Sessional_Paper_1916 — Page 69

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Enclosure 2.

To The Right Honourable

SIR,

The Secretary of State for the Colonies.

HONGKONG, 9th March, 1916.

1. In forwarding to you a l'etition from the British Residents in this Colony for greater Un-official representation on the Executive and Legislative Councils, I would ask leave to make some observations in this covering letter, by way partly of explanation and partly of argument.

2. In the first place I would point out that this Petition has been signed by 556 persons, (of whom about one dozen are Portuguese and British Indians, who, as hereafter stated in paragraph 6, were not intended to sign) whereas the 1894- Petition for greater representation, which is hereafter referred to, though open for signature by persons of every nationality, was signed by 363 only, of whom 284. were British, 10 Anglo-Chinese, 3 Americans, 4 Portuguese, and 47 British Indians.

3. In the second place I would beg leave to mention that the first 28 signa- tures are those of representatives of important shipping, commercial, and financial institutions doing business in this Colony, as the following particulars will

show:-

(1.) Mr. ROBERT SHEWAN.

Head of the firm of Shewan, Tomes & Company who manage the following

concerns in this Colony

(i)

(i) The Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Company capital

$600,000.

(ii) The Green Island Cement Company, capital $4,000,000. (iii) The Hongkong Tramway Company, capital £81,250 Stg. (iv) The China Light & Power Company, capital $300,000. (v) The China Provident Loan & Mortgage Company, capital

$2,000,000.

And are also Agents for several important Insurance Companies.

(2.) Mr. W. L. PATTENDES.

Representative of Gilman & Company who are Agents for Lloyd's and. other Insurance Institutions and for the National Provincial Bank of England and the London and Westminster Bank.

(ii) Chairman of the Court of Directors of the Hongkong and Shanghai

Bank; capital $15,000,000, with large Reserve Funds.

(iii) Director of the Union Insurance Society of Canton; authorized

capital $4,000,000 paid up $1,600,000, with large Reserve Funds. (iv) Director of the China Trader's Insurance Company; authorized capital $2,000,000, paid up $600,000 with large Reserve Funds. (v) Director of the China Fire Insurance Company; authorized capital

$2,000,000, paid up $400,000, with large Reserve Funds.

(vi) Director of the Humphreys Estate & Finance Company; capital

$1,500,000.

(3.) Mr. P. H. HOLYOAK.

(i) Recently elected by the Chamber of Commerce to fill the Vacancy in

the Legislative Council occasioned by the death of Mr. Hewett.

(ii) Partner in the firm of Reiss & Company (Reiss Brothers, Manchester

and London).