41060
REGE 25 MOV OF
356
3
His Excellency the Governor then addressed the Council as follows :-
As is usual when laying the Estimates before you, it is well to take some account of the incidents of the past year affecting the Colony, to consider our position generally, and to render to you as far as can be done in a short statement an account of our stewardship. It is needless to say that the sad event that touched all our hearts most deeply was the death of our great and dearly loved Queen, for whom all the world has mourned, and to whose memory a great memorial, worthy I hope of the greatest among the great, is projected in London. Towards the cost of that memorial all the Colonies are contributing. Our people of Hongkong have with their usual liberality subscribed $77,860, to which sum I propose that this Council shall add $50,000—a proposal that I am certain will meet the approval of every member of the Council,
The war in South Africa, waged under circumstances of exceptional difficulty, and extending over an area nearly as large as the whole of South China East of Yunnan has cost us many thousands of the flower of our people, who have laid down their lives in the most sacred of all duties—that of upholding the honour of their country.
But their sacrifice has not been in vain, for the war, with all its tedious and trying incidents, has shown that the qualities of high courage and patient determination that have built up our Empire are as strong and dominant as at any period of our history, and it has demonstrated that the British Empire is not, as some have thought, a conglomeration of loosely bound protected Countries, of Colonies restless under a centralized Government, and of subject nations yielding a sullen submission; but that wherever our flag floats, when the tocsin of war had sounded, the swords of free peoples leaped from their scabbards and the British Empire stood forth solid and compact with the fervour of patriotism throbbing as strongly at the extremities as in the heart of England.
The serious troubles in the North of China have affected this Colony less than might have been expected. These troubles are yet too recent to enable us to form a fair estimate of their cause, and it may be that history will show that there have been grave faults and mistakes on both sides, but happily in the South we have been spared the horrors that have deluged some of the Northern provinces with blood, and I am glad to say that the relations of this Colony with Canton have never been more cordial.
During the past year the amount of shipping entering and clearing from the port was greater than at any period of its history, and the returns show that the financial position of the Colony is satisfactory,
A grave local misfortune was experienced on the 9th November, when the Colony was visited by a typhoon the disastrous result of which must be fresh in
T
41060
REGE 25 MOV OF
356
3
Excellency the Governor then addressed the Commeil as follows :-
As is usual when laying the Estimates before you, it is well to take some account of the incidents of the past year affecting the Colony, to consider our position generally, and to ader to you as far as can be done in a short statement an account of our stewardship. It is needless to say that the sad event that touched all our hearts most deeply was the death of our great and dearly loved Queen, for whom all the world has mourned, and to whose memory a great memorial, worthy I hope of the greatest among the great, is projected in London. Towards the cost of that memorial all the Colonies are contributing. Our people of hongkong have with their usual liberality subscribed $77,860, to which sum propose that this Council shall add $50,000—a proposal that I am certain will meet the approval of every member of the Council,
I
The war in South Africa, waged under circumstances of exceptional difficulty, aud extending over an area nearly as large as the whole of South China East of Yunnan has cost us many thousands of the flower of our people, who have laid down their lives in the must sacre of all duties-that of upholding the honour of their country.
But their sacrifice
has not been in vain, for the war, with all its tedious and trying incidents, has shown that the qualities of high courage and patient determination that have built up our Empire are as strong and dominant as at any period of our history, and it has demonstrated that the British Empire is not, as some have thought, a conglomeration of loosely bound protected Countries, of Colonies restless under a centralized Government, and of subject nations yield- ing a sullen submission; but that wherever our flag floats, when the toesin of war had sounded, the swords of free peoples leaped from their scabbards and the British Empire stood forth solid and compact with the fervour of patriotism throbbing as strongly at the extre- mities as in the heart of England.
The serions trumbles in the North of China have affected this Colony less than night have been expected. These troubles are yet too recent to enable us to form a fair estimate of their canse, and it be that history will show that there have been grave faults and istakes on both sides, but imppily in the South we have been spared the horrors that have deluged some of the Nonhern provinces with blood, and I am glad to say that the relations of this Colony with Canton have never been more cordial.
During the past year the amount of shipping entering and clearing from the port was greater than at any period of its history, and the returns show that the financial position of the Colony is satisfactory,
A grave local misfortune was experienced on the 9th November, when the Colony was visited by a typhoon the disastrous result of which must be fresh in
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