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Ordinance possesses a valid and unexpired licence for importing or dealing in arms, need take out a new licence under this Ordinance until the expira- tion of his current licence.

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5. That the "Objects and Reasons" annexed to the said Bill as printe 1 and pablishë 1 in The Hongkong Government Gazette of the 24th June, 1899, contain (inter alia) the following statement only with regard to the proposel annual licence fee of $1,200 per annum, viz. :-

pro-

(3.) To raise the annual licence fe: from the sum of $10 to $1,200.” 6. That your petitioners respectfully beg to protest against the imposition of such

posed annual fee of $1,200 on the grounds that it is excessive and prohibitive and that no sufficient reasons for the imposition thereof are given in the said "Objects and Reasons" and more particularly on the grounds and for the reasons hereinafter set forth.

7. That in this Colony the business of dealers in araus is, as comparel with other forms of business carried on therein, extraordinarily hampered and curtailed primarily through the provisions of the said Ordinance No. 8 of 1895 which so fetters and confines the said business as to deprive it of that freedom which is usually enjoyed by other forms of business in this Colony and which your Peti- tioners submit it is the policy of the British Empire to ensure to its subjects.

8. That one of the practical results of the provisions of section 6 of the said Ordinance No. 8 of 1895 is to debar your Petitioners from retailing any of their stock-in- trade within this Colony or its Dependencies owing to the fact that all purchasers must possess a valid licence to carry or possess arms as more particularly stated in the said section and in consequence almost the sole form of business open to

Petitioners consists in the export trade in connection therewith.

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9. That such export trade is almost wholly confined to the Portuguese Colony of

Macao and to the City of Canton, in the Empire of China, and is in itself rendered difficult and troublesome owing to the provisions of the said Ordinance No. 8 of 1895 and more particularly of section 6 thereof which requires that a permit from the Captain Superintendent of Police must be obtained by the exporter in respect of each and every shipment made by him and particulars of such shipment given before such permit can be obtained, and in addition that in such cases as relate to shipments to places within the jurisdiction of the Emperor of China a further permit must first be obtained from the proper official at such place before the shipment can be made.

10. That as a result of the general restrictions put upon the said business the volume thereof is unreasonably curtailed and reduced and the profits derived by your Petitioners therefrom are precarious and small, and in the event of the imposition of such licence fee of $1,200 as aforesaid none of your Petitioners would be in a position to pay the same and they would be driven to close their respective businesses in this Colony.

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11. That should such licence fee be imposed it is the present intention of your Peti- tioners to remove their respective businesses to the said colony of Macao there to pursue the same.

12. That your Petitioners respectfully beg to lay before you the conditions under which similar businesses to their own can be carried on in the said colony of Macao, where the licence to dealers in arms amounts to $2.50 per annum, where there are no regulations or restrictions such as are in existence in this Colony, where the retail business is unfettered (there being no farm or monopoly in respect of the dealing in arms), and where no permits save the said licence are required. 13. That owing to the conditions under which similar businesses can be carried on in the said colony of Macao and the consequent favourable terms upon which such businesses are enabled to compete with your Petitioners, they are unable to charge such prices for their goods as would enable them to make a fair and reasonable profit in their said businesses and so place them in a position to meet such licence fee of $1,200 as aforesaid if imposed.

14. That the result of the closing of your Petitioners' said businesses in this Colony consequent upon the imposition of such licence fee of $1,200 as aforesaid would be to put a practical stop to the business of dealing in arms in this Colony and would lead to the transfer to the said colony of Macao of the trade which this Colony enjoys in connection therewith.