24
Council of Hong Kong, viz.
1. Phineas Ryrie, Esquire,
2. Francis Henry Johnson, Esquire,
3. Thomas Jackson, Esquire,
4. Frederick David Sassoon, Esquire,
5. Wong Shing, Esquire.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's Most Obedient Humble Servant,
5. Bowen
The Daily Press.
HONG KONG, JANUARY 26th, 1884.
Enclosure 3.
HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
ELECTION OF A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
A special general meeting of the members of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce was held at the City Hall yesterday morning, for the purpose of nominating a member for election to the Legislative Council. There were present Messrs. F. B. Johnson (Chairman), Hon. P. Ryrie (Vice-Chairman), Messrs. H. L. Dalrymple, L. Poesnecker, T. Jackson, A. Gültzow, E. Mackintosh, F. D. Sassoon (Committee), W. S. Young, A. McIver, W. H. Forbes, W. M. Morgan, Framjee H. Arjuna, E. E. Sassoon, C. D. Bottomley, C. P. Chater, E. R. Belilios, H. Foss, J. Thorburn, M. Grote, C. Erdmann, A. P. MacEwen, F. T. P. Foster, W. H. F. Darby, T. H. Whitehead, J. M. Matson, and E. George (Secretary).
The CHAIRMAN—Gentlemen, the Secretary will now read the notice convening the meeting, and then the correspondence, which is virtually our commission for the business we have to perform.
The correspondence consisted of the letter from the Colonial Secretary to the Chairman of the Chamber requesting that the Chamber would nominate a gentleman for appointment to the Legislative Council (which has already been published) and the following reply:
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 28th December, 1888.
The Honourable W. H. Marsh, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary,
SIR—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the letter dated the 20th instant in which you inform me that, on the recommendation of the Governor, Her Majesty has been pleased to confer upon this Chamber the privilege of nominating for His Excellency's approval one member to a seat in the Legislative Council of the colony. You further request me to make the necessary arrangements in accordance with the rules of the Chamber to convene a meeting of the members, and to invite them to elect a member whose name is to be returned to you for submission to His Excellency.
I take notice that this return should be accompanied by the following documents, viz.:
A copy of the notice convening the meeting.
A list of the members present at the meeting.
A list of the candidates, with the names of their proposers and seconders.
A list of voters.
A statement of the number of votes given for each candidate.
In reply, I beg to inform you that in compliance with your request a special meeting of the Chamber has been convoked for Wednesday, the 2nd January, and that in due time the name of the member who will be nominated thereat will be returned to you, together with the papers asked for, excepting only the fourth one, viz., a list of the voters. It is the practice of the Chamber to keep a record of the members present at any ballot, but not to enquire into the names of members who, although present, may decline to vote at all.
I assume that it is intended the person nominated shall be a member of the Chamber, but on this point your letter is not explicit.
The Committee requests that you will convey to the Governor its thanks in the name of the Chamber for the wise initiative which, in the opinion of the Committee, has been taken by His Excellency in having recommended Her Majesty to anticipate the pressure of public opinion by conferring upon the Colonists a measure of popular representation which has long been urgently called for by the rapidly developing interests of the colony.—I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
F. B. JOHNSON, Chairman.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 20th December, 1888.
SIR—With reference to your letter of yesterday I am instructed by His Excellency the Governor to inform you that the candidate to be nominated for a seat in the Legislative Council should be a Member of the Chamber of Commerce.
