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matters the consideration of which ought properly and inust ultimately be brought before the Council at its public sittings, and of obtaining from them, in writing through the senior member, opinions on matters on which subsequently they are called on to vote in open Council. Such consultations must tend to render the meetings of Council farcical. There can be no real consideration or discussion, all being cut and dried beforehand. The public may have no opportunity of hearing the reasons put forward by the Government in support of their views, and the unofficial members must be deprived of the opportunity of learning the opinions on the subject, of those they are supposed to represent, whatever it may be. The continuance of such methods must render the proceedings of the Council pro forma, and I submit they are unconstitutional.
I desire that the point and my complaint may be referred to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and that his special attention may be directed to this, that if such a course of procedure is permissible at any time—and I do not say that within limits it is not—this question of the Gap Rock Light Dues is the very last that should be dealt with in that way. It is a question affecting the freedom of the port, affecting directly every merchant and trader, a question which ought to be as publicly and as thoroughly ventilated as possible, and to the consideration of which and of the possible consequences of the abolition or retention of the tax, the greatest length of time should be given. The Chamber of Commerce, directly representing the mercantile and shipping interest, make strong representations on the subject, and their representations and opinions should not, I think, be overruled by a secret conclave of gentlemen one only of whom, Mr. BELL-IRVING, directly represents the mercantile and shipping world, and who in fact was absent from the meeting of unofficial members at which the question was settled. The other unofficial members are large land owners or largely interested in land and property, and only indirectly interested in the trade and freedom of the port. This is not a question which should be left to the unofficial members to settle in private, and without a full statement in public of their reasons and a full consideration and discussion of all possible alternatives. There may be a discussion in open Council, and speeches may be made, but there will be no bona fide debate. There cannot be, when the conclusion has been pre-arranged.
As to the question of the abolition of the Gap Rock Light Dues, I am distinctly of opinion that they ought to be abolished. They were imposed for a temporary purpose which has been effected, and, more, they have left a considerable credit balance in hand. There should be no tax of any kind on shipping, no matter how slight or for whatever purpose. Hongkong was established as a free port. It has attained its present position because it has been a free port.
It can only maintain its position by remaining an entirely and an absolutely free port. The landowners, the merchants, the traders, the professional men, all who are making their livelihood in Hongkong, owe their prosperity to the presence of the shipping. A free port opened on the neighbouring coast would draw away a large portion of our shipping, and the establishment of such a port has been and is now in contemplation. The residents in Hongkong should be willing to pay a "bonus" if it were needful to encourage ships and steamers to this port. The Light Dues may be a mere trifle in themselves, but in these days of keen competition and careful calculation of expenses they have to be taken into account. It is the principle of freedom I contend for. I cordially support the request of the Chamber of Commerce for the abolition of the Gap Rock Light Dues, and I object to the impost of the same dues under another name. I am not satisfied that it is necessary to substitute some other source of revenue, but if additional taxation is an absolute necessity, there are, it seems to me, other available sources of income. House property more than any other interest derives its value from the shipping, the fees for spirit licences might be increased or doubled, and there are considerations arising out of the Opium Farm and opium, and suggestions might be made in connection therewith for raising any required addition to the revenue. Had the question been referred to the Finance Committee of Council within a reasonable period of the date on which the Chamber of Commerce brought it to the notice of Government there would have been adequate time for its examination and discussion, and the expenditure or economy in the cost of the administration could have been simultaneously considered, but now in the last days of the year the Estimates must be hurried through without delay.
I respectfully protest against this method of bringing forward important questions for debate at the latest possible moment. I further protest against secret confabulations between the unofficial members of Council on public questions, and at the reduction of the debates in Council to a mere pro forma discussion on resolutions already arrived at.
I may be permitted to point out that in the Straits Settlements, with their enormous area and extensive interests, the Government there laid the Estimates for 1897 on the Council table on the 1st of October last.
I have the honour to request that this my protest may be forwarded at your Excellency's earliest convenience to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
T. H. WHITEHEAD,
Extract from the “Daily Press" of 4th December, 1896.
GAP ROCK LIGHT DUES.
THE PRIVATE MEETING OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.
His EXCELLENCY—Gentlemen, I have the honour to lay upon the table certain correspondence respecting the abolition of the Special Gap Rock Light Dues. I have taken the liberty of laying this paper on the table myself because I wish to say that late last night, about a quarter to six, while engaged in official work, I received a vigorous protest which was written in his usual uncompromising style by the Honourable Member who has just been sworn in as representative of the Chamber of Commerce. I wish to say that the charge he has brought against me of entering into private correspondence on the subject is utterly untrue. The Honourable Member is aware of the saying, give a misstatement twenty-four hours' start and you cannot overtake it. The correspondence was perfectly public, so public that it might have been plastered on all the walls of all the houses in Hong-kong as far as I am concerned. I leave the unofficial members who are charged with holding a secret conclave and being engaged in "secret confabulations" to protect themselves from the charge. I feel sure that some of them have consulted their constituents, Dr. Ho Kai, I think, being one of them. The correspondence was perfectly public and there was no intention whatever on the part of the Government to keep it secret.
