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April 2, 1906.1
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE.
Mr. E A. Hewett presided at the annual meeting of the Hongkong Chamber of Com- merce, held on the 28th March in the City Hall. Supporting him were the Hon. Mr. B. Shewan, Hon. Mr, C. W. Dickson, Messrs. N. A. Siebs. A, Haupt, J.R., M. Smith, A. G. Wood, G. H. Medhurst, and D. R. Law, members of committee. The others present were Messrs. B. L. Batliwara, F. J. V. Jorge, Salinger, A. Forbes, J. R. Michael, C, Pemberton, C. Thompson, O. Ellis, J. D. J. Leiria E. O. Murphy, W. H. T. Davis, J. Wilkie, T. P. Cochrane, W. D. Graham, D. M Nisam, H. M. Tibbey, W. M. Watson, E. Ormiston, E. A. Soolemanje:, S. Morjee, L. Berindoague, and A. Rumjahn.
The CHAIRMAN said,-Gentlemen, with your permission we will as usual take the report and accounts as read, but before proposing the passing of these documents I will make a few remarks with regard to the principal matters which have engaged the attention of the Com- mittee during the past year.
Touching the working of the pilot ordinance, Since our last meeting further correspondence has passed between the Chamber and the Gov. ernment and it is satisfactory to note that under the existing conditions the ordinance has worked smoothly. No complaints have been made during the year as to there not being a sufficient supply of competent men to carry out such pilotage work as is required in Hong. kong.
With regard to fiscal reform, to which I have on more than one occasion referred, the question seems to be in abeyance owing to the opinions held by the majority of the supporters in the House of Commons of the present Government, and to the postponement of the proposed Colonial Conference till I believe 1907. The question, however, still requires watching and it is to be hoped that when the Conférence does meet the Crown Colonies will have the advantage of being directly represented by someone personally acquainted with their individual needs, and not as I understand was at one time contemplated, by the Secretary of State whose knowledge of the details of the trade of such Colony must be limited.
You will observe that the report contains certain correspondence in which the Mer- chant Shipping Guild figures prominently. The various questions raised by that associa- tion have all been satisfactorily dealt with and while we trust this satisfaction is also shared by the Guild, it demon- strates clearly that the Government more particularly as represented by the Harbour Master is anxious that no unreasonable restrictions shall interfere with business and that, where possible, regulations will be modified when it can be shown that they press unduly on the trade of the Colony.
No progress has been made during the past year in the direction of the suggested com. pulsory registration of partnerships, but the Committee are closely following the steps now being taken in this direction both in the Straite aud Bengal. In view, however, of certain statements which have appeared in some of the Eastern papers. it would be as well to re-iterate that as a body the Committee while recognizing the evils which at times arise through the want of full information being on record as to the individual partners in native firms, are practically agreed that no scheme which has as yet been presented can receive our support. We believe compulsory registration to be advisable, but the disadvantages are great and we still await some practical solution of the problem.
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From time to time the question arisos as to certain local events being made the occasion of an official bank holiday. The matter is of quite secondary importance, but as it has been referred to lately in the local press it perhaps deserves passing reference. It is only necessary say therefore that while certain days in the year are accepted as bank holidays the sudden interpolation of one because of some local function may, and indeed at times does, inflict hardship upon a merchant, who not holiday-mak. ing himself finds his business dislocated. That the Government fully recognizes this is shown by
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
their always doing us the honour of ascertaining | ance of this refuge is fully recognised whether the declaring of a certain day as a
Government. holiday be convenient.
You will have seen from the report now before you that considerable correspondence has passed between the Government and the Chamber in connection with the proposed subscription by this Colony to the International Sanitary Convention of Paris 1903. The main point which so far as we are situated affects us is that under this convention the period of incubation of bubonic plague has, after careful considera- tion and discussion by the best experts of the nationalities concerned, been reduced from 10 days to 5 days. It is freely admitted that sporadic cases of p'agus can break out not only after 5 days but even after 10 days, as has been frequently proved, but granted that all the safeguards provided by the new conven- tion be adopted the risk of such ontbreak is small and fully warrants the proposed reduction in the regulation with regard to the official limit to the period of incubation. Any of us who have had even a small acquaintance of the necessities of our local and interport trade will readily understand the enor- mons advantage which such a change, if universally adopted, won'd bring about in our trade, hampered as it is by these constantly enforced quarantine regulations which so seriously affect us at certain times of the year throughout the Far East Before recommending the Government to subscribe to the Convention it was, however, considered advisable to ascertain whether the Straits Government would also subscribe to it, as unless they were prepared to do this many of the advantages which we would derive under the new Convention would be lost to us. On being approached, however, the Singapore Government was unwilling to accept the conditions of the Paris Convention and in this was supported by the local Chamber of Commerce. Further negotia ions are DOW being conducted between the two Colonies. In view of the fact that throughout the greater part of the year quarantine is enforced against Hongkong, the result if we continue to work under the old regulation as laid down by the Venice Convention will as heretofore militate seriously against our prosperity and also sot adversely on the mutual trade of the two Colonies. We believe that regulations which are found acceptable to the home government should also prove so to the more distant Crown Colonies of Great Britain, and we are not without hope that we may convince our sister Colony that by adopting the new Convention they will not be adding to the risk of the introduction of bubonic plague into their midst
Before passing to other matters which are of deep interest to us, I would refer to one or two local questions not de lt with in the report now before you.
