March 10, 1908.]
leader would so soon prova prophetic.
If the murders at Nanchang have the useful effect of showing the Chinese Govern. ment how detrimental to the best interests of China hersoll is the urther continuance of the present system, and how dangerous has been the recent action of permitting an imperium in imperio to be established, it will have done some good to the country at large. The most remarkable thing about the affair is that this granting of substantive | rank to an irresponsible body of men was not brought about by any pressure from without, but was simply the outcome of a desire to say
save itself the trouble of acting in a case of emergency. Rightly the experien- ced men who control the body of Protestant missions at once saw the impossibility of accepting the preferred boon without com- promising the position of preachers of the Gospel; and flatly refused the proposal. It would be well for the interests of the Roman Church that it were as wise in its own behalf, and save itself in the future the disgrace of a repetition of the Nanchang atrocities.
THE OVERCROWDING EVIL IN HONGKONG.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. of Chinese property, and the to which this has been done in the most densely-populated districts might form an interesting and instructive subject of inquiry by the Government,
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to make full use of this appeal to popular extent | Liberal Government was indeed so anxious.
feeling that it did to come off to take definite action in the not wait for the elections
matter. Before the dissolution of Parlia- It may be said that the rent in the out- ment, they actually went the length of lying districts are cheaper than those in issuing an order that Chinese emigration the central districts and yet houses are should be at once stopped. This hurried standing empty. Such may be the actual action, however, had very speedily to be state of affairs, but from the native's stand. modified. It was discovered (as might point the bouses in those districts do not easily have been known from the first, it come up to his standard of value. With the slightest pains had been taken the industrial population convenience is as ascertain the true position) that a summary great a consideration as hard cash, and so prohibition of the emigration could not be it is that the overcrowded, evil-ame.ling den effected without conflict with constitutional in the centre of the city, surrounded by its principles and incurring a risk of liability varying pleasures and attractions is pro- to damages in regard to such emigrants ns ferred to the quieter and better tenement had been arranged for. A further dimoulty standing empty in the environs of the city. arose, namely, that such action amounted It was hoped that the low-level tramway to an actual ignoring of the signature of would conduce to the decentralisation of the GOVERNOR of the Transvanl to licenses the population, but we have it on the to import Chinese already issued. authority of the Sanitary Surveyor's last regard to this later point, Lord SELBORNE, report that since the trams have been run- the Governor, actel ning there has been-assuming official promptitude, and plainly told the Home with unexpected estimates of the growth of the population Government that if such a course were to be fairly accurate-actually a decrease in adopted, he would resign his office. In the density of the population in the outlying this, as it turned out, he districts, while in the central districts there to be kind, and he really did the Government was cruel only has been more than a corresponding increase. nn excellent turn by pointing out to them (Daily Press, 7th March.)
Inseparably connected with the same ques- in an The subject of overcrowding in Hongkong tion is the abolition, or rather regulation, attitude in which they had placed them- unmistakable manner the falsa ngain comes under public notice by the of the cubicles, which it was hoped would selves. A retreat was accordingly made questions asked by Mr. SHELTON lOOPER assist in the solution of the problem of from this untenable position, and they had at the meeting of the Sanitary Board yester- overcrowding and at the same time secure to modify their declaration that they would day and the replies thereto given by the Pre-healthier conditions for the housing of the put an end to Chinese immigration alto. sident. Probably influenced by the special people. That, as was shown by our corres- gether to a statement that they would do articles which Inst month appeared in the pondent, bas also failed to attain the desired so Daily Press under the title of "Hongkong end. It has rather tended to make matters to retreat to. But to this there was added as far as possible —a very safe position and the Housing Question," Mr. HOOPER worse, for the people are still living as put a series of five direct questions to the before, six or seven families in a flat, with
an important rider, namely, that the matter Sanitary Authority, the answers to which the wooden partition
was one which must be settled by the corroborate the state of affairs disclosed by afforded them some degree of privacy must be given without delay, and with which previously Transvaal, to whom responsible Government our correspondent, and prove that over- replaced by verminous cloths and sacks, whom the Home Government would not crowding is still the great evil that it was The cubicle has in this way been abolished, then interfere-a proposition so mani- before the passing of the Public Health and but the remedy which that measure, was festly correct that the only regret is that it Building Ordinance of 1903. That the intended to apply has not resulted. Ordinance has had beneficial results in
was not acted upon at an earlier stage of proceedings. To anyone who knew the many directions no one will deny; but it
state of the Transvaal as to internal gov. has become apparent that the main object
ernment it must have been apparent that of the Legislature has not been achieved.
