Daily Press
The chairman stated that the meeting had been called, agreeably to an advertisement which had appeared, for the purpose of receiving the speech of H.E. the Governor before the Executive Council at their last meeting, and which he had sent to the members of the deputation who presented the memorial, requesting them to receive it as his reply to the memorialists. Although this had appeared in the public prints and perhaps all present were familiar with it, he would crave their indulgence while he read it.
After having read the reply which has already appeared in our columns, Mr. Maclean went on to state that since the memorial had been presented, he had the privilege of a personal interview with H.E. the Governor, in which he had made reference to the reported manner in which His Excellency had received the Chinese deputation that had waited upon him—that he wished some direct authority for the accounts given by the press of this reception. The Governor did not reply directly but insinuated that it was his firm belief that the Chinese deputation was no more nor less than an offshoot of the European one, and that it was a got-up thing. In view of this, Mr. Maclean thought it his duty to do away with any such opinion that the Governor might have formed and stated to him that the affair was entirely unknown to him until within half an hour of the deputation being received, when the Chinese had advised with him whether it were best to ask for a separate interview or present the memorials at the same time, and he had advised a separate interview, referring them to the Colonial Secretary. He had most positively stated to His Excellency, on behalf of the deputation which he represented, that they had nothing whatever to do with it, not even having known of it, as he had stated above. The chairman declared the meeting open for any remark or action that might be presented.
Mr. McDouall said that since it had been the opinion of the press that at the last Public meeting everything had been cut and dried beforehand, he thought they would be happy now to hear those who took this view. (A laugh)
Mr. Sharpe, rising, said it was true the last public meeting had been rather dry from this formal preparation, and he thought that some variety would very much add to the charm and attractiveness of such a meeting as this. The expression in the Governor's speech that referred to the reduction of Hongkong under the reign of the Stamp Act to a sort of barren wilderness had emanated from the press. In conversation with a gentleman a few days since with regard to the mint, the gentleman had remarked to him that he did not want the mint to succeed; he did not wish to see it a working success; he hoped to see it closed—now, although he (Mr. Sharp) was not prepared to speak in favor of the Stamp Act, still he did not, as with this gentleman in regard to the mint, wish to see it a failure; he thought they were really too much concerned before they perfectly understood themselves. The Captain of a ship does not say we cannot weather the storm, hope is gone, all is lost, and therefore resign himself and those under his command to death. No! neither is Hongkong to be reduced to this dreadful place that has been pictured; Falkener's new stores for jewellery are not to be left empty and unoccupied, or the Oriental Bank building resigned to the fishermen to dry their nets under its verandah: never tell a man he is really going to die although you may think so, it were worse than murder to him. Englishmen do not like to be taxed; they have a very sensitive skin for taxation, and when this is irritated or disturbed in any way, they wince, and twinge, and smart, and gripe with terrible groans. Suppose the Stamp Act is not withdrawn, is not this picture of desolation rather overdrawn? Something is to be saved by it after all; a document that had been stamped here he supposed would be exempt from a stamp duty at home—that if a Bill drawn in a set of three, or dozens, they would only draw them in two; five thousand pounds sterling would require a stamp of about $5, which would exempt it from the stamp required at home of over two pounds, so in reality some shillings were saved by the transaction of stamping it here; certainly, well, with this, it was found.
The last meeting had been one of the very best they had behaved.
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they proposed the increase of water and police rates. Were the rates of these banks and such establishments as the P. & O. Company a fair amount of the taxes compared with the proportion paid by the community at large? Five millions Sterling in their charge and only pay a Police and Lighting Rate. A Stamp Tax upon bills was only a moderate tax upon credit. The Banks had come boldly to the front in this opposition because they had a large interest, but they had no tax to substitute or suggest which should take the place of this Stamp Act. Again, is an increase of the house taxes fair? You may now have two rooms on the Queen's Road for an office, and six or seven rooms in a house upon the hill as residence, for which you are obliged to pay a rental of over £600, enough to hire almost a palace in London, and would you increase this? Already houses are too small, and clerks on small salaries are unable to have houses. The Chinese, for this very reason, are crowded together as they should not be, and yet you would increase the difficulty by increased taxation. It had been said merchants would go to Canton; what advantage would you have there? None. You would be a day's sail from here; ships could not go there; your mails would be a day later, and goods must all pay an import duty there. What is the value of the property in Hongkong? Eight millions sterling; are we to run away from this? Will our Insurance Companies, with all their responsibilities, go to Macao, where no legal recourse can be had in policies made there? No; leave Macao to its muddy shallows and poor harbor, its coolie traffic and gambling, to those who would enrich themselves by unlawful trade. Let us stay, and if we are to have a Stamp Act, make the best of it. He was not in opposition to the meeting or its feeling, but, on the other hand, sympathized with it.
