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course, so far as the reference to unofficial members is concerned, was a policy adopted by the Government and with that I had nothing to do. Whether that is a wise policy or an unwise policy it is not for me to criticise. But since Excellency has seen fit to send a communication to the Honourable Senior Unofficial Member, at his request we gathered together and discussed the question. Of course the meeting was not conducted as openly as meetings of this Council, and so far as I am concerned I also advocate the policy of the public participating in the unofficial members' deliberations in any place and at any time, and I think it would be better, if there is no objection on the part of the Government, that in future unofficial gatherings should be attended by the members of the Press at all events, so that our transactions there may not be misunderstood and misrepresented at the choice of anyone.
Now the facts of the case are that about a fortnight ago your Excellency sent a communication to the senior unofficial member and he at once convened a meeting by circulating a communication to us, but unfortunately I was not aware the communication was marked "Confidential." I do not know whether it was marked by the Government or not, but the mark was on the envelope, and that was explained to us as soon as I got to the first meeting. When I was asked by a member specially whether I should regard the mark "confidential" as binding upon me I at once said that I would not be bound by any marking on the envelope, since the business affected the interests of those I represent and not my own interests. I further stated that I would not only decline to regard that as confidential, but any other communication of a like nature. It referred to me not in my private capacity but as a representative of the Chinese, and I therefore would not regard it as binding on myself in any way. In that case, as in many other cases when I have received communications of that kind, I have discussed these questions with my constituents.
Such were the facts as far as my position is concerned. Certainly this secret conclave does not apply to me.
I assure you I never regarded such a meeting as a secret conclave. We expressed our opinions to each other as freely as we could and after every meeting it is invariably my practice to tell the leading Chinese about it. I think my unofficial colleague, Mr. Wai A Yuk, will confirm me when I say that previously no important question has been brought before the unofficial members that I would not disclose and give away. With regard to the section of the public which I have not the honour to represent, I leave it to their own representatives to speak about.
This question has been discussed at two meetings and the result communicated to your Excellency. As soon as the result was communicated I think the Honourable Member for the Chamber of Commerce asked leave to publish the communication.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD - I did not ask if you would agree to its being published. I had a perfect right to publish it.
Honourable Ho KAI - You said you would publish it and we all said "Yes, certainly."
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD - Did Mr. BELILIOS say so?
Honourable E. R. BELILIOS - Oh, certainly.
Honourable Ho KAI - I understood it was unanimously agreed that there was no objection and that we had a perfect right to publish it. Another serious charge has been brought against us and I take this opportunity, with your Excellency's permission, to publicly, emphatically, and strongly protest against an Honourable Member, whether official or unofficial, casting such an aspersion upon his honourable colleagues - men who are equally as if not more honourable than himself - certainly equally as honourable and as honest - as to say that a body of men had a private interest and a motive in advocating a policy which he considered to be injurious to the Colony. I say that is an aspersion which I take the first opportunity to publicly deny. So far as concerns myself I am not a landowner, nor am I interested in landed property, but those whom I have represented for the last few years, as his Excellency the Governor has appointed me, have large interests in the Colony and it is my duty to look after their interests and weigh them in conjunction with other interests, but I entirely repudiate the charge that I have acted for private and interested motives, and I can only say that aspersions and allegations of evil of that kind will not hurt the official members as a body but will only rebound upon the maker and entertainer of such statements.
Honourable C. P. CHATER - Your Excellency, after the very lengthy and able remarks of my honourable friend, Honourable Ho Kai, I have but very little to add. I may at once inform your Excellency and the members of the Council that I affirm every word and every statement made by Honourable Ho Kai. I go beyond that. With regard to private communications, the Honourable Member could not inform the Council whether there was any private communication between your Excellency and myself or between the Colonial Secretary and myself. That is a point I wish to answer for myself. I say most emphatically that I have never had any communication from his Excellency the Governor or from the Colonial Secretary which I have not immediately placed before my colleagues and half an hour after they have discussed it I have sent a reply to his Excellency. Beyond that I state most emphatically that I have never had any communication from his Excellency the Governor or from the Colonial Secretary.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD - Perhaps I may be permitted to make a few remarks. If I have misrepresented or made any misstatements I have done so quite unintentionally and I am very sorry for it. I submit, however, that the methods which have been followed by my honourable colleagues in discussing public questions of great importance are in my opinion unconstitutional and irregular. In reference to the correspondence, it cannot be regarded as otherwise than private if it is not made public. Letters are sent by the Governor to the unofficial members and they meet in secret. There are no reporters present and I consider that to conduct public business in such a way is totally opposed to constitutional Government and constitutional rule. As regards the Honourable Member's statement that I have cast aspersions and made charges, I submit that my letters will not bear any such interpretation and that a question of public importance should not be dealt with in the way this question has been dealt with. I would refer, in respect to the statement that the correspondence is not private, to the correspondence which passed between the unofficial members and the Government in connection with the Sanitary Board. These documents were, as far as I am aware, private, that is to say, they did not see the light of day for a very long period of time - about twelve months, and the community were totally unaware of what their representatives had said to the Government in their communications.
If I have offended anyone my intention is extremely sorry as nothing was further from.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY - I do not wish to prolong the discussion, nor is it my intention to do so, but it would throw considerable light on the matter if the Honourable Member would inform us if he consulted the Chamber of Commerce about this question. I have reason for saying that he did, and if that is so it would tend to show he did not regard it as private.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD - The Chamber unanimously agreed to address the Government on this question and I cordially supported what they did.
His EXCELLENCY - Have you consulted them on the subject of this correspondence?
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD - This correspondence was submitted only at a late hour in Committee and it was unanimously decided to strictly adhere to the recommendation addressed to the Government, but the question of the publishing of the letter from your Excellency to the senior unofficial member was postponed for further consideration.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY - Then I understand he has consulted the Committee of the Chamber and that he did not regard the correspondence as private.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD - I have never regarded it as private and it should never be so regarded by any honourable member.
The discussion then closed.