May 30, 1908.]
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Minutes of a monthly meeting of the Com. mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce held in the Chamber Room, St. George's Building, Chater Road, Hongkong, on Saturday, the 16th May, 1908, at 12 'olock noon. Present:-Messrs. D. R. Law (Chair- men) J. R. H. Smith, J. Babington, J. W. C. Bonnar, A. Fuchs, Hon. Mr. M. Stewart and E. A. M. Williams (Secretary).
COMMITTEE.
The CHAIRMAN welcomed the new members of the Committee, Messrs. A. Babington and J. W. C. Bonnar.
MINUTES.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Committee fail to see that the proposals if carried into effect will make this port more popular.—I am, &c.,
E. AM. WILLIAMS,
Secretary.
Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary.
TREATY BETWEEN UNITED KINGDOM AND REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
Colonial Secretary's Office,
6th April, 1908. SIR,-1 am directed to transmit for the consideration of the Chamber of Commerce the enclosed copy of a despatch from the Secretary of State dated the 3rd ultime, in which Lord Elgin proposes to cause the adherence of this Colony to the Commercial Convention between notified on the 26th of last November to be the United Kingdom and Bulgaria which was notified to the Bulgarian Government, on or about the 1st of September next, unless he is furnished in the meantime with a statement of
The minutes of the last monthly meeting objections to such a course.
held on the 27th March 1908 were read and confirmed.
PRIVATE MOORING BUOYS IN THE HARBOUR.
The following reply to the Government was read :-
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce,
12th May, 1968.
SIR, I am directed to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your letter of the 3rd ultimo on the subject of the proposal of the Government to make leased moorings in the Harbour available to vessels other than those of the lesgeeb.
2 My Committee note that section 28 (4) of the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Ordinance 1899 gives power to the Harbour Master to allot leased moorings to ressels other than those
of the lessees.
I am to state, however, that my Committee are unaware of any occasion apon which the power has been exercised except under very special oircumstances, and for reasons conveyed in paragraph 3 of this letter they view with alarm any change in the procedure that has been followed for many years
3 My Committee note that the Government are prepared to guarantee that a buoy shall be available for the lessees' vessel upon giving the Harbour Master 48 hours' notice. It is, how- ever, just this particular portion of the scheme, and the resultant inconvenience to all which my
Committee anticipate by its adoption, that compels them to disagree with the proposals
of the Government.
I am to put forward for example, a state of affairs that my Committee consider likely to
occur.
A steamer consigned to agents, who do not own a buoy, arrives in the harbour and applies for and takes up her position at, a leased moor- ing. She has a cargo that will take her three days to discharge. The owners of the buoy notify the Harbour Master on the day this vessel takes up her berth that they will require their buoy in 48 hours. What is the result?
(1) The steamer has to clear away i.e. either get up steam or be towed to a new berth.
(2) The Chinese consignees are greatly in- convenienced and lose time and money through the vessels having to move.
(3) Cargo boat owners suffer to the same extent and in the same way and lose additional time and money through having to search for the vessel at her new berth.
(4) Owners lose time and money and run unnecessary risk;
My Committee therefore consider the pro posal both inconvenient and expensive.
As regards the undertaking by the Govern. ment to inspect the buoys for damage after their use by vessels other than those belonging to the owner of the mooring, my Committee consider that any examination short of actually hoisting up the buoy for the discovery of damage under water where it is most likely to occur, would be most unsatisfactory to owners.
4 My Committee regret that notwithstanding the Government's assurances contained in your letter of the 3rd April, they are unable to withdraw their objection to the scheme. I am to reiterate the Committee's belief that any alteration in the present procedure is unneces- sary and would be extremely vexations. My
to
2 His Excellency the Governor will be glad know whether, in the opinion of the Chamber, any such objections exist.-I am, &c.,
F. H. MAY, Colonial Secretary.
The Secretary,
The Chamber of Commerce.
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce,
16th April, 1908.
I
SIR, I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant (No. 2481/1908) enclosing copy of a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the Commercial Convention between the United Kingdom and Bulgaria.
My Committee are unaware of any direct Bulgaria, and as the Treaty can be terminated, trade existing between this Colony and as far as this Colony is concerned, on giving 12 month's notice of such intention, they do not see any objections to the proposed adherence of this Colony to the said Convention. I have &c,
E. A. H. WILLIAMS.
Secretary.
