مختصاً
September 28, 1908.]
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislativ. Council was held on Sept. 24th in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR FREDERICK JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.
COLONEL DARLING, R. E (General Officer Commanding).
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G., (Colonial Secretary).
surer).
}
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
That telegram reached Hongkong three hours before the statement was made public in the House of Commons, and therefore before any information was youchsafed to the colony on the matter, Absolutely no previous consultation had taken place. so far as he was informed, and no opinion taken of the members of the Legislative Council. He hoped there would be some explanation givent of this apparently high-handed procjeding."
The explanation offered by the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies was as follows:
1
"With_refereness to the complaint that we took action without consulting the author- ities of Hongkong, Although they did their Hon. Mr. W. REES DAVIES K C., (Attorneys to ascertain the views of the people, General),
it was quite impossible to get anything like Hon. Mr. A. M. THо180N (Colonial Trea- ja reasoned opinion from the inhabitants of
Hongkong." Hoa, Mr. W. CHATHAM C.M.G., (Director of Sir, I think it is not to be wondered at Fublic Works).
if Hongkong inhabitants find that a hard Hon. Mr. E. A. IRVING (Registrar saying, The impression which it is cal General).
culated to create is obviously an unfavour Hon. F. J. BADELLY, (Captain Superintenable impression. The words suggest that dent of Police.
the inhabitants are impossible people to deal with. No one could take it for a compli. ment. Anyone might take it as a slight. At the very least, it is open to thisconstruction. It is not even clear.
Hoa. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK, C.M.G. Hon. Mr. MURRAY STEWART.
Hon. Mr H. A. W. SLADE,
Hon. Mr. W. J. GRESSON.
Mr. C. CLEMENTI (Clerk of Couuoils).
MINUTFS.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and confirmed.
FINANCIAL MINUT. 8.
The COLONIAL. SECRARY, by command.of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table Financial M nutes (Nos. 44 to 54) and moved that they be referred
the Financial Committee.
to
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was agreed to."
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 15) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
L'APERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the following papers-Report of the Director of Pallic Works for the year 1907, Report on the assessment for the rear 1908.1909. Report on the typhoon of 27-28th July, 1908.
Who did their best! His Majesty's Ministers or the Hongkong Authorities? There is room for just that much ambiguity owing to the speech being reported in the third person. But this ambiguity does not really signify, for His Majesty's Ministers would naturally seek to ascertain the views of the people through the Hongkong Author its When and how did Itis Majesty's Ministers thus do their best! The telegram which they caused to be sent on the 6th May contained no reference to the views of the people.
to cover an ante-
|
223
from your Excellency. To those of us who have confidence that the advice offered by your Excellency will give due weight to the reasoned opinion of the inhabitants, it appears that, after all, his Majesty's Minis- tes will probably be found availing themselves, in some measure, of the very thing that the Under Secretary of State said it was impossible to get.
But, Sir, no sooner had he said this than he seemed to releut, for almost in the next breath he claimed on behalf of the Govern- ment the support of "the best opinion in Hongkong."
The inference is that though a reasoned opinion is impossible to get, the kind obtainable is divisible into degrees of com- parison, Of these, that which supports the action of the Government is regarded by the Under Secretary as the best. Natural- ly But then the best cannot, on his own Showing, be worth anything. This, Sir, is the explanation which I have ventured to describe as unsatisfactory. And when I realise that I have so described it, I am amazed at my own moderation.
Sir. in the House of Commons, owing to the limited time at the disposal of private members, it is the custom to ballot for the Evilege of bringing forward resolutions dealing with matters of public interest, and it seems to have just so happened that My Johnson won a place for his opium re- solution, as he might have won a doll in a male at a bazaar.
p to this time the opium policy of the Government had been conducted with com-
mudable deliberation. Committed to it by. the passing of a former resolution in May, 1906, they had contented themselves with concluding a
jan arrangement for the reduction of the Indian export, and with instituting
quiries in Ceylon and Singapore as to the best method for discouraging the use of the drug.
