[ { "id": 210701, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-1986", "page_number": 52, "title": "RAS-1986", "content_text": "35\n\nhis profession but no-one would ever know what he was going to do next. Francis did not try again though he remained in the public mind as a possible candidate. The Daily Press in an editorial in 1892 said that he would prove a valuable acquisition to the Council with his long and intimate knowledge of the colony and his legal attainments but the Government would probably think it desirable to have a merchant. Also (according to G.B. Endacott, Government and People in Hong Kong 1841-1962) Governor William Robinson regarded Francis as one of his principal opponents. However he maintained his interest in the reform of the Legislative Council and the introduction of representative government. In 1889 in a lecture on Crown Colonies he expressed a hope for an elected Council, and he was a leading member of the Hong Kong Association founded in 1893 for improving and popularising the Government. That was followed in 1894 by a petition to the Home Government for constitutional reform.\n\nFrancis did in fact achieve elective office, but on the Sanitary Board. That was set up in 1883 to supervise and control the practical sanitation of the colony (which left much to be desired). As its work involved interference with the private affairs of residents it was unpopular with property owners and with the Chinese generally. It could however only make proposals. Their implementation was a matter for the Government. Originally it consisted solely of official members but subsequently provision was made for nominated unofficial members, and two members elected by ratepayers on the special and common jury lists. The first election was held in June 1888 and there were four candidates including Francis who received 55 votes. The other candidates received 71, 43 and 18 votes respectively. The Daily Press hailed the occasion saying the day would be ranked as a day of note by the future historian of Hong Kong; for the first time the ratepayers of the Colony had been given a voice in the management of their own affairs. Prior to the election it referred to his legal knowledge, skill in debate and long and intimate knowledge of social conditions of all sections of the population and said that his presence on the Board should ensure some check on its servants. Granville Sharp in proposing him called him capable, conscientious and unselfish. He promised to be a watchdog for the public. He remained a", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1986.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/jq08c7063", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 210909, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-1986", "page_number": 260, "title": "RAS-1986", "content_text": "243\n\nAfter this complication was dealt with, a vote was called on Francis' amendment. Only the proposer and seconder voted for it. Then the original resolution was put to the meeting. To this there was one additional opposition vote; all others voted for it.\n\nAt this point, Ng Choy, speaking for the Chinese, called out: \"The Chinese cannot hear what is going on.” To which the chairman replied: \"Why do they not come forward? We must go on with the meeting,” ignoring the fact that there was no room for anyone to come forward.\n\nNg Choy then asked for the resolution to be put again. Again he was rebuffed, the chairman replying: \"I cannot put up a resolution which has been carried; we must go on with the meeting.\"\n\n\"It is not fair,\" protested Ng, \"the Chinese do not understand what is going on.” To which Lowcock, a member of the Legislative Council replied: “We cannot help it. I wish every Chinaman understood what was being said, but we cannot speak Chinese.”\n\nWith this the Chinese walked off the field.\n\nAfter their departure, Forbes proposed a resolution hitting more directly at the Governor's administration, stating: \"What is needed is firm and unfettered administration. Flogging in public is the only means of deterrent. It should be reinstated.'\n\n**\n\nGranville Sharp seconded the motion with a rambling, pompous and involuted speech. He thought the Chinese who had been present were not true representatives of their community. He said: \"I am able most thoroughly and heartily to protest against this party character being thrown into this loyal meeting. Gentlemen, I don't know of anyone in Hongkong who has had more to do with intelligent Chinese merchants than I up to within this day last month. I am able most thoroughly to say that resolution which was first proposed and the resolution which is now before you, have the entire and full concurrence of the most respectable and intelligent members of the Chinese community. It is quite right that in undertaking any inquiry of this kind we should guard against selfish motives.”", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1986.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/jq08c7063", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 211131, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-1987", "page_number": 192, "title": "RAS-1987", "content_text": "167\n\nthe country he represented and the Government and people of the foreign territory where they reside.\n\nInstead, it was claimed, “there would be little friendly relation manifested by him. He would simply be a spy. He would in fact be an enemy to the Government of this place.”\n\nThis totally negative view of a Chinese consul reflects a generally low estimate and distrust of Chinese character held by many foreigners at that time.\n\nAnother speaker, Mr. Granville Sharp, categorically stated that the Chinese nation and its people lacked integrity: “Her inhabitants from the highest official to the lowest coolie appear to be utterly incapable of understanding the social as well as moral necessity for truth.”\n\nHe analysed the suffering China was causing Hongkong. To him the resolutions of the meeting were cries of distress.\n\nIn his diagnosis he said: \"We were all of us in pain: that we suffered. If anyone at the meeting said we did not, were we to believe him?”\n\nThis appeared to be a reference to Mr. Whittall's remarks that Hongkong trade had not been affected by the blockade.\n\nMr. Sharp regarded what had happened to Hongkong as producing cries of distress: \"Every man, woman and child, and almost every animal had the power of expressing suffering, and by its cry of petulance, irritability or anger showed the nature and degree of its sufferings. No real cry of suffering should be disregarded.\"\n\nLet Britain respond with sympathy and understanding to Hongkong's feelings.\n\nMr. Sharp attempted to put the resolutions not only within a general psychological framework, but also in an international political setting:", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1987.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/rx919b522", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 212318, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-1990", "page_number": 260, "title": "RAS-1990", "content_text": "237\n\nwould not usually condescend to undertake manual work the dairy created quite a stir by employing milkmaids from England. However when the Scottish parasitologist, Dr. (later Sir) Patrick Manson, arrived in Hong Kong he was appalled by the unsanitary living conditions and took a special interest in the local milk supply. This led to the founding of the Dairy Farm (well known today for its chain of 'Wellcome' supermarkets), in 1886, in spite of the fact that the Chinese had no place for dairy produce in their cuisine and many found the taste offensive.\n\nIn addition to Dr. Manson, W.H. Ray, J.B. Coughtrie, Granville Sharp, Phineas Ryrie and Sir Paul Chater were directors. The aim was to provide a hygienic supply of milk from cows kept on about 300 acres of good land in the neighbourhood of where the Wah Fu housing estate now stands, on Hong Kong Island. Although the site is exposed to the south-westerly breezes in the hot summer, which helped to keep the cows in better condition, all food-stuffs and building materials had, in those times, to be shouldered from the sea shore to the top of the hill by coolies. The subtropical climate affected the imported animals and the bulls were not keen to perform their duties during hot weather. After a disappointing first year of trading, nonetheless, in spite of disease among cattle and plague among citizens, a profit was recorded.\n\nMeanwhile Dr Manson returned to England, in 1889, to help found the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.\n\nA bad outbreak of plague struck the Colony in 1894 when Dairy Farm was brought to a standstill. This was followed by a rinderpest epidemic which affected most of its herd. Cheuk Yau, a cowman, had the initiative to drive 30 animals away from the infected area, and he brought them back later when the danger had passed. Ah Cheuk died soon afterwards but his widow received a special allowance from the company, and his two sons were given jobs with the firm.\n\nThe herd was later replenished with Frisians from Scotland, and a farmer, James Walker (also Scottish), was sent out by Dr. Manson in 1890 to be the first manager of the farm. He remained in the post until 1920 (some records say 1919).\n\nBy 1918 (some records say 1916), the original Hong Kong Ice", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1990.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/d79206299", "rank": 0 } ]