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HON. MR. HOLYOAK-And of British trade in the Far East."
HON. MR. LANDALE-I seconded this amendment, and I would like to explain my reasons for doing 80. When the Chamber of Commerce suggested this measure they did so for two reasons--that as many men as could be spared to go and fight should go, and that as it was necessary to retain here a certain num- ber of men, those men should be satisfied that they were doing their duty and be protected from the imputations being made against them. The Attorney-General seems to have failed to realise this latter object of the Chamber of Commerce, and I am not quite sure whether the Govern- ment understands it, or have been misled on the point. There is no doubt that the Chamber of Commerce intended those required for trade in the Far East to be exempt under the Bill.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR-Why did they not any so!
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
any cost, because. we think that is economically unsound in the interests of the nation. We have again and again reiterated the view that labour trained and specialised here should be used for maintaining British trade in the face of increasingly aggressive opposition and competition from friendly, but neverthe less competitive, nations; and it must have an adverse effect on the trade of the Colony if it is to be denuded of the heads of departments without whom no great business can be run. We feel strongly, also, that it is essential to protect the small businesses which are British, some of which may have been recently estab- lished, while others are of ancient growth though perhaps not large,
and the removal of any man from a small busi- ness is likely to be very adverse to British Interests in the long run. should not have mentioned this if the hon, and learned Attorney-General had not laid such stress on the fact that the days have changed and that the spirit of the appeal is now not to maintain our economic strength, but to obtain man power. Whilst that is true at Home it must also be remembered that every man you take from this place is highly trained and represents specialised labour of economic value which it will take years replace. We, therefore, want assurance before the Bill passes and with. out which assurance we cannot see our way to pass it- that the really essential economic interests of the Colony and of our vast distributing trade with China, from which a goodly portion of our taxes flow, enabling us to pay the large contributions year by year to the Imperial coffers which we have done since the war began, and the excess profit taxes which have been paid by many firms year by year at Home, shall be maintained. I sound this note of warn- ing $13 the Attorney-General in hia speech last Thursday seemed to lay great stress on the question and appeared to take the view then that it was no longer a case of protecting trado as opposed to man power and that men must be obtained at all coet. It is distasteful to rae to argue on these lines and I admit that it sounds unpatriotic, but from my soul and from my deepest convictions I am convinced that the soundest policy in the intereste of oar Empire is to main- tain our trade that we may continue our contributions to Imperial War Funds, both here and at home.
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HE. THE GOVERNOR What are the precise words you wish adried?
HON. MR. LANDALE I think they did quite clearly. If the local Government agree with this it ought to be in the Bill. If it does not, then the matter ought to be referred back to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and let us find out where we stand. I do not think that as a result of this Bill there will be any large addi- tion to the fighting forces, as the vast majority of those who can be spared have long since joined the army.
point out that the remarks of the hon. HON. MR. POLLOCK- I would like to and learned Attorney-General at the last deal further than his remarks at the first meeting of this Council went a very great meeting of this Council on the Bill. At the first meeting of this Council on this Bill we understood that the essential
trade interests of this Colony were to be preserved, and not only that but the trade The Attorney-General went much further interests controlled from this Colony. at the last meeting of this Council To continue reading from where my bon. friend who represents the Chamber of Commerce left off, the Attorney-General, at the last meeting of the Council, made use of the following expression:—
"The larger businesses may have to be curtailed New enterprises, however promising, may have to be restricted. and in the case of one-man businessES and occupations it may be that some of them will have to be closed altogether for the time being."
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE 'COUNCIL
Well, Sir, nothing of that, and nothing resembling it, appeared in the speech of the Attorney-General when this Bill first came before this Council, and I think 4 | the last meeting of the Council when these. words were used was the first intimation received that the Government intended to throw overboard the idea of Business as the usual" and intended to force to extremest limit the question of man-power in disregard of what the Prime Minister called the contributory help to the war by means of silver bullets-in view of this new attitude taken up by the Govern- ment, I quite agree with what has fallen from the hon. anofficial member who last spoke on this matter, and if necessary it should be brought before the Secretary of State again, because I think, Sir, as my hon. friend pointed out, there has been some genuine misapprehension on the matter. Certainly it was not contem- plated by the Chamber of Commerce, when it suggested a measure of this kind, that it should be carried to the extent that apparently now the Government intends to carry it. I say the Govern
carly ment, because I can hardly believe that the Attorney-General, addressing us last Thursday, was addressing us on his own, He was, I think, outlining the policy of the Clovernment, which policy, I under- stand from my two colleagues, has come upon the Chamber of Commerce surprise, as something which they did not expect.
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HON. MR. LAU (HU PAK--You should not have asked for conscription to be applied to this Colony at all.'
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H.E. THE GOVERNOR- The Govern- ment abides by the remarks of the Attor- ney-General on the first reading. What we are concerned with is the essential interests of the Colony, and those essential interests include trade, and include trade China controlled from Hongkong. Now the learned Attorney-General on the second reading emphasised that it must Bot be lost sight of that men are wanted, and I do not suppose anyone denies that, Mr. Lloyd George, in a recent speech, said himself that men were so badly wanted that if a certain amount of trade had to go it would have to go. You ask me to put in the words "British trade in the Far East." I say I cannot put in those words because they are much too wide. They might mesr anything. Moreover, I suppose you are as well aware as I am that they are calling up men in China itself who are employed in British trade in and with China. If
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comprehensive manner, including Hongkong and China, you would have to have one commission for the two places. We are duly educerned here with our own trade and in the application of this Act it is obvious that hundreds--well, I don't know about hundreds, but I will say some--that some are not essential to the trade of the Colony or to the Imperial side of the trade. What the Attorney- General said was if there was a question as to what is essential trade, the touch- stons that I believe was the word he used was AS to its Imperial use OT That seems to me a very fair utility. comment to make. We adopted, after a long discussion, these words essential interests of the Colony because they are wide and elastic. I do not think myself when the Tribunal and the Council of Ap. peal get to work any really serious diffi- culty will occur in the interpretation of the term essential interests of the Colony. I think the Attorney-General, when be made his second speech, only wanted to emphasise the fact that we could not con- sider the mere maintenance of trade. It is perfectly true that some large busi- nesses will perhaps have to shed some of their staffs and that other businesses which now employ several men might be carried on by a lesser number.
HON. MR. HOLYOAK-It is extremely doubtful now the staffs have been so depleted.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR-We have to see what we can get. I abide by what was stated by the Attorney-General on the first reading, that essential means the essential trade of the Colony. There are some other essential things and we also recognise that we must take into con sideration the trade controlled from Hongkong. But if the words British trade in the Far East were added, it certain might result in this, that when firm was called up it could say Yes, I have more men here than are necessary, but they have taken men from Shanghai and I want to fill up my office, there That would be ridiculous state of affairs.ten, cl
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HON. MR. HOLYOAK I do not think any firm of standing bas one man whom it could afford to transfer to Shanghai, Hankow or elsewhere.
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