1919-04-02 — Page 9

MOTORISTS AND THE

GOVERNMENT.

HON. MR. DAVID LANDALE

INTERVIEWED.

ANTI-ASQUITH PLOT.

PRIVATE CABINET

CORRESPONDECE.

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH:

seat the following reply from the War Office to "My dear Prime Muister":

I have not seen the Tikus artile, but I hope you will not (attach undue importance to these effusione I have had these are presentations to put up with for moutha

Northcliffe frankly wants

You sent for me

WEDNESDAY. APRIL 2. 1919.

TAIKOO FATALITY.

ENQUIRY BY CORONER.

circumstances

1

an Sunday and put before me other proposals: these proposals you embodied in ja latter to me written on Monday -Prime Minister to have

Mr. G. A. Woodcock. in his supreme and effective control of

capacity as Coroner,this afternoon ' war polio agenda. Attend mee held an enquiry with the aid of a Quoting the Atlantic Monthly,

tings of conimittee,"

jury into the These proposals safeguarded attending the death of a Chinese We interviewed the Hon. Mr.the Medly Dispatch recently sat

Four position and power as named Cheng Kong, employed as out, in detail the private car- David Landale yesterday on respondence which passed in the anash. Northcliffe would like Prime Minister in every particu- a paint-scraper at the Taikoo Dock motoring in Hongkong. Mr.

opening week of December, 1918, | to make this and any other rear. Immediately wrote rut no who was killed by a fall into one Landale maintained that the re between Mr. Asquith, the Prearrangement under your Premier:cepting them "in letter and in of the dry docks. commendations of the Hongkongmier, and Mr. Lloyd George, who ship possible, Lord Derby spirit." It is true that ou Sunday

Mr. M. K. Lo appeared to the proceedings on and attach great importance to expressed views as to the watch Automobile Association to open succeeded him.

of the relatives roads to the Peak and to private

The correspondence opened your retaining your present poai-constipation of the Committee, I cannot rea bat these were for discussion. Te residences would help to solve the with the memorandum addressedtion-effectively. housing problem. His argument by Mr. Lloyd George to Mr. train or, Eur, inthence North-day you have gone back on your

own proposals was that the land on each side of Asquith on Dec. 1, 1916. The cliffe,

I fully accept, in letter and in the newly-cut roads could be substance of this and of some f

the subsequent communications spirit, your summary of the utilised for building sites.

was made kaown at the time in suggested arrangement-subject

sessions in the Press and of course to personnel. Parliament. The salient points of the memo, were as follows:---

"But don't you want mure roads so that you can indulge in more joy rides?" representative.

asked our

"New roads will facilitate transport. lie could Ket "about more easily and quickly from one place to another."

"The charge made. by some;

against the Hongkong Govern. at is that it has been spending

on

its energies and money schemes that are not urgent and deferring to the Greek Kalends things that demand immediate consideration," said our sentative...

MISSING NAME,

Still on Devi Mr. Asquith replied to Mr. George in a long letter, in the surge of which he

THREATENED RESIGNATION.

behalf

of the deceased, while Mr. D. J. Lewis appeared for an Indian watchman at the Yard who was

concerned in the case.

In opening the enquiry, the Coroner said it WAS held ໄດ decide whether. the deceased met his death through an accident or through being pushed into the dock.

lu the same letter "Mr. Lloyd George proferred his resignation, giving his reasons to the follow ing effect:

As you are aware, on several Dr. Edward Bryce, in charge of occasions during the last two, the Victoria Mortuary, said that years I have deemed it my duty on March 28, he conducted a to express profound dissatisfaction post The King gue me today|with the Government's method of, the boly of the derensel. authority to ask and to accept the conducting the war.

The cause of leath was real resignations of all my colleagues I have endeavoured repeatedly fracture of the ribs and severe and to form a new Governmen: the faremment on the concussion of the brain resulting

dangers both verbally and in from a fall.

W roter

1. That the War Committee consist of three members of whom must be the Firs: Loni uf the Admiralty, and the Secretary of State for War, who shout have in their offices deputies capable of attending to and deciding all departmental basiness and on such lines as I should submit third Minister without portfolio him, and start therefore with One of the three to be chairman. a clean slate.

2. That the War Committee repre-shall have full powers, subject

to the supreme control of the to direct all Prime Minister.

with the questions connectes!

"What do you really meat?" "For instance, some people say that roads for motorists in the New Territories are not a public necessity, but only for a select few-who have motor cars and who go during the week-end to bask in the air and sunshine of the New Territories." replied the writer.

"In my opinion these roads are an absolute necessity. Besides, the roads are not used by the

war.

3. The Prime Minister in his discretion to have the power to refer any question to the Cubinet. On the same day, Mr. Asquith from 10. Horning-street, wrote a letter markel "Secret" "My dear Lloyd George," in which he said:

e

The first question which I has to consider is the constitation of the new War Committee.

