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162
CHINA AND CANADA.
Daily Press, March 6th.
The Peking
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
BONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on March 5th in the Council Chamber,
PRESENT:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD, FREDERICK K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary),
Hon, Mr. W. REES DAVIES, (Attorney- General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Trea- surer).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G. (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar- General).
Hon. Commander BASIL R. H. TAYLOR, R. N. (Harbour Mastor).
Hon. Dr. Ho Kar, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. H. E. PULLOCK, K.C.
Hon. Mr. WEI YUK.
Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE.
[Maroh 7, 1908.
had been made by the unofficial members of the Sanitary Board and others that the hands of some of the subordinates of the staff of the Sanitary Board were not as clean as they might be, and that some bribery and corruption existed. The idea was conceived by my predecessor of appointing the unofficial members of the Sanitary Board to investigate those charges, more especially because those who were accused were government officials. The terms of reference to the committee were expanded into an inquiry into the administra- tion of the sanitary law, and Sir Matthew Nathan in preceding correspondence expressly said he had no intention of modifying the law, and that the committee was not appointed to that end. Afterwards the terms of reference were extended to investigate the "inconsiderate action of the officials" in enforcing the law and to investigate certain charges of irregu. larity and corruption and secondly whether the administration of the existing law was satisfactory-not whether the law was adequate, which as I have said was expressly exoladed. The investigation into the conduct of the officials could, of course, not be conducted without the power to compel witnesses to attend, and to take evidence, and therefore theommittee became a commisssion. I have
Mr. A.G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils). laid some stress on this point because I
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
It seems there are actually people, British people, who are unconvinced of the justice of China's claim against the Canadian Government for compensation for the damages inflicted upon Chinese subjects during the anti-Asiatic riots at Vancouver last September. China is said to be claim- ing about £26,000, but the amount does not matter at present. It will be a question of fact; what we are now con- cerned with is a question of principle, of simple honour. We have scen comments indicating some amusement at China's "cheek
in this connection; the collo- quialism must piss because it is the only When- one that accurately fits the tone. ever in the last half century or more there have been disturbances in the Chinese provinces, generally somewhere near to a Treaty Port, and the subjects of Treaty Powers, including British, have suffered, the Chinese Government has always been fined for it, and has always paid. argument has been that the Government, whether it could or could not have prevented the disorders, was respon-read, and confirmed. sible. It ought to set about making its administration effective throughout the whole Empire, and then it would not have to pay so much monetary compensa- tion for damages caused within its borders. This was quite reasonable, and the only reason for this recapitulation is that it ought in honour to be remembered when consider- ing the present claim against Canada. It is true that in the past Chinese subjects in foreign countries have frequently suffered without getting compensation or the active sympathy of their Government, and it may also be true that if Japan's claim in connee tion with the Vancouver riots had not been made and admitted, China's might not have been heard of. That does not affect the justice of the present demand, however. Previous neglect cannot be held to vitiate China's present determination to do its duty to its subjects and protect their rights. Nor ought we to be swayed, of course, by the reflection that Japan could perhaps demand where China has to beg. When the claim is formally prescuted to Canada, and its details passed as according with facts, we take it Canada cannot reasonably hesitate to admit its liability. The British Imperial Governmeut cannot afford to couuteuance any quibbling in a case of the sort.
CORRESPONDENCE.
"TATSU MARU II."
י.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS,”]
Macao, February 20th.
16
SIE,-In some if not most accounts of the seizure of the "Tatsu Maru II," it has been stated that the steamer was only waiting for high tide, to proceed into the Port of Macao." As the steamer was drawing 23 feet and the highest water on the bar is between 10 and 17 feet, she could not have entered the Port, with out discharging her cargo in Chinese water. To do this, she would have to apply to the local office here, of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs, and obtain a "Hu-chao
any
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by direction of H.E. the Governor, laid on the tablo Financial Minute No 8, and moved that it be referred to the Finano Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER secouded, and the motion was agreed to,
PUBLIC HEALTH AND BILDINGS ORDINANCE
(AMENDMENT) » LI..
The ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance to amnd the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, and the Public Health and
Buildings Ordinance, 1903.
was
Was
the
think it has been assumed that the Commission was B representative ons with unlimited scope of investigation. That
not so. No Government official sat among its mem- bars to assist them; the Commission being entirely of members of the Sanitary Board. It the scope of its investigations had been unlimited I think we might naturally suppose that larger sphere of interest and experience would have been represented on the Commission than
the able and were represented by public spirited and experienced gentlmen who formed
the unofficial members of the Sanitary Board. I have, gentlemen,
but admiration for
the way nothing in which the Commission attacked problems before it. For a space of nearly a year they gave up their private time to the investigation, and they brought to bear on' that work great capacity, and industry, and large local knowledge. Though the scope ex- tended beyond what was the original intention of the Government and covered the ground that had been covered by two previous Commis- sions from England, in 1892 and 1898, by Messrs. Obsorne and Chadwick, they never- sugges. very useful the less made
of which are embodied tions, in the Bill before us; and
some of which
given have already been
effect action. I would remind
soine
to by executive
some
you that one of these Special Commissions to
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS secouded. His EXCELLENCY said,—I rise to speak to a Bill of somewhat unusual interest and importance, an Ordinance to amend the Public Health and Building Ordinance of 1903, The Commission which my predecessor ap- pointed reported as long ago as 18th April last. It may seem that a somewhat unusually bus elapsed since the Govern- long time meut
was in a position to bring forward the present Bill; but I would remind you that an Ordinance Was passed in Jan- last to deal with certain aspects-viz. open
which I have alluded-the second of them-- spaces, scavenging lanes, and other argent matters. The Offer Administering the Govern submitted a draft bill on Public Health and ment found it necessary to appoint a committee Buildings which formed the basis of our Pablic to report mere precisely as to recommen-
Health and Buildings Ordinance of 1903, The dations which should ba put forward report of the Commission gradually assum- in the matter of cubicles. The
ed the
A of form report.
severe criticism both
of the committee
of the received in
the past and August of
present action
to
rela-
included last. Then the question as
the
Government. It
matters which
the tions between the Sanitary Board and
had been settled by the Secretary of State, bat as there was no which Building Authority
official sitting on ma ter ย necessitated exhaustive inquiry by experts and
the Commission who was familiar with the the report of those who were appointed to deal correspondence between the Government and with that question has only been com. the Secretary of State, who might have been able paratively recently received by the to correct the misspprehensions, old controver- vernment. Many of the earlier recom.
sies were awakened which had been sifted by the mendations of the Commission involved different Governors at different times, and executive action which did not necessitate any the remedies which appeared most suitable
the besa applied with amendment of the law, and in many respects had
State. But it the Secretary of
in this executive action has been taken, or is bing
to rise from ☐ perusal of taken. The Bill incorporates a large number of impo-sibl› amendments which were found necessary, from the report, and the evidence which supports it, time to time, since the Principal Ordinance was
without feeling that the Colony owes a very passed in 1903, and have taken considerable great debt of gratitude to those public spirited tiole and work. I o,ald wish that gentlemer, who, as I have said, devoted such a my predecessor had been here to carry large portion of their time to the investigation through the legislation which the Bill incor- of these public questions. Under the ofroam- porates. He would have dealt with it with more
originated that Commimion. ability, and with more fluency of speech then I
which have describet, honourable members that it WIG my agree think,
to daty
very onrefally in.
Was
Go-
of
stanos that (or per-
mit) which would have been granted without trouble or expense to the ship. If that had been done in this case, everything would have been in order, and there would have ben no question of either her or the Portuguese autho- Fities ignoring all Treaty rights, which is now, evidently, the sore point with the Chinese. Yours faithfully,
P. M. H.
which
concurrence
am able to command. But I will not yield to | will, I him in my endeavour to fully maintain the bounden interests of the colony and of the community, vestigate their various recommendations ---- or in the efforts which I have used to that end. ¦ I would first remind you of the history and constitution of the Commission whose report may be said to be the immediate preceding panse of the present legislation. Complaints
have been made by the com. mittee which was zot representative of the whole community-before the bill was produced which in now before us. I have given very careful consideration and much thought" to the