CO129-442 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [4-6] — Page 204

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ing as far as possible a tree port," it is the considered opinion of the Government of the Colony that we│ must not allow our sentiment of detestation of the crimes committed by the Germans to outweigh the practical contribution which thair presence here on the old terms would make to the future prosperity of the Colony! It is an amazing message. to go forth to the world from a British Colony at the present time. We had no expectation that the Government would commit itself to. the Hon Mr. HOLYOAK's motion, but we were scarcely prepared to see the opposition take the form of a conviction on the part of every official member of the Council that the proposals contained in the resolu- tion are not "in the interests of the Colony." It is not a convincing reply to the resolution to say that the men who have played a leading part in the commercial life of the Colony during the past thirty or forty years have held views strongly opposed to any restriction of the trade and commerce of port. Times change, and we change with them, and we should be much surprised to learn that "the big men," whose names

His EXCELLENCY introduced in the course of his speech were found to-day out of sympathy with a motion which embodies the considered views lot the men who are now carrying on the trade of the Colony. The defeat of the motion in the Council raises once more, the question as to who jare the best judges of what is "in the best interests of the colony "- the Government, or the general body, of commercial men who carry on the Colony's trade? It discloses also that so far us Hongkong is concerned the local Government is out of sympathy with the general tenour of the Paris Conterence. The value of the discussion in the Legislative Council is that it makes clear what the attitude of the Colony is towards these proposals, and we think the discussion will be read abroad with no little amazement. Everybody must agree with His Excellency the

General when be said the great Im- perial question could not be over- looked, but can we believe that there will be a lasting peace with such a foe as Germany if immediately the war is over we offer her the old facilities for building up the trade' which the war has interrupted! We have every confidence that the Allies will do their best to secure that it

hall be lasting, and that end can be aobieved in no surer way than by the adoption of such means as the Hon Mr. HOLYOAK's motion suggests -means which are in accord with the recommendations of the Allied Economic Conference.

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