Mr. Bosman arose and said he could but consider the remarks of Mr. Sharpe as wholly irrelevant to the object of the meeting and the question at issue. There were one or two points in the Governor's reply to which he wished to call attention. His Excellency had said that the deputation did not represent the whole of this community because they had not represented the Chinese. Again, it was not the one hundred and twenty thousand that they had opposed; it was the expensive power of this tax. The community had no control whatever over the expenditure of these monies, and they had been as badly squandered heretofore, and there was no guarantee but that they would be again. This was a mercantile community, and Hongkong merely a depot of call; they might not leave here and go elsewhere for one hundred and twenty thousand, but he thought they might for seven or eight hundred thousand. If they once admitted the principle of this tax, it may be made to reach any point that this foolish expenditure of money may call for. It was the principle they objected to. Mr. Bosman then offered the following resolution: That a committee be appointed to draw up a memorial to the Secretary of State of the home government protesting against the proposed Stamp Act, and that the following gentlemen constitute that committee: Messrs. Arthur, Holland, G. Heard, Falconer, Sassoon, Pollard, Norris, and R. S. Walker, with power to add to their number.
Mr. Barnard here rose and said that although he did not wish to second the motion, or even to amend, he had some remarks to offer which he thought were fitting here. Although he had been but a short time in the colony, and was not surprised to know so much about its affairs, still he thought he was justified in saying what he did. He must say that he entirely agreed with the Stamp Act. Considerable disapprobation was evinced by the meeting, but Mr. Barnard said he did not expect there was anyone present that would agree with him, and continued: it was the very best thing the Governor could have done. He did not like to be taxed; no Englishman liked to be taxed, but what is the best tax? There was certainly none so popular as the Stamp tax.
Would you have an income tax? The bankers had said they were to pay such an enormous proportion of this tax; it was no such thing; true, it would depreciate from their profits, and the Shareholders would be the losers, but where were the Shareholders? For the most part in England, and men of wealth; they are the very men to...
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"Daily Press"
The chairman stated tha? the meeting had been called, agreeably to an advertisement which had appeared, for the purpose of receiving the speech of HE the Governor before the Executive Conn. cil at their last meeting, and which he had sent to the member's of the deputation who presented the memorial, requesting them to receive it as his reply to the memorialists. Although this bad ap- peared in the public prints and perhaps all pre- sent were familiar with it he would crave their indulgence while he read it.
After having read the reply which has al. - ready appeared in our columns, Mr. Maclean went on to state that since the memorial bad feen presented he had the privilege of a per- sonal interview with B. E. the Governor in which he had madă reference to the reported manner in which His Excellency had received the Chinese deputation that had waited upon him→ that he wished some direct authority for the sc- counts given by the press of this reception. The Governor did not reply directly but insinuated that it was his firm belief that the Chinese depu- tation was no more nor less than an offshoot of the European one, and that it was a got up by thing. In view of this Mr. Macleon thought it his duty to do away with any aach opinion that the Governor might have formed and stated to him that the af- fair was entirely unknown to him until within half an hour of the deputation being received, when the Chinese bad adrised with him whether ir were best to ask for a sepirate interview OF present the memorials at the same time, and he had advised a separate interview referring them to the Colonial secretary. He had mat positively stated to His Excellency on behalf the depots- tion which he represented that they had nothing whatever to do with it, not even having known of it as he had stated above. The chairman degia- rd the meeting open for any ramark r action that might be presented.
