1941-01-20 — Page 78

CHINA MAIL, PAGE 30

1841

HONG KONG CENTENARY NUMBER

0

Anglo-Chinese Cooperation

NE hundred years ago, Hong Kong was a bare island, with a few fishing villages scal- tered around its base. To-day, it is a great seaport, a commercial city of world-wide scope, a busy entrepot, art a place of passed scene beauty. Rip Van Winkle

UNSUIT-

11 some of the island, fallen asleep a century ago, were How to emerge from his long hi- bernation, he would be unable to revogne the place as he last saw

*111*NAD

Then, if was a barreu island, with scant vegetation and a tiny population. Now, it is a city of strueloves, of great shipyards and wharves, of wide reads along which traffic censes lessly HOLE

cars. buses, bams and forest

treming of human concourse,

2 Kreat habuta son set and wooded hill- sides and from'ing on a harbour

2

+

whose waters the ships from the seven seas

!!

A magical transformalion would appear to our Rip Van Winkle But when, we, with the opparent in the Anancial, banking knowledge denied to him, in- quire how

this wonderful change has been wrought, we

an achievement see it AS

made possible by, a

hundred years of and the Chinese. The British. cooperation between the British with their enterprise, foresight and initiative, and the Chinese, with their capacity for hard work, patience and adaptability. have created the Hong Kong of Lo-day. Above all, these 1wo peoples display in common qualities of integrity and dealing. The old truism "the word of a Chinese is bond" is equally applicable the Englishman.

Communal Activity

tu

ing institutions, and have taken their due place in the sphere of finance. The many Chinese banks, run on traditional Chinese lines, have also played and playing an important part.

BOSSES OVCE

art

is

Hong Kong is not merely trading and financial city; it also an industrial centre. The two commercial dockyards, of which the Colony is justly proud, are capable of building Deean-going vessels and ships of war. There industrial are other large-scale enterprises, such as sugar-relining cement manufacture and rope- making. To-day the Colony pos- a thousand manufac- turing concerus, large and small; and it is the Chinese who have been principally responsible for which the striking development has led

to the export of huge quantities of rut ber shoes, olec- tric torches and many other com- modities to all parts of the world. The great variety of Hong Kong's manufactures must have come as a surprise to many who visited the recent Trade Exhibition. Steel helmets, bicycles, even machinery, are among the many items which included in local pro- ducts. It is my view that Hong Kong's industry is still in its in- fancy, and that there exists here the potentiality of immense **- pansion.

are

HOW

Public Life

I

While the co-partnership, if

British and may so call it, of the

Chinese has prevailed in the busi- fair that

ness world, it has been even more

his

striking and more close-knit in the public and social life of the community. One of the most gratifying features of the Colony's history is the spirit of mutual help always shown by British and Chinese in social and charitable work. There has never been il cause affecting the one, which has not called forth

the from other the most profound sympathy and support.

It is not possible to set forth in detail all the manifold aspects of -

this century of cooperative efforts. I shall therefore restrict myself to a brief reference to certam departments of the Com- munal activity which has made Hong Kong what it is.

In trade and commerce, Hong Kong ranks second only to Shang- hai among the great cities of the East. In shipping it is one of the greatest ports of the world. Through it have passed the pro- ducts of South China, in transit < to the four quarters of the oth; through it have passed, in their turn, commodities of all kinds, coming from the outer world to the markets of China. In the counting houses and business off- ces of Hong Kong, British mer- chants and Chinese men of busi- ness have gone about the daily task of administering and en- larging this ceaseless traffic of merchandise. Initiative and re-

have

been source

forthcoming from both; and it is not too much to say that the commercial wis- dom upon which Hong Kong has been able to draw has been of a quality seldom surpassed else- where.

Financial Strength

The same cooperation has been apparent in the financial, banking and insurance activities which are the necessary accompaniments of trading on the large scale. The stately and imposing headquarters of the premier bank of the East, a house whose transactions aré world-wide in their range, stands, as a symbol of British financiai. strength, alongside the offices of other powerful British banking institutions. Their Chinese fel lows, not slow to emulate the Bri- tish bankers, have set up on western models their own bank-

The University

In public life and in the pro- fessions, Chinese and British have displayed a spirit of healthy and friendly rivalry. Side by side with their British associates, Chin- ese hold prominent positions as, barristers and solicitors, as €0. gineers and architects, as doctors and educators, all contributing their quota to the well-being of the community. Even in the churches Chinese clergymen, in common with their brethren from overseas, minister to the spiritual needs of the Colony, and one of them holds to-day the high office of an Assistant Bishop.

