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We now
sion is that we cannot accept the resolu- | difference between the two words. It has In conclusion, been said that there will be no advant- tion on its merits. wish to say that I think the whole ques age if this resolution is carried out, and that no lasting peace will be assured. tion has been summed up in a very terse and very statesmanlike manner by my I cannot conceive a condition of peace gallant and hon. friend who sits on my within this Colony if any Germans are right (the General Officer Commanding). admitted within its domains within the Reference Hon. Mr. HOLYOAK-Sir, before reply- next two years. Personally I should be ing to the arguments I would like to the first to break the peace. ask the Hon. Mr. Lau Chu Pak if he has been made to the punishment of the has consulted the Chinese Chamber of leaders who organised this war, and who have prepared for it for years, but no Commerce in this mutter.
attempt has been made to rebut the Hon. Mr. Lay Cut PAR-There has not argument made that this war is being been opportunity of consulting the Chi-waged by the German people, and the nese Chamber of Commerce on the mat- characteristics which have been displayed ter I have consulted many of my in the perpetration of the atrocities of friends outside and have expressed their this war are to be found in the national character of the people, man, woman and opinions.
child, as I said before, and will not Hon. Mr. HOLYDAR-In dealing briefly be eradicated for a term of years. There with the debate which has just taken fore we say that they are unclean and place, I would like in the first place to that we will not be associated with them resent in the strongest possible manner if we can possibly avoid it. Accordingly the studied insult to the Committee of I have avoided anything in moving the the Chamber of Commerce. know exactly where we are. There is no resolution which could be called exEK- longer any really big man in Hongkong.geration. One could speak with greater That covers a variety of firms whose in strees, and far greater freedom if one could leave oneself free to imagination, Lorests cover millions and millions of and draw a picture of the conditions which dollars. And I am astounded that the the aftermath of this war will inevitably Governor of the Colony should give produce. But the whole burden of my utterance to such words. That being 80 resolution has been lost sight of in every I do not and that being the attitude which is being adopted towards the Chamber of Com- argument advanced against it. merce, I will proceed to deal with the ask this Council to endorse a resolution more or less weak arguments of the pledging this Colony to legislation that Government side. With reference to the for ten years after the war Germans shall be excluded from coming within whose past, the giants of commerce,
our shores. What I ask for and plead shades have passed beyond the grave. They never had to deal with such prob for is that we shall pass this resolution lems as face us to-day in the world-wide and send it home to the Home Govern war, a war which has been waged under ment as an expression of the Colony's opinion; an expression of opinion coming conditions the like of which they never from the commercial men of this Colony. saw or dreamed could be possible. And I think, in the light of these studied, and The remarks which have fallen from the Governor a deliberate I say so advisedly, these studied atroci ties which have been perpetrated by the flouting of the studied opinion of com- mercial men of the Colony, who hava Germans in this war, and of which we
carefully considered the question and have not yet reached the end, wo
come to a decision, and to tell them they entitled to say that these are conditions
are mere pigmy champions compared which are new to the world and which
And I cannot with the past is an insult to the Chamber must be faced ancw. believe that any man gathered around of Commerco-explain it how you can. this table can face calmly the possibility With regard to the remarks which have fallen from my hon. Chinese colleague, I of sitting, within two years from now, next to a German in any public build-would point out that this resolution has ing or in connection with any joint been on paper for a fortnight, which interests in this Colony, It has been gave ample time for him to consult with said that what is advocated a the Chinese Chamber of Commerce if policy of retaliation. it retaliation. I call it just retribu- did not. I have also donsulted many tion, and there is a wide and vast Chinese in connection with this matter
is
are
H.E.
are
I do not call he had desired to do so. Apparently he
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und
many Chinese merchants have what it involves is in the best interests told me frankly that they did of the Colony, so I leave it with you. not desire the
German trade to HIS EXCELLENCY-I have one more re- return to the Colony; they very much mark to make, and that is that I do not deprecated such trade and the system think any unprejudiced person would which had been adopted in the past. I consider that the words I used in refer- was astounded to hear the words tall
Hon. Mr. HOLTOAK asked for a divi- sion, and this resulted as follows:-
from the lips of the Attorney-General ence to the deceased William Keswick that there were some virtues in the credit and the deceased Sir Thomas Jackson system. There is a virtue in the credit Mr. HOLYDAR And others] could, by system, provided it is under control, but, any stretch of the imagination, he con- speaking from experience, and from a General Chamber of Commerce or its stroed into an insult to the Hongkong deep knowledge of the subject, I say, Committee. I will now put the motion. that the credit system practised by the F Germans, which was not controlled, was The resolution was then put to the positively immore). The British banks meeting, and the Governor declared that who helped them to use that credit realise the "Noes" had it. it to-day, I know perfectly well that there is a section of the Chinese com- munity which lived and had its being, so to speak, from the credit system which the Germans adopted in this Colony, and who have excluded for that reason the wider question embodied in my resolu-
Against the resolution:-Hon. Mr. Lau tion. They remember that it was their Chu Pak, Hon. Mr. Wei Yuk and all living in the past. But there are wider the official members. questions then that for the Colony to deal!
The resolution was then declared lost with and therefore contained in my re- by nine votes to four, solution. That resolution has been care- fally considered by the Chamber of Com- merce, and we are of the opinion that
For the resolution: Hon. Mr. Holyoak, Hon. Mr. Pollock, Hon. Mr. Anton and Hon. Mr. Shellim.
This was all the business. Council was adjourned sine die.
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