April 28, 1897]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. were only received after & Council meeting bad been concluded on Thursday, the 8th inst. when it was decided that in view of the time occupied during the week and of the business engagements of members, it was unreasonable to ask them to re-assemble and enter on further discussions until Tuesday, the 13th; there was no desire to avoid explanation, but on the contrary we were anxious to afford it, I have taken much of your time and believe me the Municipal affairs have lately taken much of ours, and having afforded you, so far as is in our power, the details of recent events. I will close by saying that we have entered into an agreement from which we consider it inexpedi- ent and impossible for us to withdraw. Your vote on this occasion is therefore one of con- fidence or the reverse, and as a body we shall be guided by your decision, for under no cir- cumstances can we be parties to any resolution involving a breach of faith in respect of the compact made.
There were frequent signs of dissent by the meeting during the delivery of these remarks, and the tone of the proceedings became still more determined when the following resolution was proposed by Mr. R. M. Campbell, in a vigorous speech, and seconded by Mr. Cecil Holliday:-"That this meeting of Ratepayers, having heard the explanation of the Council, desires to express the most profound regret that the Council should have so far disregarded the interests and dignity of the community, which they were elected to represent, as to agree to the compromise which has been effected. But, the Consuls having, in good faith, at the request of the Council, entered into an arrange- ment with the Chinese officials this Meeting now gives the authority necessary to carry that arrangement into effect.”-
Mr. G. J. Morrison sought unsuccessfully to induce the ratepayers to accept an amendment which left out the censure contained in the resolution, and after an animated discussion, in which Mr. R, W. Little, the Rev. J. R. Hykes, and Mr. C. J. Dudgeon took part, the resolu- tion was carried by an overwhelming majority, on a show of hands. Thereupon Mr. Probst announced that the present Council would at once resign, and the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman carried by acclamation.—N. C. Daily News.
make the wheelbarrow-men submit at once to the increased tax, but he asked for time being given him to do so. He also urged considera- tion for the wheelbarrow-men. He asked for various concessious and settlements which were all declined, and after much deliberation it was resolved to meet him so far as to defer the date of increase of tax, provided he issued an official undertaking to enforce the same on a given date. It was therefore resolved to reply that the Taotai must issue a proclamation to the wheelbarrow-men ordering them to obey the Municipal Council, owing to whose clemency and consideration the increased payment would be deferred until the 1st of July, but in such terms as would render him responsible for any further disturbance, and that unless we received his assent to these terms by 10.30 a.m. next day he must take the consequences. The reasons for this course were obvious; such a settlement once and for all binds the Taotai and prevents any legal quibbles; it is an acknow- ledgment of our powers to tax which had been successfully questioned in previous years, and it put an end to further disturbances which might have been very serious. The meeting then ad- journed until 10.30 a.m. on the next day, Tuesday, the 6th of April. Meanwhile I called a meeting of the Municipal Council for 9.30 a.m. next morning, i.e. the 6th, and explained the action taken, which was confirmed without dissent. At 10.30 a.m. the Vice-Chairman and I attended the meeting of Consuls and learned that the ultimatum of the previous night had been accepted. Now, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, as the matter stands the Taotai has entered into an agreement from which the Consular Body will not allow him to recede; on the other hand disturbances have been con. trolled and averted and the position of the Municipal Council in respect to the collection of the tax has been assured. We have waived no principle, but we have attained an indis- putable right. Moreover, we have thereby obtained from the highest Chinese official the very assent which was wanting in 1888, the want of which caused the Council at that time to abandon the increase of the same tax, notwithstanding that it had been passed at a Ratepayers' Meeting. A statement has been made that our right to tax the Chinese was questioned by the Consular Body. Allow me to contradict this; on the contrary there has been perfect unanimity. It is true the correspon. dence relating to the withdrawal of similar taxation in 1888 was on the table, but it was Like the average. policeman, the Chinese not discussed in our presence. I may mention gunboats and revenue junks cannot be every. in this connection that the correspondence in where at once; apparently they were not at question refers to an episode which it is very Nanchang a few days ago, when fire mer. inexpedient to revive. An impression seems chants travelling to Kiukiang were robbed and to exist that, because we have certain rights, foully murdered. The unhappy men formed a we have under the Land Regulation almost party of six, one of whom escaped by diving unassailable rights-this view is unfortunately overboard. They were peacefully making their entirely erroneous.. Anybody who has been in way to their destination, when an unsuspicious office or taken any trouble to study our constitu- looking boat bore swiftly down upon them and tion must know that our governmental machinery a fierce horde suddenly rose up from conceal- is defective. We have certain powers of legis-ment, boarded the merchants' boat, and over- lation, but to carry out our laws we have no powered the boatmen. They first robbed the judicial power.
