CO129-232 - Acting Governor Marsh Acting Governor Cameron - 1887 [4-5] — Page 31

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MY DEAR SASSOON,

me in it.

HONGKONG, 18th September, £86.

Very many thanks for your note of yesterday and for the information given I can have now no hesitation in acting.

To begin my canvass, may I ask for your support?

and influence is great I need not tell

your support very valuable. That that you you know already, but I think I ought to tell you upon what grounds I ask for that support,

your

can do the colony good and I do so because I honestly believe that, on the Council, faithful service and because I honestly believe, furthermore, that, as matters stand at present, I can do the colony better service than any other man who could be named for the seat at the

moment,

I am nearly one of the oldest residents in Hongkong. I came here in 1859. Since 1862, I have taken a lively and, I hope, an intelligent interest in the affairs of the colony and I think I know as much of its history as any man in it, with the exception of the Senior Member of Council. Without being specially interested in any one of the many great branches of business carried on in the island, I have some knowledge of them all and of their require- ments and 1 am deeply interested in the prosperity and progress of the Colony as a whole. It is and has been my home. My life's work is here and I rise or fall with its fortunes.

I have had some practice as a speaker and I have, I think, proved myself thoroughly independent in all things and one not likely to be prevented by fear or favour from saying or doing what it may be my duty to say or do either as advocate or representative,

I am a trained lawyer with, now, many years experience and it seems to me and, I believe, to many others that the unofficial members of Council are frequently at a scrions dis- advantage in their contests with the Government and with the Government Officials for want of legal knowledge and experience to oppose to the opinions and rulings of the Attorney General or of his locum tenens. I have said that I think myself better fitted to serve the colony on the Council than any other that could be named at the moment. I have ventured to say this mainly because of this special need. There are men in the colony far better qualified in many respects for the Council than I am. Many with far larger stakes in the colony, with far more business experience, better speakers and with more personal influence, but they have not the special knowledge and training that I possess and the question is, is this special kind of knowledge and If it is so experience needed on the Council in support of the popular section of the Council. needed, I have not, I think, been too presumptuous in my assertion. In support of the opinion that it is needed I think I can safely refer to the proceedings in Council during the last few months.

ie the Lown and thes

Militer extra vote of £60000 for. Fer. about which there is a very

way

of ship-

am strongly in favour of maintaining the absolute freedom of the port, of improving the harbour and its approaches in every possible way, of placing every facility in the ping and of doing this without any direct taxation imposed on shipping or goods. I should like to see greater facilities given by Government for the establishment of manufactories of all sorts, and for the promotion of manufacturing industries. I am opposed to the present no-method of dealing with Colonial land. It is the property of the colony and not, except in a purely technical sense, of the Crown, Land sales and land tenures want reforming. I am favour of the utmost publicity being given to the proceedings of the Council and of its Committees especially in all matters of finance.

I want to see the Council itself reformed, more freedom given to the official members, the unofficial members increased in numbers, and more power and authority given to the Community, through its representatives, in the management of its own affairs. There is a favourable opportunity now for pressing earnestly for such a reform. The colonial question is fully before the public mind of England. Great interest has been excited in the good govern- ment and well being of the colonies great and small and any reasonable demand for reform will be listened to readily and will be promptly conceded. I should like to help in this good work, if the Justices of the Peace think fit to nominate me to the seat in Council you are about tempo- rarily to vacate, and it has always seemed to me that the Justices of the Peace were specially selected as a nominating body in order that they might send some one into the Council not directly connected with Trade and Commerce, already amply represented, but some professional man who would bring to the aid of the Legislature other gifts and other training.

Excuse me for troubling you with so long a letter. I had no intention of doing when I sat down to acknowledge your note. I find I have given you an electioneering address.

Believe me,

My Dear SASSOON,

Very truly yours,

Jso. J. FRANCIS,

SO

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