It merely notified you, Sir, of an impeni. ing ametirement. Apart from that, the Judging by the fact that they did nothing explanation is required
definite here, it was natural to suppose they cedent period. It is therefore, pertinent to
ronised that there was no necessity for enquire when, if ever, did the Home author drastic measures, inasmuch as the gradual ities approach the Hongkong authoritiessation of the Indian trade would, if China with the object of ascertaining the views of kept faith, automatically entail the extinc the people? And did the Hongkong au-
tion of the opium habit in this colony. thorities inform then that reasoned opinion But when they found themselves suddenly was non-existent in the Colony !
faced with the problem of accepting or I imagine not. How then did the Under | opposing a resolution the terms of which Secretary of State come by this knowledge?veyed censure of these leisurely methods, He has scarcely been long enough at his evidently feared to offend the power- duties to have learnt it by experience, and full following of the English anti-opium it can hardly be that he derived it from agitators by opposing it and deciding the permanent officials of the Colonial to accept it, they became anxious for Oflice, because in that case Mr. Lyttleton tactical reasons to create the impres. would also have known of our "parlous
sion that they were already pursuing state. and would have realised why we
an active policy in all directions, and were were thus treated, which he manifestly did
everywhere leading, instead of being driven, into action.
not.
Å VOTE OF CENSURE MOVED. Hon. Mr. STEWART-I rise to move that
"In the opinion of this Council the reasons given in the House of Commous However, having unaccountably deliver. on the 28th July by the Under Secretaryed himself of this statement, the Vinder of State for the Colonies, in explanation Secretary, then proceeded to
twit Mr. of the peremptory nature of the order Lyttleton with having previously expressed issued to your Excellency on the 6th May, ajproval of the Government's policy. Mr. are unsatisfactory.
Lyttleton explained his former utterance thus:
SO
SO
|
Upon this the Underi Secretary said : "The ordinary steps could not be taken for the reason given.“ presumably, that is, beg cause it was impossible to get a reasoned opinion from the inhabitants. And yet. notwithstanding this, he proceeded to say that the ordinary steps were now being taken,"
The reasons referred to were given in the debate on the Colonial Office vote. The full “I agreed with that policy, but what I report of that debate, received here during said was that every person of sense the recess, has no doubt been read with in-sumed that ordinary Stops had been taken terest by every member of this Council, and that would make the policy palatable." some of us, indeed most residents, have felt grateful to Mr. Lyttleton for having realis ed the point of our original protest clearly and for having represented it effectively. His reference to the Colony was in these terms (I quote from The Times:-
"In carrying out the resolution of the House for the discouragement of the opium traffic, it was presumed by every one who took part in that debate that any action taken by the Government would be deli- berate and cautious, and in particular that they would seek to enlist the co-operation of the authorities of the various Colonies concerned. Unless he was misinformed there had been a grievous departure from that wholesome rule in Hongkong.
He was informed that a telegram was sent by the Secretary of State on May 6th saying to the Colony of Hongkong that his Majesty's Government had decided to close the opium establishments in Hongkong.
|
Apparently the rensqu given“ suddenly cease to be operative. It is all a little puzzling.
They therefore hurriedly forestalled the recommendations of the resolution with re- gant to Hongkong by despatching the telegram of the 6th May, The message was
in order that its despatch and terms might be effectively announced in the debate on the opium resolution. As a tactical move it was well calculated. The desired effect was the House. Cheers greeted it. produced. The announcement brought down The Govern- ment scored. From a practical point of view the main object of the opium policy was not advanced one jot. The ordinary steps are no being taken. Despatches, reports, con- sultation, compromise. But the main object of the telegram was achieved. As I said, the Government scored. That, reduced to simple narrative form, is I believe what the reased opinion of Hongkong holds to be the history of this, "apparently high-handed pro-
eling. We could not understand it, at the time, because its comparatively harmless First the admission is made that the
nature was obscured in the first instance by issue of the order in question, without the news agencies interpolating the word previously consulting the authorities of "forthwith," into the order to close the divans, Hongkong, was an extraordinary step to and because of other obscurities. But that, take; next it is claimed that this extra-
it w seems clear, is why the ordinary steps ordinary step was justifiable because it was were not taken; that, and not the reason quite impossible to get anything like given by the Under
21
Secretary. This explan- reasoned opinion from the inhabitants; anlation at least fits the facts, and by the light of then refuge is taken in an assurance that then the reasons given by the Under henceforth the action of his Majesty's min Secretary are seen to fall to the ground, isters will be guided by the advice received
and to lie, in a confused heap, forming