MONY action

rave

mortem

examination oa

written memorandum and letters, Mr. Lewis :-There were two which I

your leave possible theories of how the de-! publish if ny ceased came to his death. One is is challenged; but that in attempting to climb to the have either failed to secure side of the lock. he slipped After full cou-beration of the decisions or I have secured them and fell, and the other theory is matter in all its napes have when it was too late to avert the that he was pushed. The total Come decidedly to the aclusions. The latest illustration is depth of the dock is 47 ft. If a that it is not jessible that such a committee Coull be made work-our lamentable failure to give tha able and effective without the timely support to Ramanis, Prime Minister as its chairman.

I have more than once asked

be release" from

my

were

pushed into the look, the chances are that he' would slip down the steps and hounce all-way down to the middle of the dock, If the man Į had been pushed in I pat it to you that his injuries would be more considerable than those des Feribed by you?

Witness:It was surprising away that there were До more injuries if he had fallen the while length of the dock.

I m satisfa, on reflection, { te that any other arrangement such, responsibility for a policy with for instance, as the one indicated which I was in through lisagree,

would be found. in experience, repuest

you in my letter of todayment, but at your argent personal remained iz the Givehúneut. impracticable and incompatible,

We

4 have now had time to reflect select few. If you go on a Sunday on war conversation this morning

with the retention of the Prime to the New Territories you will laul to study our menubriacum. find a good number of non-| Though I do not altogether Minister's Anal and supreme Europeans, I mean Chicese, share your dark estimate and eontrol. motoring. These Chinese go in forecast of the situation, actual

The other question which you batches in the car and they and perspective, I am in un-have raise-i relates to the person- enjoy themselves. The roads. plete agreement that we have nel of the Committee. Here are for the benefit of the public reached a critical situation in the again after deliberate considera- and not the motorists alone.

The new road will extend as

with some of your suggestions.

I think we both agree that the First Lord of the Vimiralty meat uf necessity be a member of the Committee. I caauut, as I told you yesterday, be a party to any suggestion that here a word is missing or Balfour shoull be displaced.

thrown Iva opportunity after opportunity. and I am wavinced, after deep and auxious reflection, that it is

Mr. Lewis. If his fall was not my duty to leave the Government broken in some way, it was in order to inform the people of surprising to you that the the real condition of affairs and injuries would be more severe ? Witness:-The injuries would before it is too late to save their

be

consistent. There native land from the disaster

which were no scratches which is inevitable if the present would be made by the body methods are longer persisted in. falling down the steps of the As all delay is fatal in war. I

dock. place my office without further parley at your disposal.

"I see that a new road is being / War and that our methods tion 1 End myself unable to agree to give them au "pportunity : cut across Kennedy Road. Do of procedure with the experience you think it necessary to spend which we have gained during the

few iontha call

for money on that road

for mo- last Atorists?

reconsideration and revision,

I auw

come to your specific far as the Racecourse and will be proposals. In my opinion what a public boon."

ever changes are made in the "What control does the Hong-composition or fanctions of the kong Automobile Association War exercise over its members? Does it see that the members do not drive recklessly about town?"

"We ask our members to drive cautiously."

What is your attitude in the case where a member is guilty of a serious accident?

***There are

very few street accidents and in almost every case it is the pedestrian's fault."

Have you any control over the chauffeurs ?." asked the writer

Prime Committee, the Minister must be its chairman; he eaunot be relegated to the position of an arbiter in the back ground or Cabinet

referee to the

I purposely do not in this letter discuss the delicate and diffent question of personnel.

Mr. Asquith added that the Cabinet in all cases would have) uitimate authority.

LED NORTHCLIFFE,

The personal note now becomes Lure intimate and important. Da Dec. 4, 1916, Mr. Asquith wrote Mr. Lloyd George

"We are trying to introduce a system of checking and recording. to Each chauffeur will have his re-follows : cord, and every accident will be recorded in his book. When he seeks a situation. the employer, if he takes

chauffeur who

as

I believe (here again a word is missing or Ballour to be under existing conditions necessary as head of the Board.

I must add that Sir Edward Carson for whom personally and in every way Have the greatest regard is not from the only point of view which is significant to me the most effective prosecu- tion of the war-the man best qualified among my colleagues present or past to be a member of the War Committee......

But in any peronstruction of the Committee such as I have, and hose for some timer past bad in Such productions as the first view, the governing consideration leading articls in

to-day's is the special esparity of the men Tines showing the infuite who are to sit on it for the work possibilities for misunderstand which it has to dr. That is a ing and misrepresentation of question, whiel. I must reserve Bel arrangements were for myself to decide. "If every streat accident were to militate against a chauffeuronsilered yesterday, make me

on 2

has a chequered record, will do

at his risk."

getting a new berth, you might run short of chauffeurs HOOD here."

perience any

of

at least doubtful' as to advis ability.

