August 17, 1908.)
of the validity of the reasons given by the Government. The Hon. Mr. GRESSOS did not contest the need of another shelter, but said he had supported it on the basis of an estimate of 8600,000 of which one half would come from the Typhoon Relief Fund. The Legislative Council therefore is prac- tically unanimously of opinion that another typhoon shelter is necessary or at least very desireable.
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
AN UNPOPULAR MINISTER.
(Daily Press, August 10th.) It does not seem im probable that there will be another re-shuffling of the British Cabinet before long, and it may be hoped that in this next re-shuffle so many round pegs will not drop into square holes. It is becoming increasingly obvious that several members of the present Cabinet have been assigned That being the case, the necessary funds the wrong portfolios. The case that chiefly have to be provided, and, but for the fact interests us at present is that of the that the Government came to the decision Secretary of State for the Colonies. Lord that half the estimated cost must be obtained CREWE ought to have been the Secretary by the direct taxation of the shipping of the of State for War, or First Lord of the port, we should probably never have heard Admiralty. There is more scope in either of the need of additional accommodation these positions for the dictatorial manner questioned. The financial aspect of the which has marked his Lordship's direction matter has certainly changed since repre- of the affairs of the Colonies, and is rapidly sentatives of the shipping interest like Mr. making him most unpopular in all the HEWETT and Mr. GRESSON Committed Crown Colonies. Twice within a couple of themselves to the scheme. As Mr. G&ESSON months has a protest been made in the explained, the original idea was that the Legislative Council of this Colony against additional shelter could be provided for a the categorical instructions sent out sum of about $600,000, and that towards by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. this expenditure a sum amounting to We refer, of course, to the telegraphic about one-half would be available from instructions with regard to the closing the Typhoon Relief Fund. Practically the of the opium civans, and secondly to understanding was that the Government the peremptory orders sent with regard to would provide almost the entire sum out of passing the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions the ordinary revenues of the Colony, for the Bill. The Colony of the Straits Settlements Government's promised contribution to the shares the feelings of Hongkong in regard Typhoon Fund of an amount equal to the to the Opium instructions as they affect public subscriptions would have come out of the revenues of both Colonies in a most the ordinary revenues of the Colony. But disastrous manner. In Trinidad there has additional taxation on the shipping of the recently been a strong popular protest port puts an entirely different aspect on the against опе of his lordship's official question. We can sympathise with the note, which was characterised by the protest made by the shipping companies, same absolute disregard of the element of a protest made in the interests of the popular representation in the Colonial general trade of the port. In their Memor- Legislative Council as is shown in the andum the shipping companies pointed out instructions recently sent to Hongkong. that they could always
on rates, The complaint of the Colony of Trinidad is so that ultimately all additional taxation is that after the Finance Committee of the met by consumers. If that is done there is Legislative Council had rejected a proposal little to be gained, from the general public's to pay a Government director in London of standpoint, in placing this additional impost the Trinidad Dock a salary of £250 per on the shipping industry only. It is annum, the Secretary of State sent out conceivable, though we hope the fears categorical instructions to the Governor expressed will not be realised, that the to take a vote of the Legislative Council results to the Colony's trade inay be more for the amount, adding that "the vote serious than if the money had been raised must be carried, if necessary, by the by general taxation, though the outcry use of the official majority" Not against any proposal of that character would naturally this use of "
the big stick have been greater. We cannot indeed
was strongly resented. It turned out that contemplate with equanimity the prospect the Secretary of State had made the at which HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR appointment at the salary named without so plainly hinted when he remarked that the preliminary sanction of the Legislative he feared when the Government came Council. Very properly the unofficial to frame the budget for noxt year we may find that shipping is not the only industry which will have to pay extra taxation." The Government, we know, is is obsessed by the notion that this Colony is lightly taxed. With this view we entirely disagree, and we trust that the Government before deciding on increased taxation will seek a way out of its difficulties in the man- ner suggested by Sir HENRY BLAKE in bis recent letter to the Times, viz., by pressing upon the Imperial Government the just claim for a reduction in the compulsory military contribution rate.
