26
SUNDAY LABOR IN HONGKONG HARBOUR
FRAGRANT WATERS' MURMURS.
That the gallaut skipper and his merry men who alelegated the Chamber of Commerce have at least
the courage of their opinions.
That they have no faith in half measures, and believe that only a hard-aud-fast law will meet the case. That I honed resterday's discussion summarised very succinctly and very aptly as follows:-Government says it will do what Chamber decides - Chamber says can do nothing-Government says that settles it--Sammy then says, pass law-Mackintosh says 'how can ye that is for the Government!' Sammy says all right get Government to do it! Summy scores.
That on the whole approve of the officers' attitude, but I think it was a pity Captain Ashton did not draw a broad distinction between the general enforcement of Sunday rest and the special law for the cessation of Sunday work in the barbour, the sole object of which is to put Hongkong in the some position as ports in India, Ceylon and China.
That nevertheless Captain Ashton did not allow the Chairman and his friends to bamboozle him,
That I do not think anyone will contoud that England and her self-governing colonies suffer by the
observance of Silay as a day of rest.
That, if pat in a crude way. shipowners may not be ready to ailmit the force of Captain Ashton's argument
that a cessation of jahon on Sunday would be their gain.
That nevertheless if they consider the distant as well as the near results they will find that he is not far
wrong.
That where there is u will there is a way, and I cannot help thinking, do what I can, that the will on the
part of the Chamber representatives is not very strong,
That I fraukly admit the question has many ramifications, and the solution in such a place as Hongkong is not a very easy matter, but the real difficulties are not of these raised by the Committee,
That if I am inclined to blame the Committee of the Clumber, I cannot admire the pusillanimous attitude -
of the Hona and local Governments, who threw the responsibility of a final decision on the Chamber of Commerce.
That, in the interests of all, it is to be hoped an amicable settlement will be arrived at.
That the Officers' Association has got a good Chairman in Captain Ashton, who is a strong advocate
of a conciliatory policy.
That if the shipowners and agents are animated by the same spirit, we shall be saved sneh conflicts
as are working havoc in the Southern Continent.
That the quarrel between labour and capital may be likened to a quarrel between the hands and the
month.CHIXA MAIL."
27
SUNDAY LABOR IN HONGKONG HARBOUR.
regulation does in their own treaty ports, against which there has never been any complaint. It is very difficult to believe how a man of common sense like Mr. Keswick could talk such nonsense as this-In the first place, in this Colony there are very few Europeans as compared with the large number of Chinese and that causes it to be very difficult to stop Sunday labour on board steamers, because if you stop it there you must stop it in every other calling.' There is no 'must' about it. Mr. Ryric was even worse--he showed his hand. No man who was animated by a desire to stop Sunday labour in the harbour would have made the silly remarks he uttered about stopping the work of servants and about cold dinners on Sunday. Captain Ashton, in spite of the way-leading questions, stood his ground very well. He believes in the general enforcement of Sunday rest, and unfortunately his replies were influenced to some extent by that belief. But the officers do not wish such a general law, and very few would have dreamt of such a thing had not the opponents of the anti-Sunday-labour movement raised it up as bogey. The difficulties as to the enforcement of the law are also an invention for the purpose of obstruction. If there was a barbour regulation according to which vessels must not be discharged on Sunday without a permit, no captains or agents would ever dream of breaking the law any more than they attempt to do so in such ports as Colombo, Bombay or Shanghai. It is almost impossible to discharge cargo surreptitiously, even from juuks. Our own opinion is that junks ought to be exempt from the operation of the law. They enter very little into competition with steamers, and when it is remembered that the Chinese take about a month's holidays at the beginning of their year, it will be seen that, even leaving out all physical and moral considerations, they have little gain. Doubtless the best course to adopt would be to put them on the same footing as native craft in customs ports.
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There is scarcely one difficulty raised by the Committee that will stand a moment's consideration. Officers on board Home steamers, whether they are affiliated to the Association or not, are equally desirous of relief from the irksome Sunday labour.
All that is wanted to obtain the boon is the co-operation of the Chamber. The Government of Hongkong is so weak-kneed and timid that it cannot tackle the question; it throws the burden on the Chamber. If the Committee of that body persist in their obstructive course, trouble may arise between The shipowners and officers, and ou such an issue the latter could not fail to win. result then would be that labour would be stopped on Sunday on bourd British ships, while on board German vessels (nuless German officers co-operated) it would still go on-a far greater anomaly than any of those conjured up in the fertile brains of the members of the Chamber of Commerce who were present at yesterday's moeting.
THE “CHINA MAIL,” Hongkong, Saturday, October 18th, 1890.
We
Ir is very difficult to believe, after reading the report of the conference between the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and delegates from the Marine Officers' Association, that the desire of the former to obtain a cessation of Sunday labour in the harbour is geunine. Their whole attitude may be summarised in one word-- 'shuffle. Their great object in the conference hold yesterday was to divert the discussion from the main point at issue, to evolve obstacles out of their imagination, and to get the delegates to commit themselves to some impracticable scheme. are burning with zeal to get you Sunday rest, but there is this difficulty and that difficulty, and consequently nothing can be done.' exasperating policy to pursue a policy which has led to far more troubles between This is a very dangerous, emyloyers and employés than downright manly opposition. Surely Messrs. Keswick and Mackintosh know that Sunday work on board steamers is practically prohibited in the ports of China by the fact that a permit has to be paid for. can there be in making a harbour regulation in Hongkong similar to the customs What difficulty regulation in Shanghai and the other Treaty ports? None whatever. And the making of such a regulation no more involves the stoppage of all Sunday labour on shore than the requirement of night passes from the Chinese involves night passes for Europeans. We have legislated for Chinese, let us legislate for Europeans, to protect them from the tyranny of Chinese custoins. We don't want to force Chinese to observe Sunday. All that is asked is that they shall not compel us to break it and to make it a workday as other days. The law would affect them to a very slight degree-not more than the customs. No injustice would be done to them.
Copy
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Deputation to the Government.
I am directed to ask you to be graciously pleased to allow a deputation from this body to wait upon you in respect to compulsory labour on board ships in this harbour on Sunday, which British Officers consider a great hardship and an invasion of their rights as subjects of Her Majesty the Queen-Empress, The deputation-which will consist of one or two officers on active service, the President and Secretary-will be happy to wait upon Your Excellency at such time as may be intimated as consistent with your convenience.
The Hon. FRANCIS FLEMING, C.M.G.
Acting Governor of Hongkong.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
CHESNEY DUNCAN,
Hon. Secretary,