September 12, 1895.]
board from the beginning, but for some reason or other he did not send his lighters until al- | most the last day, although requested to do so by the agents and the captain. At the bottom of the hold an enormous quantity of loose sugar and molasses was found, the captain estimating that there were from 50 to 80 tons. Plaintiff refused to take anything but sound bags, and throw down the broken bags, and then found that there were 642 bags short. The chief officer then said Well, there is your cargo and bags in the hold, and you can take them; that is all I can do."
The evidence of the captain and officers on board the Bonnington taken de bene esse was then read, and it bore out the statement made in defence.
Mr. G. B. Dodwell was called and said that on 22nd April last Messrs. Dodwell, Carlill and Co. were the agents for the Bonnington, but Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg and Co. were the agents before. There was no necessity when the vessel arrived here to hurry out the cargo, and two or three days would not have made any difference.
Mr. Karberg was also called and stated that Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co. were the agents for the Bonnington on her inward voyage, No complaints were made to him by plaintiff that the captain would not let him take the cargo.
In cross-examination witness said that no attempt was made to settle the case by witness, who would not pay anything in consequence of the statements on the bill of lading. The captain afterwards offered $225 to the plaintiff. Mr. Hastings, in support of his case, said it had been held that where cargo could not be distinguished it belonged to the various con- signees, as tenants in common, in the propor- tions in which it was shipped. The bags were broken in consequence of their rotten condition, and therefore he should have taken the good, bad, and indifferent bags, whereas he would take only the sound bags. The ship could not be held re- sponsible for the breakage of the bags or the loss of the sugar, and it was plaintiff's own fault if he did not get as much of the cargo in pro- portion as the other consignees got.
Mr. Ewens, in reply, said it was clear that the captain knew he was wrong, because he had made an offer to the plaintiff.
Mr. Hastings said that the offer was not an admission of liability.
His Lordship, in reserving judgment, said he should not take the offer into consideration.
THE MILITARY CONTRIBUTION.
The following correspondence with regard to the military contribution has been forwarded to us for publication
THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Hongkong, 23rd August, 1895, Sir, We have given our most careful con- sideration to your letter of the 2nd instant, addressed to the Senior Unofficial Member, in which you transmit the proposal of the late Secretary of State for the Colonies with regard to the military contribution to be paid by the colony, and would now beg to submit certain considerations in this connection.
1.-The amount fixed by the Secretary of State, viz., 174 per cent, on the revenue of the colony, with the exception of land sales and the premia on leases, would appear to be based on that of the contribution to be paid by Singa- pore, which is also 173 per cent. Permit however, to point out a fact which may h escaped the notice of the Secretary of State, namely, that the revenues of the two colonies are on a somewhat different basis, for Singapore has a Municipal Council, and so a distinct muni- cipal revenue, which is exempted from the mili- tary contribution, while in Hongkong the figures of the municipal and of the rest of the revenue are shown together. It does not appear clear to us from the Secretary of State's des- patches whether he recognizes the existence of this difference, as he seems to include the muni- cipal revenue of Hongkong in the amount on which the 17 per cent. has to be paid. Against this we must protest, and we would beg to lay
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
before him some most important considerations against such a proceeding.
We consider that the municipal revenue of Hongkong should be treated on the same foot- ing as that of Singapore, the more so because most of the important municipal works of Hong- kong have been paid for by means of loans. From many of them we derive a considerable revenue, out of which we have to find the interest on the loans and provide a sinking fund; and it hardly seems reasonable to ask us at the same time to do this and also to be pay- ing for the military contribution 174 per cent. of these revenues.
2.-It may be objected that if the amount of the municipal revenue, say, $700,000, be sub- tracted from the total estimated revenue of the colony, the military contribution would not reach the sterling sum of £40,000 But we would ask you, sir, if it has not been our constant conten- tion that this sum has always been too heavy a burden for this colony to bear. At the time when it was imposed we assented to it, as exchange was comparatively high, but ever since then it has been falling; in 1891 we paid $254,211 12 and in 1894 $371,647.50. The burden has therefore become more and more irksome, as we have constantly represented. Now, however, exchange is rising, and the sums which we should have to pay in dollars, if the same arrangement were adhered to, would be becoming less and less. On the other hand, with the proposed new arrangement, the Imperial Government receiving a fixed sum of 173 per cent. in dollars, will naturally benefit the higher exchange goes. This should be taken into consideration and also the fact that they will have the advantage both in the fall and the rise.