SUPREME COURT VACATIONS, The following correspondence was read :-
Chambers, Supreme Court, Hongkong, 11th April, 1903. SIR,-In cobs-quence of the publication of the further correspondence on the subject if the Supreme Court Vacations, I have the honour to point out that the memorial to the Chamber was not signed by eight firms of solicitors. Certainly half, if not more, of the signatories were gentlemen practisting as in- dividual solicitors, who are no more
"firms 童多 than individuals who carry on business by themselves. The statement that eight firs sigced the memorials was therefore as unfor- tunately inaccurate as the statement in the minutes that the view of the Chamber was supported by the majority of the solicitors of the Colony. This statement was, as possibly you may not be aware, hurriedly corrected after I had pointed out its inaccuracy to the then Chairman, before copies of the proceedings were sent to the Press. I have &é..
F. T. PIGGOTT. The Chairman Chamber of Commeros,
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce,
13th April, 1908. SIR, I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 11th April on the subject of the Supreme Court Vacations, and in reply I am directed to state that my Com- mittee do not see that any useful purpose can be served by continuing this correspondence,-I have &c.,
(Sgd.) E. A. H. WILLIAM', Secretary. His Honour Sir Francis Piggott,
Chief Justice.
Chambers, Supreme Court, Hongkong, 14th April, 1908. SIR-I find myself on this point at least in agreement with the Committee of the Chamber, that no useful purpose can be served by ccn- tinning this correspondence, and I can only wish that the wisdom of this idea had prevented the issue to the Press of the further correspon- dence with the Government on the subject
343 1
of the Supreme Court Vacations, thereby pro- voking farther unjustifiable attacks on the Chief Justice. The studied discourtesy of that correspondence induced me to point out the futility of the mystery with which the memorial of the eight firms" to the Chamber has been shrouded, for the names of the signatories have long been known to me; and also compelled me to prese home the inaccuracy of the state- ment made with regard to the status of those signatories. I have &.,
F. T. PIGGOT, Chief Justice,
The Chairman, Chamber of Commerce, KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.-Te, BOLLING
STOCK.
The following letters were read :—
Colonial Secretary's Office,
22nd April, 1908. SIR,I am directed to invite an expression of opinion by the Chamber of Commerce on the question as to whether bogie tracks or short- tracks would be best adapted for use on the Hongkong-Canton Railway.
I am to point out that the former have great advantages for single consignments of large bulk as 30 tons can be loaded on one truck. But if single consignments are small and the sender of goods desires a separate truck for his own use, the smaller trucks would obviously be more economical in freight.
As at present advised the Government pro- poses to adopt short trucks as being probably best suited, at the commencement, to local trade but the advice of the Chamber will be of value in the matter.—I am, &c.,
The Secretary,
F. H. MAY, Colonial Secretary.
Chamber of Commerce.
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce 28th April, 1908. SIE,I am directed to acknowledge your letter of the 22nd instant (No, 4964-1907) inviting an expression of opinion from this Chamber on the question as to whether bogie trucks or short tracks would be beat adapted for use on the Hongkong Canton Railway.
In reply I am to state that it would appear that short traks have been found wanting in utility on the Northern Railway and large bogie tracks are in general use on the Shanghai. Nanking Railway and the Hankow-Peking line. In Japan also short tracks are being discarded in favour of bogie trucks.
I am to enclose for your information extracts from the reports of the Direc- tors of the Imperial Railways in North China for the years
30th September, 1904, 1905 and 1907. From these it will be
seen that the tendency has been to convert the smaller trucks of earlier usage to cars of increased capacity.
It will be seen also that cars constructed for other railways in 1906 and 1907 were invari- ably of 30 tons capacity.
My Committee are of opinion that large bogie trucks are best adapted for use on the Hong- kong-Canton Railway.
My Committee desire me to request you to be good enough to convey to the Government their thanks for the opportunity accorded them of giving an opinion on this matter.-I have &o.,
E. A. M. WILLIAMS,
Secretary.
Hon F. H. May, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, 8th May, 1908. SIRI am directed to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo on the question as to whether bogie trucks or short trucks would be beat adapted for use on the Kowloon-Canton Railway.
2. The Chief Resident Engineer anticipates that as a rule the Hongkong consignment would be small and that a consignee would not be able to fill a bogie truck, in which case he might have to pay the same freight for a 20 ton as for a 30 ton consignment, Moreover if short tracks are used they can be turned off a siding on a turn-table into a shed at right angles to the siding, and this would be a very great convenience to firms which possess godowns.