46
2. Any British vessel, and vessels of any country passing through Hong Kong or Macao, shall not be allowed intercourse with inland Kwangtung for discharge of cargo:
3. All non-British merchandise and non-British vessels which do not pass through
Hong Kong or Macao shall have freedom to unload.
4. Within the borders of Kwangtung, provided neither goods nor vessels are British,
all equally shall have freedom of trade and intercourse.
5. All goods stored in Canton, provided they are not British and not British-owned, shall equally be available for sale. (This regulation does not apply to Government monopolies and contraband articles.)
6. This regulation has been signed and promulgated by the four Chambers of Commerce, in association with the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee. From the date of publication until the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee is vested with official authority to blockade, anything which infringes the preceding regulations will uniformly and entirely be confiscated. (Confiscation can be carried out only after being sanctioned by a strike committee.)
7. In the matter of chartering vessels to come to Canton, the charterer must first arrange, as a supplementary item in the agreement, that when cargo has been discharged and she leaves port the vessel must not anchor either at Hong Kong or at Macao. Further, he must report to the Chamber of Commerce and to the Strike Committee for purpose of record. If the charterer disobeys this regulation, he must bear the responsibility. And when a vessel breaks contract, the industrial and commercial bodies will declare all the steamers of the shipping company concerned to be wholly under boycott. (This regulation came into force on the 1st October.)
The above regulations, already agreed upon by our unions, become effective on the day of publication. We trust that our mercantile circles and fellow-countrymen will all happily abide by and carry them out, in expectation of conjointly reaching our goal, viz., the overthrow of imperialism.
The All-China General Labour Union.
The Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee.
The Canton General Chamber of Commerce.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce of all Kwangtung.
The Canton Municipal Chamber of Commerce.
The Canton Mercantile Co-operative Association.
Promulgated on the 5th of the 9th month of the 14th year of the Republic of China. (October 22, 1925.)
Enclosure 3.
Regulations for Firms and Steamers of Japan, America and France, issued by the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee. (Translation.)
ALL Japanese, American and French steamera and firms which have not reported that contracts have been drawn up to the satisfaction of the three parties, viz., the Strike Committee, employers and employees, but have privately engaged workers to carry on business, will be chargeable with breaking the strike.
2. All workers on strike from Japanese, American and French steamers or firms who return to work before obtaining the consent of the Strike Committee will be chargeable with breaking the strike.
3. All Japanese, American and French steamers or firms, if they do not conform to the supplementary rules as fixed by the industrial and commercial (groups), but transact business for the British, bave communication with Hong Kong and Macao and carry on trade with Shamien, will be chargeable with breaking the strike.
4.
All Japanese, American and French steamers or firms must re-employ the original workers, and their position and wage must be the same as before.
5. A tenth part of the wages of each worker must be rendered to our committee for supply of food to the whole body of workers.
47
6. If, of the said countries, there be any mercantile company or commercial house on Shamien, or in Hong Kong or Macao, that finds it necessary to remove from the lorality, permission will be granted to carry on business.
7. In case of violation of contract regulations, such business concern immediately be stopped and punishment inflicted.
518
will
8. In future, when the great strike has been settled, it will still be necessary to conform to the strike rules and carry them out.
9. Anyone coming to Canton for purposes of trade must observe all the laws of the Chinese Nationalist Government.
10. If special circumstances arise in connection with any steamer or firm, and the workers issue special demands, our committee, together with the employers and the employees, must decide the matter by negotiation and addition to the terms of agreement.
11. Workers must accept the orders of our committee, and recognise that when occasion is imperative the committee can forthwith order them to step work.
From the All-China General Labour Union and the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee, on the 14th day of the 9th month of the 14th year of the Republic of China, (October 31, 1925.)
Enclosure 4.
Form of Provisional Agreement upon Resumption of Work, issued by the All-China General Labour Union and the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee.
(Translation,)
No.
CONTRACT executed by.
But at
Both sides have already agreed upon terms of contract for service. present, during the period of the strike, it is necessary to act in conformity with the supplementary rules which were passed, after cancellation of special permits, by the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee and the four Chambers of Commerce, together with the rules of the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee affecting the Japanese, American and French steaners and firms.
The fifth of the regulations applicable to the Japanese, the American and t French steamers and firms deducts a tenth from wages earned, which amount it obligatory to hand over on fixed dates to the Canton-Hong Kong Strike Committee supply food for the workers. The remainder of the rules will strictly be observed a is kept.
This contract is genuine.
Witness
Date..
Signature......
ANNEX XIII.
Swatow.
SWATOW is the principal port in the north of Kwangtung Province, with a population of about 31,000. It is (by sea) 153 miles from Hong Kong, 236 miles from Canton, and 673 miles from Shanghai It has important trade relations with Hong Kong and Singapore. For the last ten years it has been the scene of constant fighting, sieges, bombardments and lootings. Its possession is a valuable asset to whatever party may control Canton.
Cantonese "Nationalists" and an army under General Hau Chung-chib (see Canton memorandum) were in control of Swatow when the Shanghai shootings (30th May) and Canton shootings (23rd June) occurred. On the 1st July a riot took place and the mob wrecked three hotels owned by British subjects of Chinese descent and three hotels and two shops owned by Japanese. No attempts were made by the police to check the rioters. A British sloop was in the harbour (there has been one there ever since the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.