July 6, 1908]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
round wellbeing of the Colony, and this whole our right minds we desire, all of us, the all truth should make us free-free from myopie views and divisional strife-and bound only by the duties, the claims and the aspirations of our common citizenship.
more
Those who, like myself, signed that petition, will feel that the community can without undue generosity consent to share whatever blame is needful to be borne for the wrongs which this Ordinance seeks to set right.
It is now admitted, I take it, that the Government were too lenient towards property owners prior to
HIS EXCELLENCY-Gentlemen, I welcome 1908, and that since then they have not been the speech of the hon, member who has just sat lenient enough. This admission is implied by down. He has spoken in his usual eloquent the recognition of the necessity for the present terms, in summing up the general motives of ordinance, That the necessity was amply this bill, I think I too may congratulate the recognized by the officials of the Government Council on having at last got this heavy task has been demonstrated by the indefatigable off its hands, a task to which everyone of na manner in which they have striven to flod ways has given the utmost thought and attention with! and means of reconciliation and agreement. the desire to achieve the best we could in the The numerous preliminary meetings, held interests,-I may say the often conflicting in- between the permanent officials immediately terests,-involved in its production. Oar object concerned and those best qualified to speak with has been on the one hand to preserve the interests technical knowledge on bebalf of the of sanitation in this Colony, which has been property owners, relieved this Council of liable year after year to plague, and which all the hard work and the members who is never free from disease. On the other hand were not thus engaged are able to praise, to do no violence to property owners, and to without self praise, the results in reasonable aroid, if possible, the depreciation of property compromise which have been achieved. and on the other hand not to alienate the feelings The actual work of drafting such a constantly of the hinese, but to endeavour in a changing document must have been prodigious, energetic way than perhaps ever tri d before, to and those upon whom it mainly fell are to be enlist their sympathy and cooperation with us congratulated upon the sight of the end of their in order to carry out our desires in the matter labours, and upon the lively hope that these of sanitation. And we hope to enlist that sym- have not been undertaken in vain. At least in pathy, not merely by making the terms of the this hope all sections of the community may Ordinance less drastic, bat by endeavouring to anite, and also. I venture to think, in the get them to understand the meaning of the belief that all the earnest work, all the tedious ordinance and how by carrying it out they will pains, all the anxious thought and care distilbe working for the'r own good (applause). The fed into these few pages of print have not been second point on which the hon. member who thrown away, but on the contrary have greatly represents the Chamber of Commerce dwelt- improved the machinery of the original Bill. aud I followed his remarks with the greatest For the satisfactory running of it we must now pleasure was that during the long discus ion look to the game indvidual assiduity that has on this bill it has been the desire of the Govern wrought this improvement, and which, com- ment to listen to every possible argument and pounded with commonsense, should act as a Jubric at to decrease friotion and prevent jars. held outside this chamber to smooth the way discuss it fully, and by means of conferences Of all needlessly narrow interpretations of the when difficult points ar se 80 powers of the Building Authority we shall at unanimity, and
as to arrive hope to have heard the last. To trust greatly at the risk of baving to commit, and recommit avoid friction, even is to expect great things. In particular and recommit again as we have done daring the we shall expect great things from the per- last two -sonal qualities of the new executive head of
or three weeks. I am glad too, that at the close of his speech he anticipated the Sanitary Department, upon whose taot me in one remark which I had and administrative judgment we must rely for the enlistment of the sympathy and co-operation
my mind to make, and that was to congratulate the Sanitary Commission on the ultimate 8 of the Chinese,—without whiob, when all is said and done, the Government can do next to That Commission, as I have frequently said in salt now achieved by the passing of this bill. nothing. The cause of plague is obscure. How this chamber, bas merited the gatitude of the the rat gets it, who can say ? But how men get Colouy, and I think that after their long twelve it from rats we know. The cause is obscure but months work they may feel legitimately proud the cure is cleanliness. To persuade the Chi- in that they were the prompting cause the nese of that is the crux of the whole question. inauguration of this bill. I would, however, How much can be done alog these lines by take objection to the phrase that personal representation and leadership was proved by Sir Henry Blake's notable experi-opponents in the good old way which was the Government should now shake bands with their ment made seven years ago. The suco BS.
custom after a fight. I maintain we have not fal administration of
the law will depend fought (bear, bear). We have had legitimate upon the human agency employed, but that argument, each side representing its own after all is not the busines of this Couu point of view, and we I are examined each point oil.
