CO129-285 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black - 1898 [9-10] — Page 238

7.

to,

1.

231

The increasing consumption of native produce

by Chinese in America and other Foreign ports, whose diet consists of principally rice and such other

articles of food as are commonly used by the Chinese

in their mother country.

2.

The diminution of agricultural labour by reason

of a great proportion of the farmers and labourers

having continually migrated to the various foreign

ports such as Borneo, Deli, America, Annam, Honolulu,

Malayan States, etc, to work on the estates, planta-

tions and mines where better wages and inducements

for labour are offered.

3. The increase of tax and lekin on native manu-

factures and produce levied by the Chinese Authori-

ties on the mainland after the recent war with Ja-

pan. The duty now levied with the additional lekin

dues is almost twice that which it was prior to

the war.

Your Petitioners are aware that some compensa- tion has been granted by the British Government to Europeans employed by the Hong-Kong and Straits Settlements Governments, in respect of the fall in exchange, and your Petitioners are informed and believe that, in the Straits Settlements, compen- sation has been made to the Chinese there employed in the Go-

vernment

ī