I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,
W. H. MARSH, Colonial Secretary.
The Honourable F. B. Johnson, Chairman, Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce
The CHAIRMAN—Gentlemen, the function which we are called upon to perform to-day is one which is so unusual to us, and which so seldom appertains to a mercantile body such as ours, that I think you will agree with me that a few words on the subject that brings us together will not be out of place. First, I feel sure you will agree with the Committee in thinking that the thanks of the Chamber, and not only of the Chamber but of all those whose interests we may now be said to represent, are due to His Excellency the Governor, Sir George Bowen, for the initiative he has taken in anticipating public opinion and obtaining for us in this colony a measure of self-government. It will perhaps be within your recollection that early last year, at our last annual meeting, I ventured to say that the time had arrived when we in this colony should demand some control over our own affairs, and I suggested the arrival of a new Governor was a fitting opportunity on which to press our demands. I think it a subject of very great congratulation that the Governor, Sir George Bowen, forestalled, as I have said, any agitation in this colony, for agitation is much to be deprecated. He forestalled us and completely took the wind out of our sails and went ahead of us. I think it is hardly matter of surprise that Sir George Bowen, after having administered for so many years the affairs of those great democratic communities in the South Pacific, should have felt somewhat stifled by the close political atmosphere of this Downing-street ridden colony. It is scarcely to be believed, but it is true, that although we have here a highly paid Governor, well versed in affairs, none more so, and assisted by departments presided over by men fit to govern a dominion, with all the machinery of Executive and Legislative Councils, we have not a modicum of control over our own affairs; we cannot do the smallest thing without interference by the Colonial Office or some young gentleman in the Colonial Department who desires to show his raison d'être by mischievous meddling in affairs with which no amount of competitive cramming can give him the least effective acquaintance. I regret Sir George Bowen's scheme was not carried out in its integrity, as it is a far better one than that which has been accepted. We do not want any mechanical or conventional system of voting. What we do want is a free and independent Council which will control the measures of Government and represent the intelligent public opinion of the colony. Now we know that in the reconstructed Legislative Council the Colonial Office will still have a majority of official votes, and can influence them as it likes, but we also know what can be done by an active and intelligent minority in any representative assembly. It therefore devolves upon us and the other constituent body to send up men who will not only represent our interests but who also know how to fight our battles and win them; for believe me, the battle is not one that has to be fought out by a single effort, but step by step, slowly, until we have obtained that which we ought to have, the control over all our ordinary municipal taxation and our ordinary municipal expenditure—(hear, hear)—leaving only in the hands of the Colonial Office a veto over such matters as belong to Imperial interests and where it may be occasionally exercised with advantage in such a mixed community as this. Gentlemen, I believe there is before this colony a magnificent future of prosperity, and that that prosperity will be hastened and increased if we have the management of our own affairs, for the simple reason that those who have interests at stake have a very lively appreciation of what is needed. But if we are to remain as before, with our destinies entirely under the control of the Colonial Office, that time may be indefinitely retarded and minimised. Under these circumstances I feel sure we shall consider a great responsibility rests upon us as to the member we shall send up to represent us, and I only hope we shall be found equal to the opportunities that have been committed to our charge. The order of our proceedings as arranged by the Committee will be that any members present who have to propose a member for nomination to the Council will send up to the Secretary a paper containing the name of the gentleman proposed and those of the proposer and seconder. If only one name is submitted I shall put that by resolution to the meeting. If more than one name is proposed a ballot will be called for and the votes will be counted by my friend the Vice-Chairman and the Secretary (Applause).
20
24
Conneil of HongKong, viz.
wir.
1. Phineas Hyric, Esquire,
2. Franced But Keley Johnson, Esquire, 3. Thomas Jackson, Esquire,
4. Frederick David Sassoon, Esquire,
5. Wong Shing, Esquire.
I have the honour to be,
Mby Lord,
Your Lordship's Most Ardient Humble Cervant,
5. Bowen
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, JANUARY Ser, 1884.
Enclosure 3.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
ELECTION OF A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
A special e eneral meeting of the members of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce was held at the City Hall yesterday morning, for the purpose of nominating a member for election to the Legislative Council. There were present Hoa, F. B. Johnson (Chairman), Hon. P. Ryrie (Vios Chairman), Messrs. H. L. Dalrym- ple, L. Poesnecker, T. Jackson, A. Gültzow, E. Mackintosh, F. D. Sassoon (Committee), W. S. Young, A. Me Iver, W. H. Forbes, W. M. Mor. gan, Framjee H, Arjánea, E. E. Sassoon, C. D. Bottomley, C. P. Chater, E. R. Belilios, H. Foss," J. Tharbara, M. Grote, C. Erdmann, A. P. Mac- Ewen, F. T. P. Foster, W. H. F. Darby, T. H. Whitehead, J. M. Matson, and E. George (Secretary).
The CHAIRMAN-Gentlemen, the Secretary will how read the notice convening the meeting, and then the correspondence, which is virtually our commission for the business we have to perform.
The correspondence consisted of the letter from the Colonial Secretary to the Chairman of the Chamber requesting that the Chamber would nominate a gentleman for appointment to the Legislative Council (which has already been published) and the following reply ----
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 28th December, 1888. The Honourable W, H. HARSH, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary, SIE-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the letter dated the 20th instant in which you in- form me that, on the recommendation of the Governor, Her Majesty has been pleased to confer upon this Chamber the privilege of nominating for His Brool. leney's approval one member to a seat in the Legisla. tive Council of the colony. You further request me to make the necessary arrangements in accordance with the rules of the Chamber to convene a meeting of the members, and to invite them to elect a member whose name is to be returned to you for submission to His Excellency.
I take notice that this return should be accompanied
by the following documents, viz, p=
A copy of the notice convening the meeting.
A list of the members present at the meeting.
A list of the candidates, with the namos of their
proposers and seconders.
A list of voters.
A statement of the number of votes given for each candidate.
