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he can in one instance show that the leading Chinese have not given him the most loyal sup- port whenever they have been called upon to do You know, gentlemen. Chinese are a very quiet people-the leading Chinese-hear hear) they are law abiding; they are afraid of the Government, and would never interfere with what the Government would do because they are afraid of the officials, the same as they are afraid of the officials of their cwn country, and they would never dare to interfere or disobey the orders of any Government. no matter where they are. (Hear, hear). Now, gentlemen. 1 thought the whole of last night, aud it has been in my mind the whole time, what led to all this trouble, these strikes, and all these x1)- It is all through mis- fortanate occurrences. understanding between the Government and the Chinese-the Europeans Isay. This mis- understanding is due to the private meetings between Government officials and the leadiüg Chinese. I think these rasetings ought to be held in public so that both the European com manity and the Chinese will know exactly what has taken place between the Government officials and the Chinese. (Applause). As it is now, if my information is oorrent, the Government officials send for a select few of the lead. iug Chinese, or perhaps the District Watch- men's Committee, to consult on some things. Well, when they have met--whether when they meet is known to the public I do not sagat least I have not heard--but when they meet the Government officials, if the views of the officials. the Chinese do
with the agree credit of the case goes to the head of the department, but ou the other hand, if their views do not agree with the officials, their views are disregarded. For example, I read only the other day when the strike commenced "thit the DistWatchmen's Committee made two ang. One was to have gestions to the Government.
the landlords registered instead of the head enolies, and after a few months to get the head coolies to register. The second paint ws to get the Government to measure the floor so as to see how many coolies the floor can ne comodate, because the coolies being ignorant of the law did not know what 300 or 40 cubic feet meant. They think it is a room for one man. do not think the Government will take these views, but still before the law was passed, and after the views were properly presented to the Government and the Sanitary Board, the whole Committee might have considered whether their views were good or not; whether practicable or not. But this notion was sotirely dis- regarded and nobody knew until the last. meeting. Gentlemen, I think I am one of the One of the largest property owners, and largest business men in this colony; still I bave never had the bonoar of being consulted by the Government. The reasons I do not know; it is A gentle- a mystery to myself (Laughter..
remarks to me yester day, and said Now why don't you bading Chingas come and help the Government and start coolie bougs yourselves ?" It is very easy to say that, but you know the leading Chinese have to study their own business, and consider that by starting coolie houses they would be degrading these ves; besides, they consider they take away the right of labour froin other people. · Therefore it is impossible for them to start coolie bouses. But, gentlemen, it appears to me that the only thing to stop any future trouble of this kind the Government to make the Chinese and the officials come in closer contact with each other, bring them closer together and make ell the meetings public. If they bare anything to say, lot it be said in public and not privately, whether they are Government officials or Chinese. That
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will stop all future misunderstanding or strikes of this nature. I shall be mest happy to assist the Government or any gentlemen who may form the Committee to terminate the strike, and if any; genteau has any suggestions to make I would be very happy to support them and to support the Government as well. (Applause).
Mr. SHARP-I am sure we are indebted to Mr. Brown for having proposed that this meeting should not be immediately dispersed. We do not mgot here simply to go away, and there are one or two things which I think may fairly be ex- pressed for the benefit of all. (Applause). I think we are all convinced that the principal Chinega -the Chinese merchants-have nothing what- ever to do with this strike (applause); that I am sure is well knowe, but there is another class, a class of middlemen, a dangerous class in this sology, and a class which for many years past has made itself very injurious hore, taking to it- self rights which it does not in any way possess, and exercising authority and power over the humbler classes in Hougkong, a state of things which ought not to be allowed. It is an occult and powerful influence, and this strike i ont a uew thing. We have seen this over and over again, that it is owing to the Ан influence of the bad over the good.
a rule the bad should be afraid of the good;. iu Hongkong the good are afraid of the bad. I think it would be a wost terrible thing if what may be called the worst feature of the advanced civilisation of Europe were import d Into China-that contest with jealousy, that war-for it is nothing else between expital and labour which threatens to reduce our country to a very low state. I hope we shall never see it successfully introduced here. Our hope in this clony is to derive advantage from the employ- ment of Chinamen, the employment of the mil lions of China: the direct and indirect em- ployment of them; the direct employment,
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the large manufactures of sugar and others do, and the indirect employment of the as the merchants do by buying the products and exporting them to Europe. If that hope is interfered with by the springing up of these jalousies it will dash the anticipation that we nave of caring tongkong of the difficulties of We baro menu- position. present factures springing up hors and there such as rattan preparations, glass works, and we have many other things springing up here; but the main difficulty is the rating of the Chi- nese. I never shall forget the answer of a tobaevo manufacturer here. I do not remem- ber his name, but his house is aext to the Har- 1 asked him many bour Master's office.
Why do you have your large years ago,
Macao and have to run manufactory in backwards and forwards, instead of opening a factory hero " He said, "Sir, I would gindly do it, but we cannot control our workmen here, and therefore I am obliged to carry on my work in Macao." He employs some thousands of!
In England it has recently been found necessary to interfere between contractors and
It may be their workmen.
Becessary. if these guilds hold on in their injudicious and mischievous course to have some legislation of that kind here in order to insure that a larger share of the enormous sums paid by the military, naval, and cirit authorities for labour shall go into the hands of the men themselves, and is not abstracted by ennoiug idlers, and that is the description which might- fairly be attached to many of these men. With regard to dealing with the strike, the Chiuose, uo doubt, are childron. But parents do not discuss with children; they simply say that this or that is to be done, aud they insist upon its boing done. I think we may fairly do that
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