August 27, 1896.]
Dutch Indies:—
Το
Java...
Other Islands
Reduced from To 1.80 1.35 2.05 1.60%
—I am, dear, sir, yours faithfully,
J. M. BECK,
Acting Manager.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE CHAMBER TO THE CABLE COMPAMIES.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
21st August, 1896. Dear Sir, I have to acknowledge, with thanks, receipt of your letter of the 17th instant with memorandum regarding cable charges from China, and also your favour of the 19th instant announcing probable early reductions in the rates from Hongkong to India and other countries.
HONGKONG CHAMBER TO LONDON CHAMBER - Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
4th August, 1896. My Committee have read the memorandum Dear Sir,-The question of Telegraph Rates on cable charges with great interest, but they has on several occasions formed the subject of are unable to follow the line of argument correspondence between the London Chamber adopted by your Companies. On the contrary, and this Chamber, and I have now to advise it seems to them that the reasons advanced for you of a new and wholly unexpected develop-raising the tariff here constitute excellent argu-
in this respect.
ments in favour of a reduction of the rates at the other end.
Only a month ago the Telegraph Companies, yielding to the representations of this Chamber, reduced the rates for messages on their lines south of Hongkong as far as the Straits Settle- ment, Labuan, &c., and the community were naturally gratified at the reduction.
On the 1st inst., however, after only one day's notice, the Companies suddenly sprang a new tariff on the public whereby the rate to Europe was advanced from $2 to $2.75, an increase of 37 per cent, and a corresponding increase in the rates to America, while that to Shanghai was raised 100 per cent.
The main, indeed the sole, reason assigned for this sudden and arbitrary increase in their charges by the Companies is the continued depreciation of silver," whereas within the past few years that metal has advanced some 12 per
cent. in value.
The privileges and powers conferred on the Eastern Extension A. & C. Telegraph Co. by virtue of its practical monopoly entail certain responsibilities, which my Committee are of opinion are lost sight of. The arbitrary exercise of these powers involved in this extraordinary increase in rates, constituting as it does a serious burden on commerce, must raise the question whether a cable from Canada, via Honolulu and Japan, would not prove a relief from the tyranny of the existing monopoly.
My Committee trust your Chamber will co-operate, by means of its vast influence, to secure an early reversal of this oppressive tariff.-I am, dear sir, yours faithfully.
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX.
Secretary. To Kenric B. Murray, Esq., Secretary, London
Chamber of Commerce,
THE CHAMBER TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
8th August, 1896. Sir, I have the honour to forward, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, copy of a protest addressed by this Chamber to the Joint Telegraph Companies on the subject of an unexpected and heavy increase in their tariff of rates to Europe, America, and Shang- hai.
The argument that Hongkong is better treated than Singapore can scarcely be accepted as a proof of the fairness of the Telegraph Com- panies, but may rather be regarded as an indica- tion of their disposition to impose the heaviest burden where there seemed least power of
resistance.
My Committee are glad to learn that it is proposed to reduce the rate from Hongkong to India from $1.80 to $1.20 per word, and that this reduction, together with various others, will shortly be formally announced.. They cannot, however, accept this concession as compensation for the heavy advance in the rates to Europe and America, which action they regard as wholly opposed to modern ideas on the question of speedy communication, the tendency all over the world being in the direction of providing it, both postally and telegraphically, at cheaper rates, with a view alike to foster trade and to promote progress. 21
It must not be forgotten that the public, both in the United Kingdom and in her colonies, have been crying out for increased telegraphic facilities for some years past, and that schemes have been proposed for the laying of cables either from Canada or the United States to Japan, which latter country may be induced to lend important pecuniary assistance to such a project. It is needless for me to point out that the recent action of your Companies, ratification of the consequent upon the Telegraph Convention at Peking, is eminently calculated to alienate public support and to invite opposition,-I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary.
To J. M. Beck, Esq.,
Acting Manager in China, E. E. A. & C. Telegraph Company, Ld. Great Northern Telegraph Company.
CRUSADE AGAINST OPIUM DIVANS
ARE THEY COMMON LODGING HOUSES?
At the Police Court on the 19th August before Hon. Commander W. C. H. Hastings, an important case respecting the position of opium
ing house without a licence. Our defence is. that we are not keeping common lodging, house; we are keeping an opium divan, We have a licence, and under the terms of the licence it would be utterly impossible, to turn the dive into a common lodging, house As your Worship is doubtless aware, the Govern ment, principally for reasons of revenue, licence the sale and preparation of opium in this colony, and amongst the privileges this system gives to the opium farmer is the privilege of Vicens ing a sub-farmer for the sale of dross opium. That sub-farmer has issued a licence to the defendant, who holds that opium divan subject This licence is to the terms of the licence. valid for one month only ard is liable to be withdrawn at any time by the company.” The whole object of that licence is to keep an opium divan.
