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he himself had opposed the appointment, but perhaps the matter should be reconsidered.
He made the positive suggestion that the Hongkong Government and the Chinese authorities discuss together the problem of smuggling and the methods China employed to collect its duties. He stated, however, that he was still opposed to having a Chinese in Hongkong with the position of a consul.
As far as the "blockade" was concerned, Mr. Whittall remarked that "many of the Chinese merchants had said to him that they were perfectly satisfied with the present arrangements. It was a protection to the honest merchants and only a disadvantage to the dishonest man."
No view was presented by a Chinese. The foreign and Chinese communities were still too separate to discuss public issues together.
In the published newspaper account of the meeting, it is stated that there were about two hundred present from every sector of the community. A list of some seventy-five names is given.
Among them, there is only one Chinese, Ng Moon-koon. He was, I believe, the same as Ng Man-kwan, one of the leading Chinese opium dealers.
Mr. Whittall's statement about Chinese opinion on the matter did not go unchallenged. The senior unofficial member of the Legislative Council, Mr. Phineas Ryrie, had apparently been gathering Chinese views. He reported that "some dozen" had told him it was hurting the trade. He did not specify whether the dozen were from the honest or the dishonest class of traders referred to by Mr. Whittall.
The remarks of the Jardine taipan may have influenced others at the meeting, for when the vote on the resolution was taken, there were seven against it.
His views having received such a cold reception, Mr. Whittall,
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he himself had opposed the appointment, but perhaps the matter should be reconsidered.
He made the positive suggestion that the Hongkong Govern- ment and the Chinese authorities discuss together the problem of smuggling and the methods China employed to collect its duties. He stated, however, that he was still opposed to have a Chinese in Hongkong with the position of a consul.
As far as the "blockade” was concerned, Mr. Whittall remarked that "many of the Chinese merchants had said to him that they were perfectly satisfied with the present arrangements. It was a protection to the honest merchants and only a disadvantage to the dishonest man."
No view was presented by a Chinese. The foreign and Chinese communities were still too separate to discuss public issues to- gether.
In the published newspaper account of the meeting it is stated that there were about two hundred present from every sector of the community. A list of some seventy-five names are given.
Among them there is only one Chinese, Ng Moon-koon. He was, I believe, the same as Ng Man-kwan, one of the leading Chi- nese opium dealers.
Mr. Whittall's statement about Chinese opinion on the matter did not go unchallenged. The senior unofficial member of the Legislative Council, Mr. Phineas Ryrie, had apparently been gath- ering Chinese views. He reported that “some dozen” had told him it was hurting the trade. He did not specify whether the dozen were from the honest or the dishonest class of traders referred to by Mr. Whittall.
The remarks of the Jardine taipan may have influenced others at the meeting, for when the vote on the resolution was taken, there were seven against it.
His views having received such a cold reception, Mr. Whittall,
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