as it was impossible for thre, men to occupy one soat the invidious process of making a selection was forced on those present. He thought they owed a debt of gratitude to the three gentlemen for their public spirit in coming forward (applause). He felt sure he expressed their views when he said that the defeited would share with the victor, whoever he might be, the respect and esteem of their fellow citizens
1 (cheers). It was not for him, situated as he was, to enlarge on the sterling qualities of the two gentlemen towards whom he was in temporary opposition; but to enlarge upon the good points of the bandidate whose claims he advocated. Mr. Pollock's record was well-known