Daily Press
tax, it is useless to try to draw blood from a stone. they who have money are the ones to be taxed they are able to pay and should pay—let every one who came here be taxed, they had no right to come if they did not expect it. It was a most absurd idea that the business of Hongkong would or could be moved away?! you might as well try to stop the course of a mighty river as to take trade away from this place, it would take years to move large mercantile houses that had become established, they would not and could not move.
People wanted to come as cheaply as possible and with as little expense, they would like to run away and leave their predecessors to pay all the taxes. He had admired the course of the Governor in regard to this affair in steering clear of everybody; the memorialists had all coincided because they had all the same interest. In his opinion the Stamp Act would do away with a great deal of litigation and prevent perjury. It was a vexatious tax, all taxes were vexatious, but why had not the memorialists introduced a better tax, why had they not a substitute for the Governor's ordinance. He thought the time would soon come when the community would willingly admit that the Stamp Tax was not such a bad affair after all.
The Chairman said the motion of Mr. Biemon was before the meeting, was it seconded.
Mr. Ryrie seconded the motion.
Mr. Storey rose and said that he had waited until this motion was seconded before he made what remarks he would now offer. He thought it a perfect loss of time and paper to memorialise the Home government, it had been done in regard to the military contribution, but without success. When the Stamp Act was first spoken of he was opposed to it, with the Schedule that then existed, but he had not signed the memorial. He thought due deference had not been paid to what the Governor had said on the subject, they had treated him as though there was personal feeling in the matter. The Governor had been willing to receive the assistance of those who had experience in modifying the Schedule, but had not had it; he thought the Governor had completely cut the ground from under the memorialists' feet, if in one particular more than another he certainly had in what he had said in reference to the Kowloon road, in the completion of which the Government were bound in good faith, and he had known of a case before where this had not been done and the good faith broken. There was certainly honesty of purpose here. He could not waste time and paper, and he should vote against it. There was certainly one thing for which the memorialists were to be thanked, by their opposition they had given the Governor an opportunity to show us what kind of stuff he is made of, and long may we have such a Governor.
The Chairman now called the question, the votes were taken and but eight found to be opposed. The motion was declared carried.
Mr. Arthur Saul rose and said he had but a word to say, since there had been a good deal said about bankers in regard to this Stamp Act, that a case had arisen the other day in regard to which he had addressed a note to the Colonial Secretary and had received a letter in reply, in which he found the Banks after all were going to get off easier than they had at first opposed.
Nothing else coming before the meeting the chairman declared it adjourned.
208