I refer to the powers to merchants and then butchered them one after administer the law over the Chinese which are anothor.-Mercury. vested in the Mixed Court. The Chinese Government have never abandoned judicial power over their own nationals who live within our Settlements. This you must understand is On the 13th April an interesting ceremony a great source of weakness in our administra- was performed at Hangchow in connection with tion, but it is one for which you must not the new mint, which is now nearly completed. blame the Municipal Council, and, whoever This was the naming of the engines which are that Council may in future be composed of, I to run the machinery for the coining of the would give a word of warning as to how this cash. A large number, in fact almost all of the delicate subject should be discussed or handled. Hanchow officials were present, and the prelimi- The inadequacy of punishment inflicted by the nary ceremonies having been gone through, the Mixed Court is now the subject of official con-engine was started in a most successful manner, sideration and whatever may be the result of this meeting there are two things which will have to be done at once, first, the whole system of wheelbarrow licences must be re- vised; secondly, the European and Sikh Police force must be considerably augmented. An addition of 25 Europeans and of 25 Sikhs would involve an expenditure of about Tls. 20,000 per annum, which course has not been authorised in the votes passed at the Annual Meeting, and it might be desirable therefore now to take the sense of the meeting on this subject. I would add one word as to the recent correspondence on the the subject of this meeting; viz., the resolution of the meeting of the resident's
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PIRACY ON THE YANGIZE;
لیے
THE HANGCHOW MINT,
395
ment; they are of 650 1.H.P. The machinery was made in Germany. One foreigner only has been employed in superintending the erec- tion of the machinery. This is Mr. A. Bur- teenshaw, the son of an old officer of HBM's service in Shanghai. He deserves a word of praise for the very successful issue of his labours in connection with the Hangchow Mint. Mercury.
THE HANGCHÓW LAND TROUBLE.
It will be remembered that the British Consul-General paid a visit to Hangchow recently to settle a dispute with the Governor' of Chekiang with reference to the right of British subjects to purchase land at that Treaty port. The dispute was settled and the Governor promised to issue a proclamation at once. Sir Nicholas, unfortunately, did not wait to see the promise carried out, and the natural result has followed that to this day, as we are informed, the proclamation has not been issued. We do not know what steps are being taken to recall the Governor to a sense of his duty, but it is obvious that if notice is not promptly taken of such neglect, Chinese authorities are con- firmed in their indifference to foreign com- plaints.-N. C. Daily News..
JAPANESE BONDS AND FOREIGN PURCHASELS.
According to the Tokyo 'Asahi Shimbun, rumours are current that an offer made to the Government by Messrs. Samuel Samuel & Co., for the purchase of public loan bonds, has not been accepted. But that is not the case, says our contemporary,, Negotiations are still being conducted by the firm. The proposed purclase amounted to thirty-five million yen worth of consolidated Bonds bearing five per cent. interest, and the Company offered to buy at the face value (100 yen), but Government insisted upon receiving 105 yen. Under these circum- stances an understanding has not yet been arrived at. The firm seems to hesitate greatly about buying such a great quantity of bonds at a premium of five per cent, whereas the Govern- ment considers that a good price should be
pro- curable in view of the recent adoption of gold monometallism. In truth, the authorities find themselves placed in a very difficult position. Investigations are now being made to ascertain the comparative rates of various securities in foreign countries. Rumours still circulate that a London firm has offered to take consolidated Bonds as security for a loan at an annual inter- est of 33 per cent. The proposal, however, was for War Loan Bonds to the amount of two millions of yen, at 4 per cent. interest and a discount of five yen.—Japan Mail.
THE CHINESE CONSULATE AT
SINGAPORE.
ITS SUPFOSED VALUE. A correspondent writes to the Strait Times:- It is not generally known to those unacquaint- ed with Chinese matters that the post of Chi- nese Consul-General in Singapore is a subject of much interest in Mandarin circles, and its acquisition is keenly sought for. It is under-* stood to be in the gift of the Chinese Ambas- sador at St. James's, at present His Excellency Lob Feng-Lok. For some time the appoint- men has been filled by an acting incumbent. It has now become known that Loh Feng-Lok has bestowed the much-coveted prize on his brother. The pecuniary value of the office is, in addition to its salary and other emoluments, estimated to be no less than $50,000 a year. running for six hours afterwards without a hitch The question is, where is this sum of money to of any kind occurring. The officials were income from? It is but a few years back that mensely pleased, and two days afterwards the much question arose, owing to certain alleged ir- work was commenced in earnest. 80,000 cash regular action on the part of the Consulate in being now turned out per day, this being the ||lerying fees from Chinese emigrants. En- limit. The machinery in the silver department quis were instituted at the time, and the is not yet erected, though it is hoped that a few matter was left in abeyance, except so far that weeks more will see the work completed. Wiz --a szingest rules were made by the Chinese this is done, the out-turn will be 26,000 z c
stischtzate and these are, it is believed, this total being composed of 15,000 sise) zapanusly adhered to. How, then, it is asked, pieces, all bearing the Chekiang stamp Home sa sum of FIL00 a year to be made chow being situated in that province. There the appesatment: To revert to the system are three big Corliss type engines, two of which keying fees from emigrants would be attended are to work the silver coining machirery, the | with risk. Yet the fact remains that the post other being now employed in the cash depart- is looked upon as a very remunerative one.
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