Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 786

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upon the the Government in 1877 by this Chamber, but without effect, the reply returned, on the 28th August, 1878, stating that it would be “

carry out such registration " : very inexpedient" to for the alleged inexpedience, however, being offered. Again, in April, 1891, when considering the draft of the present Bankruptcy Amendment Ordinance, the Committee of this Chamber expressed a strong opinion that, to render the measure more completely applicable to local requirements, it should be pre- ceded or supplemented by a Bill for the compulsory registration of the partners in Chinese firms, and added that without such registration as an adjunct the proposed new Bankruptcy Ordinance would lose much in usefulness. How thoroughly this provision has been fulfiile:1, the records of the Supreme Court can readily demonstrate.

European

6. No real hardship would be entailed on the Chinese by the passage of such a measure. and American houses trading here or in the Treaty Ports of China voluntarily announce to the public, by means of circulars and by advertisements in the newspapers, the names of the individual partners in their firms, and of all changes in such partnerships, at considerable expense, and certain Chinese firms have voluntarily followed the example. It is not too much to ask, if the mass of the Chinesc are used to such As a proof that the methods, that they should register their partnerships with the Registrar General. Chinese themselves are not likely to entertain any objection to such a system, I would remind the Government that in 1882 a Petition very numerously signed by Chinese traders was presented to the Registrar General praying that hongs or shops be required "to register and to appoint a fixed date within which all shops are to send in without delay the real names and surnames of their masters." This was really only a proposal to put into practice here a custom of trade observed among themselves in China, and, as a means of identification and a precautionary measure against fraud, could not excite hosti- lity among reasonable persons.

7. The creation of such a system would of course entail some trouble, and it would probably neces- sitate the employment of one or two additional clerks. It might also require the dissociation of the two offices of Colonial Secretary and Registrar General: but as this is very desirable for other reasons the work of the former having greatly increased within the last three years-the Committee trust that such a consideration would not be allowed to weigh in a matter of so much importance to the trade of the Colouy.

8. Trusting that His Excellency the Governor will agree with the Committee that the time has arrived when an carnest attempt should be made to grapple with a question so seriously affecting the conduct of business and the administration of justice in the Colony,-in proof whereof I need only cite the fact that four recent bankruptcy cases heard in the Supreme Court could have been settled in fewer hours than they took days to hear.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) R. CHATTERTON WILCOX,

Secretary.