CO129-440 - Others & Individuals - 1916 — Page 93

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financiers to an unsound system, fostered by our enemies at a time when they were pretending to be our friends. His own belief was that if the financial houses in London were to abolish that business it would be beneficial for everyone concerned. He thought that all Mr. Ainscough had said concerning business in machinery, and also as to business in exports being developed in the interior of China, was quite sound, and that these were directions in which we had been behindhand. He hoped that the report which Mr. Ainscough was issuing, and the address which he had made that day, would bear fruit in extending our connections with China. (Applause.)

Mr. GERSHOM STEWART, M.P., seconded the vote of thanks, stating that he had listened with great interest to Mr. Ainscough's address. Like their Chairman, he did not think the distribution scheme proposed by the lecturer was a very easy matter to attain. He was certain that as regards the future Germany would not be permitted to assail British trade in China as had been the case in the past. There were two specialities which the Germans had enjoyed-dyes, a British invention, and munitions. He was not a pessimist as regards the future of British trade in China, and he endorsed all Mr. Ainscough had said concerning long credit; no doubt some of those present had had some sad experiences in that connection. There was a great deal in what Mr. Ainscough had said concerning young business men going to China, but, on the other hand, looking back on life in a Chinese town, it was a very hard thing to send a young English lad out to the Chinese town, If they were sending to the up-country, it would be better to obtain an experienced man and pay him well for living what was an exile's life. Of the amount of £97,000,000 which were direct imports from China, including Hong Kong, he thought they could feel sure they could maintain their premier position in the great interchange of trade between the inhabitants of China and India and the whole world. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. AINSCOUGH, having briefly acknowledged the vote of thanks, Mr. HILL proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was unanimously adopted, and the proceedings then terminated.

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