The sup-
It is satisfactory to be able to note that what has been for many years past a skeleton in the cupboard is we trust shortly to be laid per manently at rest. I r.fer to the constantly recurrent shortage of our water supply. During the past few years this question has received the earnest consideration of the overnment and by none more seriously pressed than His Excellency our present Governor. plimentary addition to the Tytam reservoir is now approaching completion and will be sufficiently far advanced to store the water available during the approaching wet season. The Kowloon water scheme will also be shortly in fall working order and by next winter it is hoped the inhabitants of the Peninsula will be supplied with all they require. In addition we hope that next year work will be commenced on the larger Tytam reservoir.
While all this no doubt very satisfactory, these great undertakings have necessarily absorbed large sums of money, mostly provided it is gratiying to note out of current revoque,
Another matter which must in time - the attention of the Government, and indeed has I believe already reosived some con- sideration, is that of the overcrowding of the harbour. Hongkong in point of merchant tonnage entered and cleared ranks as the first port of the world. This is not only due to itề geographical position but to the wise policy adopted by the Government in doing all possible by low taxation and the absetics of vexations regulations to attract shipping to this port So long as this policy is continued so long will the port of Hongkong be able to hold its own as a centre of trade against all rivals to its supremacy in this part of the Far Eastern sens,
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Prosperity, however, brings with it obligations, and with the increasing number of vessels add- the general tendency for an increase in the size of these vessels the waters of the harbour are even now unduly restricted and some of the larger merchant steamers have to take up their anchorage in the outskirts of the harbour. The needs of our own fleet, and the more constant appearance of our friends, members of foreign navies, still further tend to increase the difficulty of providing suitable anchorage for all, and the time is now rapidly approdchitig when the whole question of the distribution of the shipping in the harbour will require careful consideration. The solution of the quest on will probably be found in the laying down of a system of head and stern · moorings, but as the expense thus: incurred would be very great the matter is one requiring careful consideration before a definite line of action be adopted.
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When we last met reference was made to the terrible war than in progress in the northern territory of the Empire to which we are so closely allied by interest. and trade. That war has now happily terminated in an honourable peace and the result will we trast be that the peace of the Far East is thereby ensured for all time. This hope is farther encouraged by the particularly friendly relations which exist between ourselves and our friends in the waters, evidence of which we are happily witnessing at the moment.
The drain upon our resources has been severe and other important public works have of nec.ssity for the time being been relegated to the background. Among others the all important work of a new and thoroughly sufficient harbour of refuge for small craft is one of those pressing questions which has had to take second place. We understand, however, that this important undertaking may possibly appear in the next estimates, or at the furthest in those of the following year. It is 'however, satisfactory to know that the import. '
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In connection with the war, to which reference has just been made, two very import ant questions have arisen urgently calling for the earnest consideration of all civil sed Govert? ments. I allude to the question of the definition of contraband of war, and that of the placing of mines for warlike purposes where and in such positions they may either at the time, or after peace has been declared, prove a terrible menace' to peaceful vessels. Both these questions are most complex and a satisfactory solution of them difficult, but it is earnestly to be hoped that steps may be taken to minimise the great loss to trade and possibly to life and property by the too reckless disregard during war time of the admitted rights of neutrals.
While I do not wish to unduly detain you, my remarks would hardly be complete were not reference m de at this our Annual Meeting to the present condition of China with whose wel- fare we are so closely bound up. To be consist- ent, after so many years of gratuitous advloe offered to our neighours, we must all be glad to see that at last the nation appears to be awaken- ing and while throwing off the inertia of centuries to realize that she is a nation and must take her place as such in the world. The present movement in China while undoubtedly fraught with great difficulties and possibly danger to individuals should after all receive our sympathy so far as it is directed towards'in improved system of Government in which the people a large will be permitted to have a share. It is a matter for deep regret that few hot-headed and ignorant individuals should find it in their power to stir up communities not only to acts of rebellion against their own rulers but that this agi ́ation should further result in murderous attacks upon foreigners resident in the country, where their presence is sanctioned by treaty. One of the most brilliant patriots of last century when addressing a meet- ing of his nationals in Ireland stated that “ the greatest political reform was not worth the shedding of a single drop of Dood genuine reforms if honestly and courageous carried out can be gained by peaceful mess
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