In reply, I bag to inform you that in compliancs with your request a special meeting of the Chamber has been convoked for Wednesday, the 2nd January, and that in due time the name of the member who will he nominated thereat will he returned to you, together with the papers asked for, excepting only the fourth ono, viz., à list of the voters. It is the practice of the Chamber to keep a record of the mem. hers present at any hallot, but not to enquire into the names of members who, although present, may decline to vote at all.
I assume that it is intended the person nominated shall be a member of the Chamber, but on this point your letter is not explicit.
The Committee requests that you will convey to the Governor its thanks in the name of the Chamber for the wise initiative which, in the opinion of the Committee, has been taken by Hia Excellency in har. ing recommended Her Majesty to anticipate the pres- sure of public opinion by conferring upon the Colo. nists a measure of popular representation which has long been urgently called for by the rapidly develop. ing interests of the colony,.-I have the honour to be, Bir, your obedient servant,
F. B. JOHNSON, Chairman.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 20th December, 1888, SIR,With reference to your letter of yesterday I am instructed by His Excelency the Governor to in- form you that the candidate to be nominated for s seat in the Legislative Council should be a Member of the Chamber of Commerce.I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,
W. H. MARSA, Colonial Secretary. The Honourable F. B. Johnson, Chairman, Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce
The CHAIRMAN-Gentlemen, the function which we are called upon to perform to-day is one which is so unusual to us, and which so seldom
appertains
appertains to a mercantile body such as ours, that I think you will agree with me that a fow words on the subject that brings as together will not be out of place. First, I fool aure you will agree with the Committee in thinking that the thanks of the Chamber, and not only of the Chamber but of all those whose interests we may now be said to represent, are due to His Excellency the Governor, Sir George Bowen, for the initiative he has taken in anticipating public opisiou and obtaining for us in this colony a measure of self-government. It will perhaps be within your recollection that early last year, at our last annual meeting, I ventured to say that the time had arrived when we in this colony should demand some control over our own affairs, and I suggested the arrival of a new Governor was a fitting opportunity on which to press our demands. I think it a subject of very great congratulation that the Governor, Bir George Bowen, forestalled, as I have said, any agitation in this colony, for agitation is much to be depre- cated. He forestalled us and completely took the wind out of our sails and went ahead of nu. I think it is hardly matter of surprise that Sir George Bowen, after having administered for so many years the affairs of those great de. mocratic communities in the South Pacific, should have felt somewhat stiffed by the close poli- tical atmosphere of this Downing-street ridden colony. It is scarcely to be believed, but itis true. that although we have here a highly paid Go- vernor, well versed in affairs, none more so, and assisted by departments presided over by man ft to govern a dominion, with all the machinery of Executive and Legislative Councils, we have not a modicum of control over our own affairs; we cannot do the smallest thing witbont interference by the Colonial Office or some young gentleman in the Colonial Department who desires to show his raison d'être by mischievous meddling in affairs with which no amount of competitive cramoan give him the losst effective acquaintance. I regret Sir George Bowen's scheme was not carried out in its integrity, as it is a far better one than that which has been accepted. We do not want any mechanical or conventional system of voting. What WO do Want is a free and independent Council which will control the measures of Government and represent the intelligent publis opinion of the colony. Now we know that in the reconstruct- ed Legislative Council the Colonial Office will still have a majority of official votes, and can influence them as it likes, but we also know what? can be done by an active and intelligent minority in any representative assembly. It therefore devolves upon us and the other constituent body to send up men who will not only represent our interests but who also know how to fight our battles and win them; for believe me, the battle is not one that has to be fought out by a single effort, but step by step, slowly, until we have obtained that which we ought to have, the control over all our ordinary municipal taxation and our ordinary manicipal expenditure-(bear, hear)— leaving only in the hands of the Colonial Office a veto over such matters as belong to Imperial in- terests and where it may be occasionally exercised with advantage in such a mixed community as this. Gentlemen, I believe there is before this colony a magnificent future of prosperity, and that that prosperity will be bastened and in- oreased if we have the management of our own affairs, for the simple reason that those who bave interests at stake bave a very lively ap- preciation of what is needed. But if we are to remain as before, with our destinies entirely under the control of the Colonial Office, that time may be indefinately retarded and mini. mised. Under these circumstances I feel sure we shall consider a great responsibility rests upon us as to the member we shall send up to represent us, and I only hope we shall be found equal to the opportunities that have been committed to our charge. The order of our proceedings as arranged by the Committee will be that any mem- bere present who have to propose a member for nomination to the Council will send up to the Secretary a paper containing the name of the gentleman proposed and those of the proposer and seconder. If only one name is submitted I shall put that by resolution to the meeting. If more than one name is proposed a ballot will be called for and the votes will be counted by my friend the Vice-Chairman and the Secretary |(Applause).
Mi.
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