CO129-394 - Governor Sir May & Public Offices - 1912 [12] — Page 178

CONFIDENTIA L.

Konclosure!..

C.0.

175

2222

RECE

(F.: 20 JAN 13

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 30th. December, 1912.

sir,

12-

(३

Referring to my Confidential Despatch of the

Sth. instant, I have the honour to forward for the signification

of His Majesty's pleasure Ordinance llo. 41 of 1912 entitled "An Ordinance to prevent the undue and improper interference with or hampering of lawful business and commercial undertakings". The customary report by the Attorney-General on the Ordinance is also

enclosed.

2.

The draft bill, a copy of which was forwarded in my above-quoted Despatch, was published for general information in the Gazette of the 13th. instant. On the 18th. December I conven

-ed a meeting of the leading members of the Chinese community at

Government House, some one hundred and fifty persons fully re- -presentative of the commercial life of the Colony attending, and

I addressed them at length upon the subject of the boycott. I enclose a copy of my speech. Sir Kai Ho Kai, Mr. Wei Yuk, and others spoke and the sympathy of the meeting was plainly with the

Government. An informal discussion took place after I had retired

and those present then proceeded in a body to ride in the cars. A meeting was subsequently held at the Chinese Commercial Union, at which both Sir Kai Ho Kai and kir. Wei Yuk made speeches justifying, the action of the Tramway Company and of the Government. The meeting was, however, poorly attended. On the 23rd. instant Sir Kai Ho Kai caused to be published in the local press e resume of

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

&C..

LEWIS HARCOURT, H.P.,

&C.,

&c...

(n)

his