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August 5, 1896,]
Hng in search of work from interference at the hands of the strikers. Work proceeded all day on the steamers without interruption.
On the morning of the 26th the licensed owners of the boats which removed cargo to and from ships endeavoured to go out on strike, but | on being warned by the Police that they could not leave the waters of the colony without a clearance and that their sureties would be dealt with by the Registrar-General, remained passive. Some difficulty was nevertheless ex. perienced by firms in hiring the boats. The Police therefore undertook to hire boats for them, and during the remainder of the strike cargo bosts were supplied to the public by the Police on the usual terms and in whatever - numbers desired.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPURT.
outcome of that conference was an agreement to endeavour to effect a compromise with the recalcitrant coolies, the substance of which was that the owners of lodging-houses should be allowed to register instead of the head coolies. On the evening of the same day the Committee, without previously ascertaining the views of the Government, or obtaining its authority for the measure, published and circulated a hand- bill in Chinese stating that they intended next day to recommend a compromise of this nature to the Government, and that they felt confident that their suggestion would meet with approval. The false hopes thus raised in the coolies' minds bore bitter fruit; for, of course, the proposal when placed before the Government was unhesitatingly rejected.
On the 26th March the hands at the East The compliance with it at such a juncture Point and Lee Yuen Sugar Refineries also would have been a complete victory for the began to show signs of disaffection, and special rebellious coolies, the consequences of which pickets of the Police were told off to protect could not have failed to prove disastrous to unch of them as were willing to continue at the colony for many years to come from work. In spite, however, of these precautions whatever point of view the circumstances are nearly the whole of the coolies at both es segarded: disastrous to health and sanitation, tablishments were out on strike by nightfall.ror the modification proposed would have been On the 27th the coolies who had been working | f decided obstacle to the smooth working of the cargo on steamers at Aberdeen struck work. very necessary by-laws; disastrous to trade and The strike had now reached its acutest commerce, for success in this strike would in. stage. All the coolies who handle cargo evitably have meant a succession of strikes in on ship and on shore and who work coal future years; and, far worse than all, disastrous together with nearly all the hands at to the future peace and good order of the colony. the Quarry Bay, East Point, and Lee Yuen It was perfectly clear that the strike was not Sugar Refineries, making a total of at least an economical one, but was in fact nothing 20,000, were on strike. The coolies-employed short of a rebellion on the part of a large by building contractors did not join in the section of the inhabitants against the law movement, nor did any of the coolies, who carry and the Government. This rebellion, it is chairs and pull jinrickshas. There were also a true, took the form not of active opposi- certain number of what are called street tion but of passive resistance, but it was per- coolies," who do odd jobs, carrying luggage, haps all the more difficult to terminate on that &o.,' whose services were obtainable. These very account.. The moral effect of the slightest men were employed by the Police in stevedore display of weakness on the part of the Gov. and coaling work, while a number of men from ernment at such a crisis would have been the Hongkong Regiment also rendered useful harmful beyond all calculation and would have aid in discharging vessels, and six petty officers resulted in a disastrous legacy to future of the Royal Navy were sworn in as special administrations. It is a commonplace that the constables to strengthen the Water Police. Chinaman, judging others by himself, as a rule regards every concession as a sign of weakness, and had the coolies gained their point in this case, it is certain that they would have looked upon themselves as masters of the situation on any future occasion in which their wishes might
On the morning of the 28th the hands at the Hunghom Docks showed a disposition to join the strike. The Police were quickly on the spot and succeeded in arresting two strangers, doubtless emissaries from the strikers in
Victoria.
They could give no satisfactory account of themselves and were sentenced by the Magis- trate to three months' hard labour as rogues and vagabonds, and the hands at the Dock gave no further trouble.
|
conflict with the will of the Government.
The circular, however, was issued by the Committee, containing what, to the Chinese mind, amounted to a pledge that Government would accept a compromise. The result was that the strike, which showed signs of collaps
On the morning of the 30th March a large number of coolies resumed work in the expecta- tion that the compromise referred to would be carried into effect. When, however, it became known that it had not been accepted by Gov. ernment they left off work again, with the exception of the hands at the Sugar Refineries, who had never been very determined in their attitude. The coolies engaged by the Captain Superintendent of Police the previous after noon for certain shipping firms did not keep their engagements, and before noon of the 30th March the strike had re-assumed its acutest form.
without heavy losses to the me munity owing to the temporary deadlock business, and more especially shipping, but the crisis was one which did not admit of com promise, and apart from the benefits to be looked for from from the by-laws, to prevent the enforcement of which was the object of the strikers, the coolie class, who were beginning. to think they held the reins of power, have received an object lesson which, it may be hoped, they will not soon forget.
[References are then made to peace and good k order, legislation, etc., summarising the depart mental reports which have already been pub lished.]