In the sphere of education, Sino-British collaboration has been notable. Foremost among our educational institutions is our University which was founded by the vision of a Governor, the munificence of a Parsec, and the generosity of British and Chinese in Hong Kong and elsewhere, with the object of bringing toge- ther within its four walls the learning of the West and the cul- ture of the East. In educational advancement, whether at the Uni- versity or in colleges and, schools, Chinese and British colleagues. have worked together, each giv- ing of his special knowledge, for the common good The system of education that has been in vogue in Hong Kong has been a distinct boon. to both China and Britain. Students, from our University and schools have held, and are holding, prominent- posi- tiona In the, service, of the Gov- ernment of China, and in various professions' in hit parts of the world.

BY HON. SIR ROBERT H. KOTEWALE,

C.M.G., LL.D.

Sir Robert Kotewall, member of the Executive and Legislative Council

મ

In the realm of sport, the Co- lony's playing-fields are eloquent witness to the degree in which athletic and recreational pursuits have become common interest of the two peoples. The great crowds of spectators who flock to watch the spirited, contest in football match are proof of the lively interest which sport arouses among the Chinese. This development has promoted physi- cal fitness and the spirit of team - work

and fair play. Sport has, indeed, done much to bring the two races together,

now

But it is not in sport alone that a closer mutual acquaintance has been developed. In social relations generally, much has been achieved in the strengthening of British and Chinese friendship and the pro- motion of understanding, especial- ly in the last two decades. Social intercourse between the two peo- ples has been much more frequent than in days past; and, as they meet each other more, so they understand each other better.

In all the activities and deve- lopments, of which I have spoken, the Fress has had an important role to play. These organs of public opinion, Chinese or Eng- lish, have never failed to lend help to a good cause, and the in- fluence they have exercised has been wholesome. To their ex straint and moderate attitude has been due, in no small measure, the good behaviour of the people here during these four trying and troubled years. The Press in Hong Kong is, indeed, worthy of the great traditions of a responsible profession.

Government and People

Thus far I have spoken of the cooperation of the two peoples~- British and Chinese. No less productive of good has been, the relationship between Government and people. In this matter, one all-important factor has been the principle of giving to the Chinese community a voice in government-. through representation on the Executive and Legislative Coupe- cils. In 1925 the Executive Coun- cil was enlarged to include 5 member, representative of the Chinese community; while, on the Legislative Council, there three Chinese members. In the Urban Council, adequate repren sentation for the Chinese has also been provided, These pra- visions in the Colony's constitu- tion are important; but still more important is the practice, followed of consulting responsible Chinese

are

opinion before a decision is made. It is this spirit of cooperation and mutual confidence that has more than anything else Won from the Chinese people of Hong Kong their local support and will- ing service. The Chinese have consistently displayed their un- derstanding of what is involved in good citizenship. They have always been law-abiding, and faithful to their civic obligations. They have never failed to rise to the occasion when their ser- vices and their monetary contri- butions were needed. [ri the Great War, large numbers of them served as Special Constables, Street Guards, Cable anri Mail Censors, and in many other de- partment of emergency service. the They also gave liberally to war fund of those days. In the present war, in addition to con- tributing the greater part of the revenue, both ordinary and speri- al, they have come out in large numbers to serve in the A.R.P. Department, the Auxiliary Fire Service, the Police Reserve, and St. John's Ambulance Brigade. Even more than in the last war, leading members of the Chinese community are serving on many

with committees entrusted sponsible and important connected with local defence.

Stable Conditions

re-

tasks

On the other side, the Authori- ties have, in full measure, repaid the loyal and faithful service of the people with the blessing of stability. good government and The effect of such beneficent rule is seen daily. The enumeration of specific items would be a long one; but I may refer to one in- stance of Government's solicitude in time of great need. I speak of the time of economic stress which accompanied the general strike and boycott of 1925, when substantial financial assistance from the Government was need- ed to prevent a business debacle. The Government, after having heard representations from the Chinese business community, im- mediately cabled to the Secretury of State for the Colonies recom.. mending the grant of ย loan of $30,000,000. In the space of sixteen hours, approval was re- ceived, and the situation was saved. The Chinese have never to this day ceased to remember this timely and magnificent ges- ture,

Light Work

The traditional and long-stand- ing policy of Hong Kong to give sanctuary to those seeking it, has been a powerful factor in cement- ing the friendship between

the * British and the Chinese not only In the Colony, but also, in China. The Immigration Ordinance which has just come into operation, docs not involve. any abandonment of this policy. The principle still obtains; only the method of its application has been modified.

This, then, is a brief recounting of the story of Sino-British co- operation during a century of Hong Kong's history. It demon- strates what willing and active cooperation can achieve. It also bears out the truth of the English proverb, "Many hands make light work," and of the Chinese say- ing, "Two hearts united can se- ver metal."

Now, let us cast our eyes to- wards the future. To my mind, cooperation between the two peoples, is to day more ghundant- ly called for than ever before. To what activities, it may be ask- ed; can such cooperation be pri- marlly directed. From the social point of view, I believe that there is yet much to be done in the clearing of slums, in the improve- (Continued on Page 32)

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