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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
caption "Objects and Reasons" appear- ing at the foot of the proposed Ordinance, though the "Object" is clearly stated, no Reason whatever therefor is given.
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10. Our clients would venture to remind the Government that both prior to and during the present War their assistance has on many occasions been solicited on behalf of charitable and benevolent institutions and under takings, and that such assistance has almost invariably been rendered on more or less gratuitous terms. Our clients mention this fact in order to emphasise the further fact that the objections to the proposed new Ordin ance herein set forth do not emanate from a corporation whose sole intent is the making of money at all hazards.
11. Dealing with the contents of the proposed new Ordinance apart from the question of the principle involved in the consideration of the Ordinance itself, our clients would remark that the alleviation purporting to be afforded by the concluding words of Section 4 are under grave danger of nullification by the provisions of Section 6-which latter Section seems to our clients to be grossly unfair, in that it places the Magistrate before whom any
"trans- netion" is questioned in the position of dispensing with evidence and acting upon his own mere impression.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
No. 6. Des Voeux Road Central, Hongkong,
3rd October, 1017. SIR. We are instructed by the pro- prictors of the King Edward Hote! to address you with regard to the proposed Bill to amend the Liquors Consolida-
Governor for his consideration.ction. They go into the details of the easure fairly and fully and they say have the honour to be, Bir, you bat they consider it will cause serious obedient servants,
convenience to them in their business. (Sd.) DEACON, LOOKER, DEACON &nd surely, Sir, a hotel which has been
HARSTON,
un for fifty years has a right to say, There, Sir, with 50 years' experience th all events, that they do know something say the system has worked well. They how the business should be managed. not seem to be oppressed with a bagful hen, Sir, Mesara. Dennys and Bowley behalf of the King chits or anything of that sort. I thi ave written on Clause 10 of the letter quite sufficient edward Hotel, who also object to the Bill
The letter was written on the 3rd of this answers the contention put forward the Colonial Secretary that apparen onth. It is as follows:- some of those people are very much afraon. Mr. Claud Severn. C.M.C., that their takings will be diminish Colonial Secretary. That letter was addressed to the Coloni Secretary. It was a letter, Sir, ver fairly and very properly and courteous expressed, and one would have thoug that it would have met with an equal courteous reply. The letter was sent the 22nd of September and the reply it is dated 10th October, that is, yesterdation Ordinance, 1911. The reply is as follows:-
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkon 10th October, 1917 GENTLEMEN, With reference to yo letter of the 27th September, 1917, the subject of the proposed Bill amend the Liquors Consolidation Ord ance of 1911, I am directed to infor you that a full explanation of the Bi will be given in the Legislative Cou cil on Thursday, the 11th October, a that the Government is not prepared withdraw the Bill. I am, Gentleme Your obedient servant,
(Sd) CLAUDE SEVERN
(Colonial Secretary
Messrs. Deacon, Looker, Deacon &
Harston, Hongkong.
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2. As we understand that the pro- posed legislation is not in any way connected with the present war and, as the object, but no reason, is given for its introduction, our clients wish us to make representations on their behalf against a bill which will have the effect of cutting off a considerable source of revenue derived from the hotel and 18
measure which could not possibly have heen anticipated by our clients when they acquired the premises.
3. Our clients wish us to point out that the King Edward Hotel is one of the oldest established hotels in the Colony, that the "chit system" has been in vogue during the whole time of the hotel's existence, and that the pro- prietors have found it to work satis- factorily both to the general public and to themselves.
12-Our clients would respectfully call attention to the fact that the restric- tions in regard to the Liquor Trade now existing in Great Britain were the result of the absolute necessity for securing the due prosecution by the working classes of all the country's energies for carry- ing on the war, and particularly in regard to shipyards and munition factories a state of affairs which, in regard to the necessity above referred to, has no parallel in this Colony.
13.-Finally, our clients would remark that the lack of any sufficient reason for the passing of the proposed Ordinance is emphasised by the fact that the num ber of fully licensed hotels and public. houses in this Colony is comparatively a very small one there being only 7 fully licensed hotels and public houses in all while of these only 4 are situate the explanation promised is the brare not allowed to sign chits, but will within the limits of the City of Victoria, | bag which we have seen and which appe viz. the following:-The Hongkong to be full of chits. Hotel. The King Edward Hotel. The Grand Hotel, The Astor House Hotel.
14. Our clients therefore submit that the proposed Bill should be withdrawn, and we shall be glad if you will kindly lay this letter before His Excellency the
In other words, Sir, the reasonable sta ment pointing out that absolutely justification on the face of things been shown for this measure *Objects and Reasons" is met by curt statement just at the last mome at the eleventh hour, "You will be what you will be told about the Bi Apparently the only thing full aber
All I can say
regard to that is that one manager o hotel has been singularly improviden his transactions and this one man, ap|| ently, requires some protection. The institutions like the Hongkong He however, apparently require no such ||
4.-It is well known that owing to the cumbersome nature of the local coinage it is not usual for dollars to be carried on the person, and for the same reason customers who use the public bars in the Colony resent receiving coins as change after payment in paper money. Our clients anticipate, and we think rightly, that the public will not spend much ready cash in places where they resort to other places where they will have that privilege extended to there. This would practically stop the use of the hotel bars, except by the residents in the hotel, and the revenue derived from them would be extremely small in comparison to that obtained from the general public.
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5. The disallowance of the *+ chit system" will cause not only a great hardship to our clients but also a great inconvenience to the public generally. especially to members of the mercantile marine sailing to and from this port. In many instances ships officers and others arriving at the port have to wait two or three days before receiving their salary, during which time they have hitherto enjoyed the privilege of sign- ing chits for any of their requirements as regards refreshments; these chits are invariably settled as soon as they receive their wages.
6. Another possible effect of the pro- posed legislation will be, we submit, to induce persons to frequent undesirable places where they can, upon signing chite, obtain as much liquor as they require.
7-Finally, we would point out that not only will our clients revenue con- siderably decrease but their expenses will be much greater owing to the neces sity-first, of having to pay higher salaries to all servants employed in the hotel who under the provisions of the proposed bill would be in the position of receiving cash payments; and, secondly, of having to obtain guarantees for the honesty and integrity of such
Bervants.
8. Our clients respectfully submit that, as there does not appear to be any justification for the proposed Bill, it should be withdrawn, and they trust that, after consideration of all he circumstances,
the His Excellency Governor will not consider it advisable to interfere with the present system.-- We are, Sir, yours faithfully,
(Sd.) DENNYS & BOWLEY. The main point made by this hotel is with reference to ships officers arriving at this port, and I would especially draw attention to the last words in paragraph 5 "these chits are invariably settled as soon as they receive their wages." The Hong- kong Hotel and the King Edward Hotel are not like the other hotel referred to by the Colonial Secretary--collectors of chits. They manage their business in a reasonable manner and see that they get paid. There, Sir, you have the opinions of the managers of the two biggest hotels in the City of Victoria. As against that we are asked to weigh the opinion of a manager of a hotel who at present appears before us not in the open but in the garb of anonymity. We are not even told who this manager is or what hotel it is which has made this terrible collection of chits, which has been, on the face of things, So
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