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France. Russia, Japan and most parti | formerly enjoyed. It will be within the cularly China given these conditions, memory of many of you that some years then I am with you. Except under these ago ad attempt was made threegh this conditions to exclude the Germans from Chamber to establish bimetallim ir our Colony would be merely to drive this Colony. It was, found, however, that them tu neighbouring trade centres, where unless China would come into line, this once established they would prove could not be done, and the scheme had serious menace to our welfare and trade to be abandoned. As this Chamber itself (Voice No, no.)-net to mention the loss in its letter to the Government when of benefits to be derived from the use of considering the Recommendations of the our Harbour by their shipping, and of Economic Conference of the Allies re- shipping under their control, (Voice-Rot. garding the commercial and industrial They have no shipping. Who wrote it?) policy to be adopted throughout the Em- 1 deem it inexpedient that I should here pire after the War, wrote, "Hongkong mention in detail places where they could is essentially a great shipping port and (except and unless China sides with us) trade emporium and as such cannot be so establish themselves in our immediate disociated from the neighbouring State neighbourhood. They must be as well- of China, which indeed provides the most known to you all as to me, but I shall be important field for Hongkong enterprise. only too pleased to give my views in full Whatever Imperial Policy is adopted for to your Committee if and when they the future in the interest of Hongkong It has been argued that with no provision must be inade for ile peculiar wish. coaling facilities on the way Gerinan relationship with China and no measures shipping will find a difficulty in reaching should be taken which would be likely to these distant waters, but can we for a be detrimental to the further expansion moment suppose that she will not find of the import and export trade with means to overcome this difficulty What China; any Tariff Regulations should All about the use of oil fuel in place of coal provide for these circumstances." It would be easy enough for steamers this goes to support my contention that using oil to reach Dutch ports in the without the support and co-operation of East Indies and there replenish their China any such suggestion as that now stock for the further voyage to China, before us must prove futile and react to Russian ports in the North and Japan. our detriment. (Voice No, no.) Gentle- That China has at the moment broken men, the question under discussion is to my off diplomatic relations with Germany we mind essentially one of Imperial Policy. all know, and I trust that the day is not We have been asked by the Home Govern. far distant when she will be numbered meat for an expression of our opinion amongst our Allies; but to imagine for as a guide to our representative at the a moment that when peace is established forthcoming Imperial Conference, and in she will continue to decline to tradu giving forth such an opinion we must be with her is to my mind absurd. I have careful not to let our justly incensed read that the German Concessions at hatred of the atrocities committed by our Tientsin. Hankow and elsewhere, now enemies and our sentiment for the suffer- being taken care of by China, will evenings imposed upon our fellow country- tually be handed back to her, and we men and Allies to obscure our sound and know Germans to-day are tolerated and well-considered judgraent. Common- trading in Shanghai. I maintain then to sense tells us that so soon as she is able exclude them from this Colony only would to do so Germany will open up trade be a suicidal policy. (Voice-No, no.) throughout the world, and for us to at- It may be said that we have got on very tempt to bar her from trade with or well and prospered without them during through this Colony, without, as I have the war granted but shall we not do already said, the aid and co-operation so to a greater degree on their return of our neighbours, would be hopeless, and voice No.) Nor do I think we have much far from our best interests as a Colony. to fear for our trade from their competi. Briefly, then, while no one would be more tion for many years to come, particular- pleased than myself to see the Germans ly in view of the statement which has excluded from this Colony for the period been put forward that they will have to suggested, it can only be successfully compete without the banking and dis done provided we have the hearty stead- count facilities in London which they fast co-operation of China and the neigh.
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bouring countries, and I suggest, there fore, that there should be embodied in any recommendation of this nature for warded to the Home Government such a proviso. (Voice-No.)
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have only one remark to make, and that is that I do not think any unpre- judiced person would consider that the words I used in reference to the deceased Sir Thomas Jackson and deceased Wil- liam Keswick can by any stretch of ima The Hon. Mr. P. H. HOLYOAK-AE the gination be construed into an insult to member of the Chamber who proposed the Hongkong General Chamber of Com- this resolution, I will exercise my pre merce or its committee." I was not per- rogative and reply to Sir Paul Chater's sonally present in the Council Chamber, remarka. I have purposely avoided but I have carefully read the various re dwelling upon the subject of shipping ports of the debate in our local Press, for the very reason that obviously the and with all due respect I say I cannot interests of this Colony and other parts agree with H.E. No unprejudiced person, of the Empire must be bound up
Into my mind, could come to any other separably with that of shipping, and conclusion than that some of H.E.'s re- should it so happen that France and
marks, to say the least, lacked that Italy should open their parts to German courtesy which I think this Chamber is shipping after the war, Hongkong also entitled to expect from the Government. must admit them within its port. And In face of H.E.'s concluding words those in reply to the fear he expresses with I have just read to you--I personally do egard to China, that the prevention of not believe that any studied insult or the return of Germans for a certain
even discourtesy was intended; I take period would do untold harm in our that view the more readily as it seems trade with China and Japan, I trust to me acredible that the Governor, no that before very long China, too, will have matter how strongly be was opposed to rutered the ld against the foes of our views, would wish to make such dis humanity. (Applause.) And, if they paraging remarks about the members of do, these economic reasons do not apply. the community chosen hy you for your because she will come equally into line committee, men who, whatever their with the rest of the Allies in deciding qualifications. have ben entrusted by what shall be done with German trade their fellows with the management of after the war, and we shall be insepar- business concerns controlling millions of ably bound up with her. (Applause.) dollars, and who I submit, further, have So I think we need not seriously con- taken a very responsible share in guiding sider the argument against the proposi- those concerns safely and successfully tion at the present moment, always re- through the greatest crisis membering that we are merely expressing history. (Applause) And yet, gen- views to the Home Government which tlemen, what other inference can we say we have a right to have con- sidered. Without further words I will put the resolution, unless there is an Amendment to it.
The resolution was then put to the meeting and was carried with only two dissentients, the Hon. Sir Paul Chater and Mr. Carter.
The CHAIRMAN then declared the resolu- tim carried hy an overwhelming majority.
ANOTHER RESOLUTION. Mr. DonWELL then said: -Gentlemen, there is one farther resolution I desire to put to you at this meeting: it has reference to the debate in th- Legislative Council on the 19th inst., and to certain remarks made by H.E. the Governor, which were taken exception to by Mr. Holyoak at the time, and with which I feel sure you are all familiar. At the conclusion of the debate H.E. said:
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one draw? If any of you do not agree with me in this I hope you will get up and say so. I would remind you that the account of the proceedings in the Legislative Council is likely to be widely read, not only in the Far East, and it is the construction put upon the report by that public which we have to that if we do not take exception to che consider. I therefore feel very strongly
words used by His Excellency we should love not only our self-respect, but right to be taken seriously hereafter by any commercial body, and more particu larly by the Hongkong Government itself. (Applause.) Gentlemen, I beg to movė the following resolution: That the members of this Cham- ber desire to take exemption to the words us d by H.E. the Governor at the meeting of the Legislative Council held on Thursday, 19th April last, in speaking to a resolution which sought to convey to the Imperial Authorities the carefully