" even up
The Singapore Free Press states that it is enabled on the highest anthority to announce the engagement of Miss Anderson, the daughter of His Excellency the Governor, Sir John Anderson, to Mr. Geoffrey U. Farrant, of Morers. Fraser & Co. Their numerous friends in the Colony and the F. M. States will heartily congratulate Miss Anderson and her fiancé The former, during her father's term of governorship, has acted as chatelaine of Govern- ment House and has gracefully performed the numerous social duties pertaining to that position. As for Mr. Farrant, he has made himself: a popular member of Singapore So cisty during the time he has been there.
un-
members of the Council objected to being made subservient to the Colonial Office or the Government in such a matter. They considered the appointment a sinecure Some of them after voicing their protests at the Council meeting retired from the cham- bor while two preferred to remain and record their votes against the Government. A strongly-worded protest has been forwarded by the unofficial Members of Council to the Secretary of State, and, in the event of it not being favourably received, they will have no option, apparently, but to resign. The Unofficicals have the entire Colony of Trinidad at their back, for this is not the only case which, they allege, savours of jobbery. Of course, there could have been no intention on Lord CREWE's part to per- petrate a "job." He is to be blamed only for his neglect to consult the wishes of his advisory council in the Colony, and it is regrettable to observe that this same neglect or imperious disregard of local opinion is a charge which most Crown Colonies have been able to bring against Lord OREWE during his brief régime at the Colonial Office. So far as the protest of Hongkong against the order to close the opium dens
118
is concerned, we hope it has had its due effect, and we trust that combined with the Office from other Colonies, it will have the protests showering in upon the Colonial lasting effect of impressing upon the Secre- tary of State the necessity for changing his attitude of lofty indifference to local opinion in the Crown Colonies.
CHINA AND CONSTITUTIONAL
GOVERNMENT.
1
(Daily Press, 11th August.) With Russia Persis, and now Turkey, countries under despotic rule, experimenting with constitutions the student of political science is afforded good opportunity of testing the conclusions of the particular teacher at whose feet he may have sat. In all these countries the people are seen at different stages of evolution. In Russia the malcontents have for long been clamouring for political reform, but having received only the semblance of a Parliament they are still far from being satisfied. The masses of that great Empire are perhaps not educated up to what is conceived to be the standard necessary to appreciate political freedom, but there is nevertheless an enlightened section which realises the value of the measure of representation accorded to them, and there can be little doubt that the principle, once recognised, would be applied further as the education of the proletariat proceeded. Perhaps less ready for the innovation were the people of Persia, whose ruler was the next to fall into line. In this instance there was no particular pressure applied to the Shah, and he issued the proclamation announcing a constitution merely out of goodness of heart and a desire to follow the
lead of western nations. To what extent the change would have been successful is difficult to say but the new constitution was not allowed to develop. The Shah's successor on coming to the Throne, did not approve of any interference with his autocratic rule, and at present a spectacle is being witnessed in Iran which recalls some of the striking scenes in English history when the King and Parliament were in conflict. Unfor- tunately for the new assembly at Teheran, the Shah is able to command the army, and it looks as if the days of the youthful parliament were numbered. Here it would seem that the great political mistake of granting reforms to a nation not ready for them had been made by the well-meaning predecessor of the present Shah, but the inistake would not have been so apparent had the sovereign himself been sufficiently enlightened to follow the lead of another Eastern ruler, the Emperor of Japan. With the example of these two countries before them, the Turks are now about to taste the joys of representative government in part, and a constitution is being framed. It 18 too soon to prognosticate, but as the stream of western knowledge and culture has been pouring into that Empire there is some reason for believing that the people are sufficiently advanced to appreciate the boon which they have disgorged from their ruler and to make constitutional government in the Ottoman Empire a success.
Now we come to China. Quite a flutter was caused when the Edict was published announcing the intention to grant a con- stitution for this great Empire. It may be near or it may be distant, but the welcome the announcement received and the of the subject continued discussion
Government circles is certainly in significant. To those who can read it tells plainly that new thoughts and ideas are percolating the crust
i
i