law." The Committee may state that in their } daily business in this colony they incur risks (with Chinese) that are far greater than are provided by this legislation.
It will be observed in the report of what was said by the hon. the Colonial Secretary that ba took some exception to the manner in which the Committee's guarantee was translated and its publication. in face of His Exovllancy's determination already expressed by letter not to acquiesce in their proposal. We think. however, that what passed will make it perfectly clear to him and the public that no importance can be at- fached to these incidents, as the guarantee was given in English more than two unites before His Excellency's letter was received, and with re- ference to the translation, though the Committee cau scoapt no responsibility therefor, they are informed that it was a fair one, and not open to the criticism passed on it by the Colo ial Secretary.
What we bare already written appears to be sufficient le couvey to the pubbe, and those who appointed as at the public meeting, a fair ides of all that has taken place up to the present time, and we leave the subject at this stage.
We proposd calling another public seting on Monday, the 1st April at 11 am.. and wo trust that this gravo subject will be calmly and exhaustively discussed.
Apologising for the length of this letter, which the importance of the subject rendered anavoidable.--We are, sir, your obedient ser-
THE COMMITTEE.
vants,
Hongkong, 30th March, 1895.
(Enclosure A).
Hongkong, 7.30 p.m.
Government House,
My dear Keswick.-I have just seor Hik Excellency the Governor, who directs me to state, for the information of the Committee, that he is averse to making any concession whatever, and does not view favourably the proposal you have submitted.-Yours very truly,
(Signed) J. II. STEWART LOCKHART. P.S.-The Captaia Superintendent of Police reporte that in his opinion the strike is practi- cally over.
(Signed) J. II. S. L.
(Enclosure B.
30th March, 1895. Dear Keswick.Will you kindly ask Mr. Ho Tung to let me have a list of the Chinese gentle. men who met the Committee yesterday. I have just spon a Chinese notice which purports to have been issued by the Committee. It contains astate- ment calculated to mislead the coolies. it states that the Committee are certain that the Gover- nor will grant the request to allow land owners to registor instead of head enolies. From my letter to you last night you will know that the Governor is not prepared to grant this request, and you will remember at our meeting yesterday I said no notice should be issued until the Gover- nor bad given his decision. Can you tell me un- der whos authority the notion was issued? am sure the members of the Committee would not be parties to misleading the strikers,-Yours very truly,
(Signed) J. H. STEWART LOCKHART.
J
THE EFFECT OF THE PROCLAMATION. As far as can be at present ascertained there has been no alteration in the position of affairs since the meeting on Saturday afternoon, sud ove sannet judge until today what action the coolies will take now that they have had a further de finite assurance that the Government will not consent to be rub d by a few thousand anjusti tiably dissatisfied conties. The P. & O. and the C. P. R. Companies were on Saturday morning amply supplied with cargo coolies, who worked until eleven o'clock. At that hour they became acquainted with the terms of the pro- clamation issued by the committer of mercantile gentlemen, and, goaded by a few shore coolies, they decided to again leave work and await the final answer from the Government. "If the Government does not give way," remarked ona prominent Chinese merchant, the coolies will hot go back," a statement which proves that the Committee's aironlar acted as an incentive to
--ས
the mem to enntinue the rebellion against the law,
It is stated that the P. an . stevedore aumaced his intention of registering on Saturday morning, but upon hearing the fatost | notes, that the Government wer、 "certain” to mrat the Committee's wishes. he changed his mad and colused to conforms with the regala i
Tit
At the Pollo Court on Saturday, before! Commander W. C. Hstings. balt a doze stannonses were hard against housebolders · of common lodging houses fe foiling to have the premises registered. Two of the cases wOIN ad ja raed, but in each of the remaining four a fine of $25 was imposed. The Magistrate warned the defendants that if they did not register within three day they would be ļagain summoned and a heavier fine inflicted.
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