the claim which was made by those who Overcrowding, the prevention of which was one of the principal ideas of the
Parliament to interfere in this matter was were then members of the Opposition in Act, has not been in any way lessened,
in essentials as unreasonable as it would and we are still faced with conditions
have been to make such a claim if the which urgently call for reform in
Transvaal actually had representativo gov the general interests of the community.
erument at the time. From the necessity The present uneasiness with regard to the prevalence of infections diseases, which
of the position after the war, it was mani- originate in filthy and insanitary surround.
festly impossible at once to grant responsible inga, emphasises this fact, and show that the housing of the poorer people is a
(Daily Press, 8th March.) question which concerns not only the What we took occasion to indicate when Chinese but all who reside in the Colony. the subject of Chinese Inbour in the Trans. When the facts contained in the questions vnal was first pushed to the front in certain and answers under notice are examined, quarters in England is now recognised, they can only, it seems to us, lead to one namely, that the matt r was dealt with conclusion, and that is, that legislation on simply with the view to party politics, and the lines of the Ordinance of 1903 is as a means o influencing a large section of inadequate, That Ordinance is at present the British public in connection with the enforced. Visits are paid to ascertain prospective general election. Now that that whether overcrowding does exist on certain has actually taken place, the manner in premises, Teannta are summoned and which the labour question in South Africa hned. Yet there is no palpable diminution has been handled has become abundantly of the evil. The people are still found manifest. The prejudices of the working herding together in the same undesirable classes were played upon by unking it anil disgraceful tenements, and not all the appear that the Chinese labourers were an penalties contained in the Ordinance will undue competition with "white labour," drive them to seek better and ampler and a number of well-meaning persons who accommodation, for the simple reason knew nothing of the actual facts were stirred that they cannot afford to pay higher rents up by the assertion that the employment of which would be deinauded for such houses. | the Chinese was nothing more nor less than There, indeel, is the crux of the whole a system of slavery. Both these cries, if question—the poverty of the people they could be kept up long enough, were and the high rentals. One direct result calculated as likely to have considerable effect of the operation of the new Ordinance upon the elections, and the event has proved has in fact been to enhance rentals that this calculation was correct. The
In conclusion, official information in dicates very clearly that present methods are insufficient to prevent overcrowding, and if the Ordinance is not to remain practically a dead letter in this conuection the authorities must consider what further measures may be taken to lead to the removal of this mennce to public health and enable, or compel, the people to live under conditions which will be better for themselves and safe for the community.
THE CHINESE "SLAVERY" CRY▪ government, but the greatest care
was
}
taken to consult the views of the public, and this had becu done with respect to the Chinese as well na other questions. For the Home Government under such circum stances to go against the decision which had been arrived at by the GOVERNOR and which had been endorsed by the local semi- Representative Legislative Council, was us much an interference with the reasonable rights of the Colony to decideus to its own in- ternal affairs as if it actually had responsible government at the time. One thing wis apparent to all who knew anything about the Transvaal, namely, that the granting of responsible government (though a measure which must and would come in due time) ought not, upon all grounds of prudence, to be pressed forward unduly. But the old extreme Dutch Party, which is still powerful, were most anxious to have representative goverament as early as possible for precisely the reasons which made it dangerous to grant it until affairs had become more settled. This Party was shrewd recoguise their opportunity; and by their enough to agents in South Africa and at Home kept up the cry against Chinese labour, being