The above is a brief review of a year which presents few striking incidents, but which wASI perhaps one of the most prosperous in the not very lengthy history of this interesting and unique colony.
This will probably be one of the last Blue - Book reports which I shall have the honour to address to you from Hongkong, and in con- cluding it I would point out that the expecta- tions I formed and gave expression to some four and a half years ago, and which were then adversely criticized and even treated in some quarters with derision, have been or are in course of being fulfilled. 1894 and 1895 have been exceedingly prosperous years notwithstanding serious impediments, and I hope and have every reason to believe that this colony, looking to its remarkable vitality, will, in the future, continue to advance wealth and prosperity.I have the honour be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
WILLIAM Robinson,
Governor.
The Right Honourable Mr. Joseph Cham
berlain, M.P., Her Majesty's Princip Secretary of State for the Colonies, &c., &c., Downing Street, London.
BELĪLIOS PUBLIC SCHOOL.
On the 31st July Hon. J. H. Step Lockhart (Colonial Secretary) distributed prizes to scholars attending the Belilios P School. There was a large attendand parents, scholars, and friends.
Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART-Ladies > and gentlemen, 1 must first of all explain the reason of my presence here to-day. As you are all aware, His Honour Chief Justice Carrington was to have presented the prizes, but I much regret is unable to be present. I am sure you will all to have to inform you that owing to illness he
be very disappointed at his absence, especially on account of the cause. I do not know whether you are aware, as I am, that Chief Justice. Carrington takes a very deep interest in all matters appertaining to education, and I am sure if he had been here he would have favoured us with an address which would have been
The few remaining hands at the East Pointing, continued. Refinery also struck work on the 28th March, and on the same day a public meeting of the community, convened by the Chamber of Com- merce, was held to consider the crisis. An influential Committee was elected to deliberate and communicate its views to the Government. Several leading merchants addressed the meeting, which appeared to be unanimous in its desire to support the Government in its determination to grant no concession whatever to the foolish pre- judices of the strikers. Meanwhile there were not wanting signs that the strike was breaking down. An offer was made to one of the largest shipping firms in this colony by a Chinese to undertake the stevedore business of the firm within twenty-four hours on condition that he was guaranteed permanent employment as stevedore for five years. This offer was made on the 28th March, and on the following day | at 11 a.m. at which a vote of confidence in the with physical geography ádded as a special sub.
similar offers were made to other firms.
The hands at the three Refineries returned to work on the 29th March, and the Captain Superintendent of Police was able to hire fifty coolies for a local firm at $1 a day, and to engage fifty more at the same rate for another firm for the next morning, and more could have been obtained on the same terms if required.
Moreover, the P. & O. stevedore now ex- pressed his willingness to obey the provisions of the by-laws as regards registration. There seemed every likelihood that the strike was about to come to an end, but the well-founded hopes of an immediate termination of the deadlock was unfortunately frustrated by the ill-timed action of the Committee appointed at the public meeting to which I have referred:: The Committee met in conference on the 29th March with a certain number of Chinese compradores and stevedores, and the
On the 1st April matters once more appeared hopeful. Early in the morning of that day the Police succeeded in hiring 350 coolies for various firms at $1 a day. A public meeting was held Government was passed, and later in the day an agreement was made by the stevedore who had, as has been mentioned, in the preceding week approached certain firms, to supply stevedore coolies to the Government by whom they were let out through the agency of the Police to all who required their services.
This was the beginning of the end. The strike soon collapsed, and by the 4th April the the labouring coolies once more resumed their work as usual.
On the 2nd April upwards of 500 coolies were supplied to various firms at $1 a day. On the 3rd April more than 1,000 coolies were supplied at 75 cents a day, and by noon of the 4th April the strike was at an end, The victory of the Government against which and not against employers of labour the strike was organised was complete.
This happy result was, of course, not achieved'
The
interesting and most instructive. With regard to the results in the girls school last year I cannot do better than inform you briefly of the remarks made by the Inspector of Schools in a portion of his report. I may remind you that this school is divided into two divisions, the upper school and the lower school. upper school is purely English, and with regard to it I may say that 104 pupils presented themselves for examination and 92 were amined. The range of the examination included all the usual subjects of an English education
jeot. The attainments in classes 1 to 4 in English history, English composition, and map drawing were surprisingly high throughout, and in the same classes the examinations in grammar and geography were uniformly good. In classes 5 to 7 the results of the examinations were of an even more uniformly high character than in the upper classes. The same was the case wit the infant division (class 9), the examining of which gave evidence of very careful and success- ful teaching. In the lower school 107 Chinese girls were presented for examinatio and 89 were fully examined.
The subjec examination were the reading and- the Chinese classics, with the addition metic in class 3, geography in cla composition in class 1, and the examination were good. I reg say that the attendance was not owing to the existence of the plague in
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