The suggested arrangemen was to the following effect

HAVE PROPOSALS,"

Mr. Lloyd George on Dec. 6 wrote to Mr. Asquith the longest letter of the series, in which he

I received your letter with some surprise.

Unless the impression is at "I don't think we shall ex- ouve corrected that I am being

relegated to the position of an said: shortage chauffeurs. A great num- irresponsible spectator of the war ber will be turned out I cannot possibly go on. from the two automobile schools. These two automobile school - one which Mr Macpherson is establishing and the other which is in Shaukiwao-will fill any want that may arise in the future." Do you think the Police are evalpetent to examine and issue drivers licences?"

The Prime Minister to have supreme and effective control of war policy.

Then Mr. Lloyd George ex- pressed his great personal regret, declaring that he felt a strong personal attachment to his chief. "You have always treated me with great courtesy and kindness;" he said. "for all that I thank

you.

more

The enquiry is proceeding.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF JAPANESE

SHIPBUILDING.

war-time boom, this line of in-

зд

The Japanese Government bas} been giving bounties to ship- builders in order to encourage the shipbuilding industry, but, due to He added that in the dustry in Japan reaped interest of national unity he unprecedented profit. and proposed to give Mr. Asquith's consequently the bounty on Government "Complete support in shipbuilding has, beeg suspend- "vigorous prosecution of the ed since last October. More- over, the present regulation concerning the bounties will expire at the end of the present year. But the times

changed. have

war.

RESIGNATION AND PUBLICATION.

Marked "Private," Mr. Asquith replied to Mr. Lloyd George on Dec. 5 as follows:

I need not tell you that I have read your letter of to-day with innch regret.

..

are

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Covered un

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Linen, Pique, Plain

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POPULAR MATINEE

AT

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Owing to the continued demand for farther - performances of

"PINKIE & THE FAIRIES”

there will be a

MATINEE

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Pit and Gallery

Children half price.

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Booking at. MOUTRIE'S...

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ROYAL

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IN THE MUSICAL PLAY

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$2

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shipbuilding "PINKIE & THE FAIRIES'

the

în

and shipbuilders

already difficult positions, and many of them are now consulting among

system.

themselves to request the Gov- I do not comment upon it for ernment to revive the bounty

In 1897 the total boun-I the moment except to say that ties given on shipbuilding was cannot wholly accept your only 13,109 gen, but the figures account of what passed between for the year 1917 increased to us in regard to my connection 5,210,613. Last year they were with the War Committee. In Y2,480,222. The amount of particular you have omitted to bounty was at from 11 to 21 yen quote the first and most material per ton. part of my letter of yesterday.

In the meantime I feel sure of the causes that led to my that you will see the obvious reaiguing?

FOR GROWN UPS AND CHILDREN

REQUEST MATINEE

TO-DAY (Wednesday), 2nd April, at 4.30 p.m.

Price

$3.

Children half price to Matinee..

Booking at MOUTRIE'S.

THE HONGKONG SCHOOL

OF MOTORING,

APPLICATIONS FROM STUDENTS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED..

necessity in the public interesI; The final letter is from Mr. On Friday I made proposals of not publishing at this moment Asquith to Mr. George sanoune- which involved not merely your all part. of Our

correspon-ing his resignation, as follows: retention of the Premiership bat.dence.

It may make a difference tu the supreme control of the war To that letter Mr. Lloyd you (in reply to your last letter) while the executive functions George replied immediately: if I tell you at once that I have The agents of the War Com-subject to that sapreme control I cannot announce my resigna-tendered my resignation to the mittee will be submitted 16 him; were left brothers..

tion without assigning the reason. King. its chairman will report to him I thought you then received Your request that i should not. In any case I should depreciate The SCHOOL has accomodation for 200 ̊PUPILS, the I think so. Inspector Garrod,daily; he can direct is to consider these suggestions favourably. In publish the correspondence that in the public interest publication

syllabus including courses for MECHANICS I believe, is quite competent for particular topics or proposals; fact you yourself proposed that up to and necessitated it in its present form at this

and DRIVING. and all its conclusions will be 1 should be chairman of this places me, therefore, in an era tooment of your letters to me off subject to his approval or vetu. Executive Committee, although, barrassing and unfair position, this morning,

Ile can, of course, at his own s you know, I never put forward discretion, attend the meetings oft at demand. On Saturday you the Committee.

wrote me a letter in which you "Within a few minutes," the completely went back on that

Mr. Lloyd George | proposition.

the work."

"Do you expect the number of motor ears and cycles will in- crease remarkably in the future?" "I have no doubt about it. As

road.

are opened, more person will take to motoring."

new

OVERLAND

ELGIN

narrator says,

I must give reasons for the grave Of course, I bave neither power step I have taken. If you forbid nor wish to prevent your stating in the publication of the corresse ether form the causes which pondence, do you object to my have led you to take the step! stating in another form my version which you have taken.

DRAGON MOTOR

it

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