Honourable Ho KAI—Although it is unusual, I wish, since you have given me permission, to say a few words on this occasion. As a certain letter has been published by an Honourable Member of this Council casting a slur upon the whole of his unofficial colleagues in this Council, I think the earliest opportunity should be taken by individual members to clear themselves in public and give the true state of affairs in connection with this question. Your Excellency had referred this question of Light Dues to the unofficial members in the usual way. That of
349
matters the consideration of which ought properly and inust ultimately be brought before the Council at its public sittings, and of obtaining from them, in writing through the senior member, opinions on matters on which subsequently they are called on to vote in open Council. Such consultations must tend to render the ineetings of Council farcical. There can be no real consideration or discussion, all being cut and dried beforehand. The public may have no opportunity of hearing the reasous put forward by the Government in support of their views, and the unofficial members must be deprived of the opportunity of learning the opinions on the subject, of those they are supposed to represent, whatever it may be. The continuance of such methods must render the proceedings of the Council pro forma, and I submit they are unconstitutional.
I desire that the point and my complaint may be referred to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and that his special attention may be directed to this, that if such a course of procedure is permissible at any time--and I do not say that within limits it is not-this question of the Gap Rock Light Dues is the very last that should be dealt with in that way. It is a question affecting the freedom of the port, affecting directly every merchant and trader, a question which ought to be as publicly and as thoroughly ventilated as possible, and to the consideration of which and of the possible consequences of the abolition or retention of the tax, the greatest length of time should be given. The Chamber of Commerce, directly representing the mercantile and shipping interest, make strong representations on the subject, and their representations and opinions should not, I think, be overruled by a secret conclave of gentlemen one only of whom, Mr. BELL-IRVING, directly represents the mercantile and shipping world, and who in fact was absent from the meeting of unofficial members at which the question was settled. The other unofficial members are large land owners or largely interested in land and property, and only indirectly interested in the trade and freedom of the port. This is not a question which should be left to the unofficial members to settle in private, and without a full statement in public of their reasons and a full consideration and discussion of all possible alternatives. There may be a discussion in open Council, and speeches may be made, but there will be no bona fide debate. There cannot be, when the conclusion has been pre-arranged.
As to the question of the abolition of the Gap Rock Light Dues, I am dis- tinctly of opinion that they ought to be abolished. They were imposed for a temporary purpose which has been effected, and, more, they have left a considerable credit balance in band, There should be no tax of any kind on shipping, no matter how slight or for whatever purpose. Hongkong was established as a free port. It has attained its present position because it has been a free port.
It can only maintain its position by remaining an entirely and an absolutely free port. The landowners, the merchants, the traders, the professional men, all who are making their livelihood in Hongkong, owe their prosperity to the presence of the shipping. A free port opened on the neighbouring coast would draw away a large portion of our shipping, and the establishment of such a port has been and is now in contemplation. The residents in Hongkong should be willing to pay a "bonus" if it were nocdful to encourage ships and steamers to this port. The Light Dues be
may
a mere trifle in themselves, but in these days of keen compe- tition and careful calculation of expenses they have to be taken into account. is the principle of freedom I contend for. I cordially support the request of the Chamber of Commerce for the abolition of the Gap Rock Light Dues, and I object to the impost of the same ducs under another name. I am not satisfied that it is necessary to substitute some other source of revenue, but if additional taxation is an absolute necessity, there are, it seems to me, other available sources of income. House property more than any other interest derives its value from the shipping, the fees for spirit licences might be increased or doubled, and there are considera- tions arising out of the Opium Farm and opium, and suggestions might be unde in connection therewith for raising any required addition to the revenue. Had the
It
question been referred to the Finance Committee of Council within a reasonable period of the date on which the Chamber of Commerce brought it to the notice of Government there would have been adequate time for its examination and discus- sion, and the expenditure or economy in the cost of the administration could have been simultaneously considered, but now in the last days of the year the Estimates must be hurried through without delay.
I respectfully protest against this method of bringing forward important I further protest against questions for debate at the latest possible moment. secret confabulations between the unofficial members of Council on public ques- tions, and at the reduction of the debates in Council to a mere pro forma discussion on resolutions already arrived at.
I may be permitted to point out that in the Straits Settlements, with their enormous area and extensive interests, the Government there laid the Estimates for 1897 on the Council table on the 1st of October last.
I have the honour to request that this my protest may be forwarded at your Excellency's earliest convenience to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
T. H. WHITEHEAD,
Extract from the “Daily Press" of 4th December, 1896.
GAP ROCK LIGHT DUES.
THE PRIVATE MEETING OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.
His EXCELLENCr-Gentlemen, I have the honour to lay upon the table certain correspondeuce respecting the abolition of the Special Gap Rock Light Dues. I have taken the liberty of laying this paper on the table myself because I wish to say that late last night, about a quarter to six, while engaged in official work, I received a vigorons protest which was written in his usual uncompromising style by the Honourable Member who has just been sworn in as representative of the Chamber of Commerce. I wish to say that the charge he has brought against me of entering into private correspondence on the subject is utterly untrue. The Honourable Member is aware of the saying, give a misstatement twenty-four hours' start and you cannot overtake it. The correspondence was perfectly public, so public that it might have been plastered on all the walls of all the houses in Hong- kong as far as I am concerned. 1 leave the unofficial members who are charged with holding a secret conclave and being engaged in "secret confabulations" to protect themselves from the charge. I feel sure that some of them have consulted their constituents, Dr. Ho Kai, I think, being one of them. The correspondence was perfectly public and there was no intention whatever on the part of the Government to keep it secret.
Honourable Ho KAI--Although it is unusual, I wish, since you have given me permission, to say a few words on this occasion. As a certain letter has been published by an Honourable Member of this Council casting a slur upon the whole of his unofficial colleagues in this Council, I think the earliest opportunity should be taken by individual members to clear themselves in public and give the truc state of affairs in connection with this question. Your Excellency had referred this question of Light Dues to the unofficial members in the usual way. That of
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