CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 354

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10. Improvement of Hunan waterways.

11. Definite local prohibition to be fixed (on what subjects is not stated).

12. Extravagance of living to be checked.

13. Extension of post offices.

14. Railway to be completed in time limit.

15. Extension and encouragement of manufactures.

16. Extension of anti-opium bureaus.

17. Extension of agricultural societies.

18. Definite area to be fixed as the "trade mart

of Changsha.

19. Restrictions to be placed on quantities and destinations of rice exported. 20. A society to be formed to prevent property from passing out of possession of local inhabitants.

21. Abolition of practice of paying soldiers in rice.

22. Preservation of trees.

23. Establishment of commercial bureaus.

24. Abolition of li-kin.

Senate. Five members were elected to serve in the Senate at Peking.

In the "Official Gazette" of the 10th January, two telegrams exchanged between the Governor of Hunan and the Constitutional Government Committee on the subject of the powers of the assembly were published. The following are condensed translations of these interesting documents:-

Telegram 1-Governor of Hunan to Committee.

"The provincial assembly have raised the following question for my consideration: One of the rules of debates in the Hunan assembly states that 'in all cases when the governor contracts an agreement with a foreign nation involving Hunan interests, or when he issues rules and regulations on his own authority, the matters shall first be debated in the assembly.' This clause virtually amounts to interference with foreign relations, and is not to be found in the similar regulations governing the debates of the Chekiang, Kiangsu, or Hupei assemblies.

"In the reply issued by your committee to the memorial of Yu Shih-mei, fixing the duties and powers, with their limitations, of provincial assemblies, it was laid down that their scope did not include the discussion of military and judicial matters, or of those involving foreign relations, which is a direct contradiction of the above- quoted regulations of the Hunan assembly.

"I have consequently, but in vain, endeavoured to deny the contention of the assembly that they are entitled to debate on the subjects referred to, and I have the honour to submit the question for your ruling."

#

Telegram 2-Committee to Governor of Hunan.

"Your telegram of the 18th December: Agreements contracted between Viceroys or governors and foreign countries are matters to be dealt with by the board concerned. There is no such thing as the issue on your own authority of rules or regulations which are in any way connected with agreements of this kind, and it is again for the board concerned to depute the Viceroy or governor to draw up detailed rules in such cases. There is a radical difference between such rules and regulations and rules issued on your sole authority. It is for the board concerned to decide in each case which of such agreements should be negotiated by the board and which by the province. For the present, and until rules are definitely drawn up, apart from questions relating to provincial interests, which, according to regulation, will be the subject of resolutions in the assembly, those matters which should be referred to the board for consideration need not be discussed in the assembly."

SZECHUAN.

The assembly held its last sitting on the 27th November, and the closing ceremonies took place on the following day. The Viceroy was present, and after a speech from him the representatives for the Senate were elected. The election was by ballot, and a clear majority-over 50 per cent. of the voting members-was necessary to secure election. At the first ballot only two members obtained this percentage, and a second and third ballot was necessary to obtain a full complement

of representatives. Twelve names were submitted to the Viceroy, who selected the first six on the list, being the number fixed to represent Szechuan in the Senate. Of these six only three had taken any prominent part in the affairs of the assembly.

FUKIEN.

The Fukien assembly was in full session from the 14th October to the 27th November, 1909. In the twenty-one working days fifty-two Bills were discussed and passed, and nine questions were asked, most of which were referred to the Viceroy for his written decision. At first the Bills were submitted directly to the whole House, but later on it was found more expeditious to confide them to committees, who made it their business to ascertain the average sentiment of the assembly. Most of the serious work was done outside the building, and the passing of Bills was in this way much expedited. The work of the committees was secret and confidential, and Bills after passing the committee stage were presented to the full House and adopted after a final discussion,

The Bills were published as a rule in the local press without comment. The organ of the Reform party alone indulged in occasional criticism, not always favourable to the members of the assembly.

Only thirty of the seventy-two members took an active part in the debates, and the really hard work was performed by the standing committee. The remaining forty odd members never opened their mouths, whether from timidity, ignorance, or apathy. Almost all were pleased with the result of the assembly's first session, and the relations between the assembly and the provincial authorities were generally harmonious.

KWANGTUNG.

The Canton assembly held sixteen sittings before proroguing until the autumn of 1910, leaving the standing committee to attend to any business that might arise in the interval. One of the most important debates was on the subject of the Reorganisation Bureau ("Shan Hou Chou"), the assembly being in favour of its abolition on the ground that it had overstepped the limits of its authority and had usurped the functions of the provincial Treasury. The Viceroy, however, minuted the assembly's resolution with the remark that the bureau could not be abolished.

The results of the debates were in each case reported to the Viceroy, but the latter appears to have paid but scant attention to the opinions of the members.

ANHUI

His Majesty's consul reports that so far as he can learn the people of Anhui take no interest in their assembly. It is never mentioned in the local paper. He sends the following extracts from missionaries' letters, which are of interest:-

1. "One man from here has been appointed to the provincial assembly, but who elected him and what his work is nobody seems to know or care.'

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Although my teacher, who has been with me ten years, is a B.A., and voted

at the election, he knows nothing of what has been done."

2. "The people do not seem to take any interest in the changes going on in the Government.'

4. "I do not think any interest whatever is being taken in the provincial assembly, and I have never heard anyone say that it had accomplished anything."

KIRIN.

The governor's efficial report on the work of the first session informs us that the President of the Kirin assembly is a sub-prefect on probation, and that the two Vice-President are a taotai and a minor official of the Grand Secretariat without posts. By the conclusion of the regular term of session on the 23rd November, there were questions before the assembly upon which no decisions had been taken, and there were questions to be reconsidered. Therefore, on that day, after the election of the senators, the session was extended for ten days till the 5th December. A standing committee of six members was appointed. Some of the questions were placed before the assembly by the governor, some by the special committee