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THE HONGKONG PETITION.
The Hon. T. I, Whitehead has addressed the following letter to The Times :-
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The mennest Roman citizen had the right of appealing to Car against official oppression. In the modern Bitish Empire Caesar" is the public opinion of the United ingdom. Against that force happily no injustice can stand. studied by statesmen as saxinusty as the winds and currents by sailors, and it controls even Parliament itself The people of Hongkong are suffering and writhing under injustice; and, as their delegate. I appeal on their behalf throngh you to public opinion for redress. We cou- fidently rely on your courtesy and the traditions of your great paper for a full and patient hear- iog.
The inhabitants of Hongkong desire to be allowed to enjoy a privilege, which every English mau loo.s for, but which is denied to them—that of managing their own local affairs and con- trolling their own local expenditure, where Imperial consideratious are not involved. They intrusted me with a petition to this eff-ct, signed by a most every British person in the colony, and this petition was presented to the House of Commous a few days ago by Mr. Henuiker Heaton, M.P.
The petitioners suggested that their aim- self-government so far as was consistent with Imperial interests-might be attained by allow. ing the free election of a majority of members of British nationality to the Legislative Council, freedom of speech, and the election of one or more unofficial members to the Excentive Council. These concessions would give them the desirəd control of ions affairs and local expenditure, 88 well as a consultative voice on Imperial questions, ¦ but their rights were to be, of course, subject to the Governor's veto, the paramount control rest. ing with the Imperial Government.
There is nothing alarming or even presump. tuous in this programme. The privileges are sujoyed by other Crows colonies, such as Malta, Cyprus. Mauritius, and British Honduras. But it is objected that Hongkong is a great naval and military station, that the bulk of the Population consists of Chinamen, and that, Therefore, the grant of self-government would be a dangerous experiment.
We answer that the limited degree of self- government desired by na, subject to the Governor's veto, could be no more dangerous in Hongkong than the much greater rights of; self-government in Cape Colony, where also there is su overwhelming preponderance of the uative element. Hongkong is a fortress, naval and military base; so is Malta, which has long controlled its own local affairs.
What we propose is that only persons of British nationality should be electors. It is said that this weans the government of 127,000 Chinamen by 800 Englishmen. Is that mero shocking thau the present goverumeat of 127,000 Chinamen by 12 Englishmen-namely, the Governor and 11 nominated connoillora F It is not proposed to intrust the Chinese masses with | voting power. The colony is British, it is the obief British naval and military centre in the Far East, and its trade, estimated at £40,000,000
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a year, has been brought into existence and is mainly carried on by British merchants. But cais does not prevent any Portuguese, Germans, Frenchmen, or binamen from acquiring British nationali y, and so gaining the franchise. At this moment, and without naturalisation, a Chinese J.P. or a German member of the Chamber of Commerce is entitled to join in no- minating to the ouncil with his brother mer chants a repr sentative for the Governor's approval.
The present Council is a mere mockery of representative government. A anall scorel Executive Connois, or Cabinet. which obse- quiously obeys directions from Downing Street, determines what legislation shall be carried The proposals are thou laid before the Legista- tive Coaucil, which includes seven official mew- bers selected by the Crown, three quofficial selected by the Governor, and two auofficial selected by the magistrates and the Chamber of Commerce respectively. All the members have to be approved and appointed by the Crown, or virtually by the Governor aud bis advisers.
What semblance of representative government can be found in such an arrangement? The un official members may protest against reckless ex- travagance or crushing taxation; the official members and the Governor himself may, Ba private persons, with hearts and consciences, join ia that protest, and even (as in the case of singa pore last year) telegraph their protest to London. But orders must be obeyed and the official mem. bers, being always in a majority and acting under instructions, vote down all opposition.
The official members all posts or offices frequently, merely as stepping-stones to promotion else. where, and do not know so much of local weeds as their au fficial colleagues, who bave passed the best years of their lives in the nolony, while the Colonial Office must know still loss than the official members. Not long ago the London autho. rities censured the local Government for partially lighting car stresis with electricity at a cost to ourselves of our own money of about $2,000. At the same time, they were peremptorily order- ing us to build a new gaol at a cost estimated at close upon 2.00,000, although it has been proved (and they have since admitted) that an extension of the old gaol at a cost of about £9,600 would amply suffice for all requirements.
There is no more loyal population in the Empire than that which i represent. We are educating the Chinese by means of great nom- bers of schools, we are improving our streets, we are carrying out useful public works, and we are labouring to enforce sanitary rules in that Aageau stable, the native quarter of the town. but our resources are limited, and we are already taxed up to the limit of endurance. It is the fundamental principle of our Constitution that there should be no taxation without repre- sentation. We are anxious to do all in our power to safeguard the magnificent port and fortress comwitted to our keeping, but we earnestly plead for the privilege, the common birthright of our race, of settling our own local affairs in our own way and to our own mind.
That privilege we respectfully ask our fellow conntrymen to confer upon us.
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