3.-It must be further borne in mind that any increase in the revenue of the colony will mean a corresponding one in the military con- tribution. Now, we are informed on good anthority that the revenue for this year, instead of being, as estimated, $2,018,000, will probably be nearer $2,300,000, meaning a larger military contribution. There seems to be every reason for hoping that each succeeding year will show a fresh increase in the revenue, so that there would seem to be little cause for the Imperial Government to fear that our military contribu- tion will be inadequate.
It may be argued that if in 1894, when our revenue was $2,287,203, we were able to pay $371,647.50 as a military contribution, it should not be difficult for us to pay what the Imperial Government now demands. But what was the result of this heavy disbursement ? That to carry on the public works of the colony we were obliged to raise loans, with which we are still saddled. Yet another effect is that we were 80 buildings were neglected, and now we find that straitened for means that the Government | most of our public buildings are condemned, and that we shall have to rebuild them at a cost, we are given to understand, of $650,000. If we are again without funds we shall find ourselves in the same difficulty as before, and burddeen by a further debt.
199
to consider it. We have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servants,
C. P. CHATEE. HO KAI.
E. R. BELIZIÓS. A. MCCONACHIE. Hon. J.H. Stewart-Lockhart, Colonial Secretary.
J. J. BELL-IRVING.
MEMBERS.
یر
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE UNOFFICIAL
Colonial Secretary's Office,
August 31st, 1895. Gentlemen, I am directed by the Governor · to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant on the subject of the military con- tribution and to inform you that a copy of it has been forwarded to the Secretary of State for his favourable consideration.
His Excellency does not desire your letter to be considered as confidential-I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obedient servant,
J. H. STEWART-LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary. Honourable C. P. Chater and other Unofficial
Members of the Legislative Council.
THE GAP ROCK LIGHTHOUSE. THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS. DO NOT
MEND A NEW LIGHT.
RECOM-
warded to us for publication :-
The following correspondence has been for-
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE UN- OFFICIAL MEMBERS,
Colonial Secretary's Office, 4th February, 1895. Sir, I am directed by the Governor to transmit for the consideration of yourself and the other Unofficial Members of the Legis- lative Council the accompanying copies of a report by Messrs. Coode, Son, and Matthews on the subject of the Gap Rook Lighthouse, and to request you to be so good as to bring the matter before your colleagues at your early convenience.
The Governor is of opinion that there is no alternative but to adopt Mr. Matthews recom. mendations as to the building of a new light- house and the removal of the present building. His Excellency, therefore, hopes that you and your colleagues will see the desirability of sup- porting the Government in this matter in view of the possible loss of shipping and life if the buildings are allowed to remain in their present position. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
J. H. STEWART-LOCKHART, Acting Colonial Secretary. The Honourable C. P. Chater, Senior Unofficial
Member of the Legislative Council.
THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
20th February, 1895. Sir, With reference to your letter of the 4th inst., in which you ask me to bring the We would beg you, sir, to lay our representa-matter of the Gap Rock Lighthouse before my tions before the Secretary of State. That they unofficial colleagues, I beg to inform you that are well founded we think there can be no con- tention, and we are confident that, when our
we held a meeting on the 16th inst., at which it was decided that before our expressing any case is put before him, he will acknowledge the opinion on it, this question, being essentially a justice of it. We merely ask to be placed on a commercial one, should first be submitted to the par with our sister colony, and to be allowed to Chamber of Commerce, in which the shipping apply our own revenues to our own needs. We interests, which are those chiefly affected, are are most anxious to meet the Imperial Govern- fully represented, and that that body be ment in every way that we feel is consistent requested to state its views on the matter. with justice and fairness, and if they will agree to the point we have raised, there will be no hesitation on our part in supporting the Ordin- ance asked for.
It was further decided to bring before you a suggestion that Messrs Coode, Son, & Matthews' report, together with this correspondence, be sent to the local press for publication, so that mariners, and others in a position to pronounce an opinion, might be afforded an opportunity of commenting on it.--I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
CAP. CHATEE. Hon. J. H. Stewart-Lockhart, Acting Colonial
Secretary.
With regard to the colony's contribution for "Barrack Services," we know that the rate- payers will very much resent being called upon to pay for works which, without any reference to them or their representatives, have been already completed, or are nearing completion. We may say that we concur in this feeling, and therefore feel ourselves bound to oppose any proposal that the colony should be called upon to bear a share in this expenditure. The case is different with those works which have
Colonial Secretary's Office, not yet been begun, and if His Excellency the Governor would bring forward a
26th August, 1895. financial Sir,-With reference to my letter No. 252 minute regarding them, we should be prepared of the 4th February last on the subject of a
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE UN-
OFFICIAL MEMBERS.
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