713816-1866-GOVERNMENT-NOTIFICATION — Page 2

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404 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 6тп OCTOBER, 1866.

the work will indeed be perplexing. Hereafter corrupt practices will grow up apace. Each Merchant cannot avoid being discouraged when he sees such a state of affairs and consequently there will be a great hindrance to trade.

With regard to compelling Householders to register their names and address, Your Excellency's object was no doubt to drive away thieves and bad characters from the Colony. The new Ordinance however requires Householders to find security for people living in their houses, or else they will be fined. Now the Merchants in Hongkong carry on an honest and upright trade and merely attend to their own business, how can they well be responsible for the good conduct of any persons who may be occupying part of their houses? If Your Excellency compels us to give security, it will be a most coercive measure. It only requires a vigilant watch to be kept to enable the Colony to enjoy peace and quietness.

With regard to compelling Chinese Servants who are in the employ of Europeans to take out Licenses, for the purpose of distinguishing those intentionally and those who unintentionally do wrong and punishing them accordingly, we beg to say that all Servants have their Masters and therefore it can be always ascertained when they do wrong. Servants are paid very small wages and if they are always to be fined they will be unable to pay and therefore the greater number will have to go to prison instead and the Government will thus be deprived of its Revenue.

With regard to compelling Money Changers to take out Licenses, we beg to say that the capital that they begin with is very small not exceeding in most cases a Hundred Dollars and their yearly profits are just sufficient to keep them in food. With so little money how will they be able to pay the Government Fees?

The Ordinance says that a tax will be laid on Cattle and Pigs. Now meat is consumed in large quantities both by Europeans and Chinese and if a tax is laid on Cattle, meat will consequently become very dear and cause inconvenience both to the buyer and seller.

We find that our houses are to be inspected by a Medical Officer and if found dirty we are to be fined or imprisoned. A great number of the houses are inhabited by the wives and families of Merchants and it is for their own interest to keep their houses clean. If a Medical Officer is to be constantly coming into our houses and inspecting them he will alarm the inmates and especially the female portion thereof.

If every Junk that comes or goes out of the Harbour is to report herself and to give a correct description of her cargo and passengers, and is not to be allowed to leave till an appointed hour, we consider that this will cause a great hindrance to trade. These last two Regulations will cause the greatest inconvenience and at the same time bring a very small Revenue to the Colony.

We humbly think that Your Excellency's wish in the Government of the Colony is to protect the good and punish the bad. If a Revenue is to be collected by the imposition of the taxes in these Ordinances, it will bring the greatest hardships on your petitioners which they are unable to bear, and will as it were tie their hands and prevent them from coming forward.

When your Honorable Government first established this Colony it was its object to make the place agreeable to the Chinese.

When your Honorable Government wishes to raise a Revenue it always carefully considers what is the best thing to lay a tax upon. We beg to suggest that money may be raised by laying a tax on house rent and ground rent. We the Merchants and Traders of Hongkong have thought right to come forward in a body to humbly beg that Your Excellency in consideration of the difficulties of trade will annul these new Ordinances, and thus meet the wishes of the Merchants and quiet their minds. With regard to imposing a tax on ground rent and house rent we will await Your Excellency's decision as to whether it shall take effect or not.

If Your Excellency thinks fit to grant our prayer we will unite together in returning thanks for Your Excellency's kindness.

Submitted to His Excellency the Governor.

Hongkong, 5th September, 1866.

Stamped with the Seals of the Chinese Mercantile houses and Shops.

REPLY OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B.

When you waited or

on me with a Memorial on the 5th of last month I told you I was sorry you had not brought a translation of it with you. I afterwards got that Memorial translated by the Government Interpreter; but nevertheless wished to see whether you would not of yourselves present to me a translation, that we might together discuss the topics adverted to in the Memorial. Though you did not do so, I find you have made such great mistakes in speaking of certain new Laws that it may be useful if I point out some of those mistakes.