Inclosure
4.
C.O.
2222
Extract from the "Hongkong Telegraph" of 23rd December 1912.
THE BOYCOTT.
Yesterday's Free Rides.
CORNER
There was no dearth of passen- gers by the cars yesterday; in both first and third class com- partments free rides were granted to all and sundry. The sampan boys and the poorer members of the Indian community hal the treat of their lives, for many of these gave the impression that they were indulging in a car ride for the first time.
It should be gratifying to the framways Company, however, to find that the free rides were ap- preciated in greet measure by the very people for whom these were intended: those who have been terrorised out of riding by car, Yesterday these semed to find safety in numbers and we noticed a very considerable number of adult Chinese of various grades riding to and from the market. To-day it is the same thing, and one is glad to that those who pooh-poohed the idea of the free rides as merely giving an oppor tunity to children and Europeans of riding cheaply, are now proved to be mistaken.
Sir Kai Ho Kal on the Situation.
Sir Kai Ho Kai, interviewed by the "Telegraph" on the boycott, emphasised the anxiety of the leading Chinese of the Colony to see peace restored.
"I would like to make it quite clear," he said, "that we wish to do everything in our power to back up the Government. I think my remarks at the meeting at Government House and, later, at the Chinese Commercial Union established that fact, and I hope the Press will continue to feel the same confidence in us as it has expressed in times past. "When the Governor invited us to meet him last week, I was not in a position to speak as forcibly as on Friday, when I met the Chinese Commerical Union. On the latter occasion, as you have heard from other Chinese, I "let myself go," and I am hopeful hat what I said will bear good fruit. I explained to those pre- sent the exact attitude of the Government, and showed that H.E.'s sole wish, in taking a firm
stand, was merely to rep peace and order. Inlike that it was no desire of his to make laws that would be in any way oppressive. I remind- ed them that, at one time or other, in every government or country, it was necessary to employ rigidly repressive measures where polit- eal or industrial troubles arose ; that the Governor would fail in his duty to the British perple if he neglected, under present circumstances, to act with unflin- ching decision, and that they must not think that any animosity was felt towards them as Chinese."
Legal Tender. Following upon this, Sir Kai Ho Kai quoted the speech which H. E. had delivered to his Chinese guests, and then proceeded to touch on the alleged causes of the boycott, demonstrating how utter- ly hollow were the excuses that had been advanced for it. Legal tender was legal tender, and there was an end of it. An English Sovereign was a good coin, but no Englishman could demand that it should be accepted by a Hong- kong tradesman, any more than he could force a shop-keeper to take (say) the old Siamese coins or a handful of shells. Similarly, Chinese coin was good-but it was not legal tender in this Colony.
He then explained the effect which the new ordinance would have. Some might contend that the innocent would be liable to suffer for the guilty, but he had H. E's assurance that the very fullest enquiry should be made, in every case, and that every person who came up for examination would be afforderd ample ap- portunity to clear himself and to show that he had taken no active part in the boycott. But those pre- sent must bear in mind that, when once the new law was enforced, the Chinese who have big in- terests in Hongkong would suffer considerably; and the sooner the boycotters were made to under- stand this, the better. Loyal | Chinese would not consent to see their business suffer, just to please a few disorderly persons, and-if for this reason aloue- the leading merchants were de- termined to support the Govern- ment. Their homes were here, their money was invested here and they hoped to lay their bones
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