$
.22
deputies were elected, distributed as follows among the prefectures and departments of the province
Kuang-chou-fu Cha-chou-fu Chao Chring-fu Hui-chou fu..
Kao-chou-fu Chiung-chou-fu Shan-Chou-fu Lieu-chon-fu Lei-chon-fu..
Lo Ting-chou
36 11
g
}
Chia Ying-chou
Yang Chiang-chou
Lien-chou
Nan Hung-chou
Chin-chou
1
Yai-chou
1
Manchu Garrison of Canton
3
"The majority of these are men who have served as officials, have some official rank and degree, or have been teachers. The mercantile class, pure and simple, seems unrepresented.
New Assembly Hall." The new assembly hall, which is built in foreign style at an estimated cost of 120,000 taels, is situated outside the east gate of the city of Canton. It was not ready by the 14th October, and indeed was first used by the assembly on the 6th November. Meanwhile, the assembly met at the old governor's yamên. The first day was spent on the opening ceremony, on the details of which much thought had been expended. Unlike some of the other provincial capitals, no foreigners were invited or were present at the opening. The official programme was as follows:-
Opening Ceremony. At 8 A.M. on the 14th October, the deputies having all assembled, the governor-general left the reception room and took up his position with all the other provincial officials on the east side of the hall, the deputies facing him on the west side. Both parties then made three deep bows. The governor-general thereupon took his seat at the head of the ball. An official then asked his Excellency to begin the opening ceremony. The governor-general and his deputies stood up, and an official read out the opening address, after which another official read out the reply to the address. When the reply had been read out, the officials and deputies withdrew.
Election of Officers and Standing Committee.-"The next three or four meetings were spent on the election of the president, two vice-presidents, and nineteen members of the standing committee. For the post of president was selected one I-IIsuch-ching, a representative of Chao Ching Fu, a graduate and a man of excellent repute. Con- siderable difficulty was experienced in the election of the standing committee, as at first it was ruled that it was necessary to secure over a moiety of the votes of the full assembly before the election was valid. This was found impracticable, and it was not till it was decided that a moiety of the votes of those present was sufficient that the last six of the standing committee were elected.
"No business was transacted until the assembly were able to meet in the new hall, which was formally opened by the governor-general on the 6th November. The first business meeting was held on the 7th November.
Arrangement of Seats.-"The arrangement of the deputies' seats is in a fan shape, in ascending tiers. Facing them is the rostrum, in front of which are seated the clerks. Behind the rostrum is seated the president flanked by the two vice-presidents. Behind him on a higher level is the governor-general's chair, and seats for the Tartar general, admiral, general, and the two lieutenant-generals. On either side of the deputies' seats are places for the various provincial and territorial officials.
Mandarin or Cantonese Dialect spoken in Debates." In speaking, either mandarin or Cantonese may be used, but whichever is used is translated into the other dialect by a clerk. Certain subjects for debate are submitted to the assembly by the Hui] Ting, a body established by the present governor-general on his arrival in Canton, consisting of the local, provincial, and territorial officials and the governor-general's foreign secretaries, but not including members of the assembly, though the latter are permitted to attend the meeting as spectators.
Programme of Business." So far the following subjects have been named-
The suppression of gambling.
"The abolition of the old police force.
"The reform of prisons.
"The application of revenue from family property towards the maintenance of establishments for carrying on the trade or handicraft of the family or clan.
"The establishment of workhouses.
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"It is not apparent what the result of the assembly's deliberations will be on the reform movement, or what exactly are their powers beyond discussing these and kindred topics, and passing resolutions which they would transmit to the governor- general, to adopt or not as he might think fit.
Friction between Assembin and Viceroy over Mode of Address in written Communications. -A slight friction between the assembly and the governor-general has arisen over the mode of address to be used in communications with each other. The governor- general ordered that he would communicate with the assembly in a 'cha wen,' while they would reply with a chao hui.' The objection to this was that to any han lin' among the deputies the governor-general would have to address a 'chao hui,' and the distinction was one derogatory to the dignity of the assembly as a whole. The desire is that both sides should communicate in chao hui' form. The matter has been referred to Poking.
Estimated Expenses of Assembly."The annual expenses of the assembly have been estimated as follows :---
Salary of president..
Salary of two vice-presidents
Salary of nineteen resident deputies
Salary of seventy-two other deputies Salary of clerks Miscellaneous expenses
Total
::::::
YUNNAN,
Taels.
2.100
2,880
15,960
10.030
2,880
18,227
52,427
Opening-Little is known yet beyond that the assembly was duly opened on the 14th October, the chief officials and over 100 of the notables being present. The president and two vice-presidents are graduates and expectant officials. subject for discussion was the levying of taxes for the support of schools.
The first
Local Disappointment at Outcome of Elections.-1t is understood that the people of Yunnan city are disappointed that none of their representatives were elected to the assembly, and that the officials are correspondingly pleased.
A report on the assemblies of Yunnan* (and Kueichou) is expected from His Majesty's consul-general.
KUEICHOU.
Assembly opened; Reported Protest by President.-A mere reference to the opening of the assembly at Kueilin on the 14th October is found in the foreign press, the native papers containing no information. A special building of foreign type has been erected, and it appears that the president was forced to make a vigorous protest against an attempted encroachment on the privileges of the assembly by the governor.
NEW DOMINION.
Difficulty of including New Dominion in the Scheme.The remoteness of the New Dominion, in conjunction with the wide difference of race and custom of the bulk of the population, which is scanty and scattered, must have suggested a doubt whether the inclusion of the region in a scheme of popular govern- ment was practicable or wise, but the central Government evidently considered that the political risk run by differentiating it from the rest of the Empire, and so perhaps facilitating a future separation, were greater than any immediate danger likely to arise locally from the new experiment. However, it is not surprising to find that the officers on the spot hold strong opinions against the adoption pure and simple of the scheme which is considered suitable for the eighteen provinces and Manchuria.
-----
Assembly formed in 1908 altered into Organisation Office. In a memorial published in the "Official Gazette"" of the 14th June the governor of the New Dominion reported that, in obedience to the Imperial decree, an assembly was formed in July 1908, with a president and vice-presidents, but that on receipt of the rules and election law from the Constitutional Government committee, whose directions were to begin with an organisation office, the assembly was altered to an *(P.S.-This report has been sent to the Foreign Office directly by Mr. O'Brien-Butler.)
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