Mr. McDouall said that since it had been the opinion of the press that at the inst Publio mesting everything had been out and dried beforehand he thought they would be happy now to hear those who took this view. (A laugh)
Mr. Sharpe is rising said it was true the last public meating had been rather dry from this formal preparation, and he thought that some. variety would very much aid to the charm and attractiveness of such a meeting as this. The expressio in the Governors' speech that referred to the reduction of Hongkong under the reign of the Stamp Aos to a sort of bowling wilderness had emanated from the prom. In e nversation with a gentleman a few days' since with regard to the mint, the gentleman had remarked to him that he did not want the mint to succeed, he did not wish to see it a working succes, be hoped to see it closed-now although he (Mr. Sharp) was not prepared to speak in favor of the Stamp Act, still he did not, as with this genti man in regard to the wine, wish to see it a failure, he thought we were really too much concerned before we perfect- ly understood ourselves. The Captain of a ship does not say we cannot weather the storm, hope is gone, all is lost, and therefore resign himself and those under his command to death. No! nei- ther is Hongkong to be reduced to this dreadful place that has been pictured, Falkener's new stores for jewellery are not to be leftempty and un- occupied, or the Oriental Bank building resigned to the fishermen to day their nets under its veran- dah: never tell a man he is really going to die al- though you may think so, it were worse than murder to this. Englishmen do not ke to be taxed, they have a very sensitive skin for tax ation and when this is irritated or disturbed in any way they wince, and twinge, and amart and gripe with terrible groans, Suppose the Stamp Act is not withdrawn, is not this picture of deso tation rather overdrawn? Something is to be I saved by it after all, a document that bad been stamped here he supposed would be exempt from A stamp duy at home that if a Bill draws in set of three, or donned they would only draw them in two for five thousand pounda sterling would require a s amp of shout & dollar which wou d-exempt it from the stampe Pequired at home of over two pounds, so in reality arty shillings were saved by the transaction of stamp- ing it here, certalery, well with this it o rtainly was meeting had been one of t well they had behaved
found.
The last
and very
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207
they proposed the increase of water and police rates. Were the rates of these banks and ach establishments as the P. &. O. Company, & fair amount of the taxes compared with the proportion paid by the community at large, 5 millions Sterling in their charge and only pay a Police and Lighting Rite, A Stamp Tax upon bills was only a moderate tax upon credit. The Banks had come boldly to the front in this opposition because they had a large inter- est, but they had no tax to substitute or suggest which should take the place of this Stamp Act. Again is an increase of the house taxes fair- you may now have two rooms on the Queen's Road for an office, and six or seven rovms in a house upon the bill ab residence. for which you are obliged to pay arental of over £600, enough to hire almost a palace in London, aneį would you increase this P Already houses are too small, and clerks on small salaries, are unable to have houses. The Chiness for this very reason are crowded together as they should not be and yet you would increase the difficulty by increased taxation, it had been said merchants would go to Cantan, what advantage would you have there? None, You would be a day's sail from here, ships could not go there, your mails would be a day later and goods must all pay an import duty there. What is the value of the property in Hongkong? Eight millions sterling are we to run away from this; will our Insurance Companies with all their res- ponsibilities go to Macao wheir no legal recourse enn be had in policies made there -No leave M cau to i'r muddy shallows and poor harbor, ite colie traffic and gambling, to those who would enrich themselves by unlawiul trade. Let us stay and if we are to have a Stamp Act make the best of it. He WAR not in opposition to the meeting or its feeling, but on the other hand sympathized with it.
Mr. BOSMAN arose and said he could but consider the remarks of Mr. Sharpe sa wholely irrelevant to the object of the meeting, and the question at issue. There were one or two points in the Governor's reply to which he wished to call attention. His Excellency had said that the deputation did not represent the whale of this community, because they had not represented the Chinese. Again it was not the one hundred and twenty thousand that they had opposed, it was the expensive power of this tax. The community had no con- trol whatever over the expenditure of these monies and they had been as bad as aquander- ed heretofor and there was no guarantee, but that they would he again. This was a mercantile community and Hongkong merely a depot of call, we might not leave here and go else where for one hundred and twenty thousand, but he thought they might for seven or eight hundred thousand. If we once admit the principle of this taz, it may be made to reach any point that this foolish expenditure of money may call for. It was the principle they objected to. Mr. Bosman then offered the following resulation. That a commit. tee be appointed to draw up a memorial to the Secretary of State of the home government protesting against the proposed Stamp Act and that the following gentlemen conatilute that semittee: Messra. Athur, Holland, G. Heard, Falooner, Sassoon, Pollard, Norris, and R. S. Walker, with power to add to their number.
Mr. Barnard here rose and said that although he did not wish to segond the motion, or even to amends had some remarks to offer which he thought were fitting here. Although he had been but a short time in the colony, and was not supprised to know so much about its affairs still he thought he was justified in saying what he did. Ee must say that he on- tirely agreed with the Stamp Act. Considerable dis pprobation was evinced by the meeting, but Mr. Hain.rd said he did not expect there was any one present that would agree with him, and cur- rinued:-it was the ve y best thing the Governor ould have do a He did not like to be taxed, no Englishman liked to be taxed, but what is the best tax ? there was certainly none so popu ar as the Stamp tax.
Would you have an income tax? The banke had said they were to pay such an enof- maus proportion of this tax, it was no such thing, rue it would depreciate from their profits and the Sharehold rs would b the losers, but whore were the Shareholders P for the most past in in- gland and men of wealth, they are the very men to
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