!
th
"We
with regard to the recent legislation of the Sa- nitary Board. There is no doabe whatever that the present position is, as has been mentioned by Mr. Brown, one of rebellion; it is war. The existence of a borly of 20,000 coolies-lusty coolies in Hongkong, disaffected and armed with their formidable bamboo poles (laughter), I say. gentlemen, is a distinct mennee to the colony. I think, gentlemen, we way many of us take a different view with regard to the action of the Government in many matters, but in this matter we must all try and carry out the sug gestion that Mr. Mackintosh made at the lust meeting, that we stand shoulder to shoulder and present an uncompromising front. (Applans). There may be methods by and by of meeting in some way the dillonities which have arisen. For instance, you know, some of you very well, the absurd idea of attaching these conditions to the occupation of the house, which has been referred to in the public press, and then making gentlemen who actually have nothing to do with it responsible for it. But there is no doubt that those things are necessary, and if the house- holders object to bear them let some conces. sion be made to them in this way. Supposing the coolie house to be exempted from the 13 per Ratt ceat. taxation. It might be considered by the Government perhaps, and it would be one way to meet what is undoubtedly a diffoulty. No land- lord in Hougkong wants coolies iu bis house; they are the most objectionable tenauts that any landlord can possibly have. (Applause). Then, again, I hope it will not be necessary. but the ilea cannot but have occurred to everybody, that the quarterly night passes expired last night and perhaps the Government may see fit to besitate reissuing them, and I think that would be felt to be a powerful stimulus to any who have the power of reconciling the present differ- ANCAS I think this is a sedition; it is a dangerous position in the colony with 20,000 idle Chinese coolias, or within a quarter of that number, in their houses with nothing to do. I think, gentlemen. it would be quite lawful-I do not know whether the Ordinancs would empower it to go into be bonses and give tha men the option of being deported by the Cauton steamer that evening, or being turned out to work. (Applause). And, gentlemen. I am sure they would go to work. They only want an excuse for refusing to obey these men who rule them with a Prod of iron Give them an exouse and they will go to work. (Applause). I would ask the Chair- man's permission to more this resolution, which I have just prepared for this meeting :--" That this meeting desires respectfully to express its approval of the firm altitude maintained by E. Sir William Robinson and the Government ine mention with the present poolie strike, and trecord its gonviction that by such means alon (oan the present diffully be overcome and its
ricorreuse prevented.” (Applanas).
Mr. B. SHEWAN seconded the resolution. With all due deference he thought the meeting was 2 mistake. He refused to ba-i lieve that a British community was incap- jable of dealing soccessfully with Chi-
to
nese coolies. They as loval subjects had only to give ready and loyal support to the Government. It would be time enough offer assistance to the Government when they were asked for it. The Government was perfectly able to put this strike dawn (applause) and be asked them to show these coolies that the Government was fully capable of putting down this rebellion of Chinese. (Renewed Applause).
Mr. B. SMITH-It is very comforting of Mr. Ho Tang to come here and assure us that the leading Chinese have no influence, directly or indirectly, over the strikers. Perhaps I might ask him how it was that after the leading Chinese had met the Committee the other day, as if be a way of the finger, all the cooling went to work again, and now, after these deliberations, the ar- rangements proposed fell througú, and as if by an- other wag of the finger the coilies again ceased work? Can you explain that?
Mr. Bo TUNG-It is very easily explained. It is just what I said before about the leading Chiness. When we lend our services to the Government. if successful we get no, busfits; and it anything goes wrong we get all the blame. The Chinese deputation, when they came here, told the Committee distinctly that they could not get at the head coolies and that they were all out of the oolany. The deputatiou were asked again and again whether they could make any suggestion. They answered that the coolies did not want registration, as they were afraid it would lead to new taxes, and the deputation made the suggesting which was adopted by the Committee, and the Chinese that day fully ex- pressed to the Committee that they did not com-
mit themselves in any way. hey did aut nat¦ know if the coolies would go back or not. (To. Mr. Keswick)-Did I not make the remark to yon that, in spite of the circular, we were pot sure that the coofies would return to work ?
Mr. KESWICK-That is a correct statement,
r. Ho UNO-Bat haring done that, we thought the coolies would go back, Mr. Smith asks how is it that by a turn of your finger the coolies turn back ? It is because they thought the Government would issue a proclamation. The Government turned back, and did not issue the proclamation. It is easy to say the influential Chinese are at the bottom of this. That is ul nonsense, It was the coolies who were aimed at, and they have objected all along. We tried to induce them to go back to work
Mr. SMITH-~I asked if you could explain how it was
Mr. Ha TONG-Well, I have explained to you
how it was.
Air. ROBINSON said he had listened with mach interest to what had been said, and he had not beard oue word why the coolies had struck. The Committee had suggested that the householder or bougenwaer-be had forgotten which should be rogistered instead of the bead coolies, and that suggestion had been met by the statement on the part of the Govern- ment that the saggestion was preposterous, and it was pointed out that the owner could not be expected to see that the by-laws were carried ont, and that they could not be responsible for the cleanliness of each individual house. With that statement of the Government he agreed, and the Committes in proposing this suggestion to the Government were carrying out tus Ga- vernment's own words. If the thing was pre- posterous it was the overnment that had pro- posed the preposterous regulations by passing the Ordinance. Mr. Mackintosh had said that it was a quibbls as to words, and ur. Dennys had pointed out that under the Ordinance the house- holder is ipso facts responsible. The Gorera- ment said that the head coolies had no grievance, bat did the conlies strike without a grievanos? The Committee had acted diplomatically in ad- vising the Government to accept the registration of the householder instead of the tenant of the house or the sad coolie, who received a few cents toore a day for preparing the rics for the other coolies. it argued ponary of resonree on the part of the administration that it could not obviate this registration difficulty. If insisted on th law would become a dead letter; it was 120-1 workable, impracticable, le maintained there was something more behind ths in the shape of a griovane. Mr. Ho Tung, without meaning it,. had given them a clue, and he had heard it from is gentleman of great experience in this colony-
a gentle man who was pressut but whose name Mr. Robinson did not think he would be justitied in giving. It was not merely the pains and penalties that would be exacted in a per- fectly legitimate manner when the head coolia -the man whe bought the rice for small batches of men and became responsible to the retail dealer forthe payment-bad to appear at the Magistracy, but it was most certainly the fear of an illegal exaction that had roduced thess men to strike. Every man in his own country stood in fear of his own officials, and every Chinaman in this colony stood in fear of the Chinese officials in the colony. Every lukong would levy his tax. and it was characteristic of the Chinese that they dare not tell the Government. But Alr. Ho Tung. unintentionally, had told them why. The officiala in the colony could make a Chinaman say any- thing, but they could not anke him speak the truth. (A laugh). It was moral courage that was wanting, and every bead coolie knew, just as the gambling house keepers and totally different olasses of people in this colony know, that he would have to pay hriba money. Every head coolie who got his 10 cents per diem kaew that something would have to go out of his pooket into that of the lakong or else he would be charged with overcrowding. That was why be would not register. Every a who registered, unless he paid these bribos, wanla have to go before the magistrate and inte gaol. The magistrate could not help himself. In He had to take the word of the inkong.
many cases the lukong would be telling the truth; in other cases for certain he would be enforcing his bribe. The head coolie would bave to pay the blackmail to the police for ever or give up keeping his boarding house. The householder could not be made to pay a bribo. and it was by making the house- holder responsible, as suggested by the Com wittee, that they could find a remedy for the prosent difaulty. He suggested that as!
41
#
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.