The business of this Council is to pass good laws, and in the belief that this amending, and much amended, Ordinance can now be so regarded, I shall record my vote in favour of the Third Reading. That the letter of the law is now perfect I do pot assert, but that it is on the whole satisfactory, I venture to firm. And so at the end it is possible to se, and it is only right to say, unofficially as well as officially-and in the position which i temporarily occupy in this Council, as well as for another reason, it gives me particular satisfaction to say-that the result of the ap- pointment of the Sanitary Commissio has proved to be a distinct benefit to the Colouy. When the first bitterness of the contention set up by their report is recilled and is contr sted with the present reasonable attitude displayed in public utterances o ncerning it, there would appear to be reason for thinking that public opinion favours the idea that the present is a suitable occasion for the Government and the community to adopt the good old custom of shaking hands after a fight; and, joining in the terms of the general confession, to agree to go forward with the added strength of mutual support and confidenos in waging unremitting warfare against the fell disease which at inter- vals hes so sorely afflicted humanity since the beginning of history. In combating it the community has been divided long enough by opposing half truths. It is time to seek union in the whole truth. The whole truth is that in
it in
the
of view. The Government does not admit having taken up a diametrically antagonistic attitude towards the Sanitary Commission, or towards anyone else and for my part I certainly disclaim a y such feelings (applause). and became law.
The bill was then read a third time, passe,
HIS EXCELLENCY-Council stands adjourned until n xt Thursday.
FINANCE COMMITTEE,
A meeting of the Finapos Committee was then held, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presid ing. The following votes vera passed :- HARBOUR MASTER'S DEPASTHSST. The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of two thousand two hundred and twenty-one dollars ($1,221)| in aid of the vot, Harbour Master's Department, for the follow ing items:-
A. HARBOUR OFFICE. Personal Emoluments. *Allowances for Painti g Numbers on Junks to:-3rd Grade Clark, at $30
$ 15 2 5th Grade Clerks and Shroffs, at
$36 each Inspector of Janks and Cargo Boats,
at $180 Assistant Inspector of Jooks and
Cargo Boals, at $120
36
90
60
3rd Grade Assistant Inspector of 11 Police Officers, in charge of Out- Janks and Cargo Boats, at $90...
stations, 4 at $180, 4 at #120, and 3 at $60 each
3 Police Constables at Oufstationa,
2 at $90 each, and 1 at $6) 34 Boatmen, 10 at $24, 12 at $18, and
3 Seamen, at $24 each
20 Police Boatmen at Outstations,
12 at $12 each...
Painter, at $18,
13 at $24, and 7 at $13 each
Paints, Brushes, &o., for Pain ing
Other Charges. Numbers on Juoks,
E-STEM-LAUNCHIS. Steam-Launch Daisy. Personal Emoluments, •
45
690
120 96
300
219 24
-31,635
550
Jaaks to:-
* Allowances for Painting Number on Engineer, at $24,
2 Seamen, at 821 each,
Total ...
$ 12 24
36
$2,221
* For 6 months from 1 t July to 31st Desem- ber 1908.
CHARITABLE SERVICES. Tas Governor recommended the Council to vote a ($30,000) in aid of
sum of Thirty thousand Dollars Services, Other Charitable Allowances.
the vote, Charitable
SUPREME COURT.
Monday, 29th June.
IN ORIGINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE (SIR F. PIGGOTT).
A JURY ACTION.
In the action Leang Lai Wan and others v. Reuter Brookelmana and Company, the plaintiffs claimed damages from defendants for having illegally procured the Chinese author. plaintiffs and wrongful seizure of premises, es to issue a warrant for the arrest of Mr. M. W. Slade, instructed by Mr. C. F. Dixon of Mesar. Hastings and Hastings, appeared for the plaintiffs, defendants being representel by the Hon. Mr. H. E. Pollock, K., and Sir Henry Barkeley, K.C., instructed by Mr E. P. Lang of Messrs, Deacon, Looker and Looker,
Tue special jury was composed of Messrs. R. Shewan (foreman), Richard
Martia, T. F. Hough, J. A. Jupp, A. W. A. Bucker, A 8. D.
plaintiffs carried on business as silk merchants. Consland, and G. W C. Pemberton.
Prior to March of last year the defeud ints had, at dites unknown to the plaintiff, dealings with a firm in Hongkong, trading under the style of the Cheung Loong firm. The two partners in that firm were Woo Yui Nam and Leung Tain Pang and the firm was adjudged bankrupt in 1907. In the early part of that year of the end of 1906 the defendants sзat s letter to the German Consulat Canton contain. ing what purported to be the acounts of monies owing to the defandauto by the Choung Loong firm aud also represented through the Gseman Consul to the Chinese authorities that Loung Lai Sang, Wong Hai Tung, and Cheung Tss Yuen were partners in the Cheung Loong firm, and bad absconded from Hongkong, and that the firm owed the defendants $51,097.04 for gods contracted to be sold, and $2,171.76 for godown reat, etc. The Coasal-General, at the request and acting for and on behalf the defendants, illegally procured the Chinese authorities to issue a warrant for the arrest of the plaintiffs as partners in the said Cheung Loong firm, and the property and premises of the said Kwong Hing Cheung firm were seized by the Chinese authorities. To obtain the release of the premises and to save sfrest the plaintiffs were compelled to give the onsul General $46,000 security. They claimed an injunction restraining the defendants from representing to the German Consal General or the Chinese authoritien th”
The statement of the claim stated that the