His Worship-The only object of those ferms is to make him pay monthly.
Mr. Dennys-I admit that, but according to the terms of the contract the licence is liable to be withdrawn at any time. A dross opium divan in this colony is a place where a man purchases a certain amount of dross opium at a certain rate. If he smokes that opium on the premises he gets it at one rate; if he smokes it off the premises he gets it at another rate. The dross opium farmer alloys his licences to sell only at those rates, and the only business done on the premises of an opium divan is the supply- Those people who go to an ing of opium. opium divan pay nothing whatever for board and lodging and they are not supplied with anything in the way of eating and drinking. They do not lodge there in the sense that they stop for any definite time; they simply go there to smoke and they stay there as long as they feel inclined.
If a man goes to the place and purchases opium he is given a pipe and a certain amount of opium, and he can have the pipe refilled if he likes. He does not pay any thing for board and lodging, and therefore it would be utterly absurd to call the place a common lodging house.
F will call your Worship's attention to the by-laws relating to "The keeper of a common lodging houses. common lodging house shall never permit persons of a bad character to remain in his house, and he shall keep a register of the name, occupation, and native place of each lodger." It would be utterly absurd if, when a man came in for a few cents' worth of dross opium, the person supplying the opium was bound to keep a register of the man's name, occupation, and native place. That by-law was drafted for cases of permanent lodging, but in an opium divan a man may stay half an hour or four or five hours. He may get sleepy and stay there the whole night, but that fact does not make an opium divan a common lodging house in the faintest degree. If the Sanitary Authorities complained of these places being overcrowded, that would be different offence, but to make the places.com- mon lodging houses when they are not com-
would, I submit; be absurd. In regard to the word "usually " I submit that it is certainly not covered by the evidence of the prosecution. If a man is seen drank on two occasions he could not be said to be usually drunk and it is equally ridiculous to say that this place has been usually occupied by over ten men after twelve o'clock at night because the inspector only twice saw over that number.
a
regard to the rights and privileges accorded to divans was heard. The keeper of an opium divan mon lodging houses in any sense of the word
My Committee indulge the hope that having
the Telegraph Companies in this colony the Governor will agree that scant consideration has been show in this matter to the community; and they further trust that His Excellency will lend his support to the attempt to induce the Companies to recensider the revision of rates they have, after a single day's notice and on so lame a pretext, thought fit to enforce.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
"
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary. To Hon. J. H. Stewart Lookhart, Colonial
Secretary.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE CHAMBER.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 18th August, 1896. Sir I am directed to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your letter of the 18th inst., with its enclosure, and to inform you in reply that the Government has addressed a letter to the Tele- graph Company requesting that the recent sudden increase in the tariff of charges may be reconsidered I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,'
· J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,"
Colonial Secretary. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce.
at 10, Cross Street was charged with keeping a lodging house without a licence. There were twelve other similar summonses against keepers of opium divans, all of which are licensed by the Kwong Fook dross opium farmers, to whom the premises are let out by the Opium Farmers.
!
Dr. Clark, Medical Officer of Health, appeared on behalf of the Sanitary Board, and Mr. Dennys appeared for the dross opium farmers. Inspector Cotton spoke to making two mid- night visits to 10, Cross Street, one on the 11th inst, and the other on the 15th inst. On the first occasion 26 men were sleeping in the
house and on the second occasion 52 men were sleeping. ·
In answer to Mr., Dennys witness said he made two visits because the Ordinance contained the words "usually occupied by over ten men.' In March last he summoned several keepers for a similar offence, but the summonses were dismissed.
By the Magistrate-When witness took the summonses out in March he paid only one
visit. Mr. Dennys, for the defence, said-May it please your Worship, in this case' we are not charged with overcrowding or any other offence under the Health Ordinance. We are charged simply and solely with keeping a common lodg-
The manager of the Kwong Fook dross opium farm was then called. He said that the charge for each piece of dross opium was 32 cash- smoked on the premises
and 36 cash if smoked off the premises. Nobody bat purchasers of dross opium and the em- ployes had any right to enter the divan. The divan was open at all hours of the day and. night. Cargo coolies went there after leaving work at twelve o'clock at night; nights went there at two or three o'clock in the
ing and market coolies went th their
way to the market in the early
By the Magistrate It takes of an hour to smoke of drosa opiùm. The customers to remain there as long as the they would
ld have to leave. when fresh customers smoked opium, sleep, but not habitually
ter
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