May 12, 1897.||
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
晶
the first place we find in various articles | the following form, evidently borrowed from the treaties made between European nations
The French in Japan and the Japanese in France shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as those which are or may be granted to nationals.”
day to elect such a director. But if this meet- ing is not in a position to do so to-day, then the directors will look about and do their best to get such a competent man. There is one point I must refer to before I sit down, and that is the robbery of $7,000 while in transit from Singapore to Jelebu. This is the first time such a loss has fallen on us since the pro- "The European nations or the issue of Eu motion of the Company. Every precaution ropean races, eager for liberty and having in was taken to ensure the treasure reaching the main the same political and moral aspira- Jelebu safely. It was packed in the pre- tions can, without inconvenience to the con- sence of a European, and sent on board tracting parties, employ the above form, but we in charge of trustworthy persons. It was consider that this interpretation is dangerous received on board the Malacca by the for France in the present case as the other chief officer of that vessel, and handed by him contracting party is of the yellow race. In to the railway authorities in Port Dickson. It effect, the rights and privileges which are or was then placed in charge of the guard of the may be granted to an Asiatic people by its own train who, in his turn, handed the case to the Government may be suitable for that people proper authorities at Seremban. There it was without being suitable for the French people. lodged in the gaol until the Sikh escort was Notice that the rights and privileges of the ready, and, when it was received at Kuala Klang | Japanese, by which it is said we shall profit, are and opened by the manager, in the presence of not known to us. They may be susceptible of Mr. Keyser, the robbery was discovered. such modifications as to become to us Eu- The police both here and in Jelebu have ropeans veritable vexations and even a danger. been very active in trying to trace the rob- What will be the Japanese code in a bery, but up to the present they have been few years ? It will perhaps follow the unsuccessful. The Resident in Seremban has Asiatic spirit by punishing with death the matter in his own hands, and, from the last some offences which would be met with letter received a few days ago, the manager in A few months' imprisonment according to Jelebu bas had several long interviews with the French code. People who know the him, and, so far as Mr. Birch is concerned, we Japanese only by hearsay assimilate them too know he will leave no stone unturned. We quickly with our old European races. With have offered a reward of $1,000, and Mr. Hut-out doubt they have a perfect armament, swift tenbach, on behalf of his own firm, has offered another reward of $500; but so far no informa- tion has been received, and I am afraid we must treat this amount as a total loss. This is a most regrettable incident, especially at the present time. I have nothing more to say, gentlemen, and will bo pleased to answer any question you may ask.
There being no questions, the report and accounts, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Evatt, were unanimously passed. Mr. Reid was re-elected a director, on the proposition of Mr. Evatt, seconded by the Chairman.
vessels, and a flourishing trade, but what trouble have they had to organise all that? For years past Europe has given Japan all the secrets of its complicated mechanism and has spent no end of money in order to gracefully receive the op- voys of the Far East, and Japan has largely profited by it. Imitators by temperament the Japanese have quickly copied European proce- dure and they are, to-day, in a measure, ready to produce and export the majority of the objects required in Europe and America. The last named country is considering the matter very seriously, Such is the situation that we affirm that French imports into Indo-China It was decided to leave the appointment of a will gradually fall off if the treaty of the 4th director to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Mac-August, 1896, is promulgated in the colony. Bain's retirement in the hands of the directors. The re-appointment of Mr. A. J. Gunn as auditor concluded the proceedings. THE HAIPHONG CHAMBER
COMMERCE AND THE FRANCO- JAPANESE TREATY.
OF
At a meeting of the Haiphong Chamber of Commerce held on the 12th April last the Franco-Japanese treaty was considered by the members. On the 2nd March last Messrs. Dousdebès, Malon, and Gage were appointed as a Committee to examine the treaty and they now presented the following report on the subject, which was drawn up by M. Malon :-
C
Gentlemen, the members of the committee you appointed at a sitting of the Chamber on the 2nd March, 1897, to present a report on the application to Tonkin of the Franco-Japanese treaty believe that it will be interesting to state in the first place that all three are ac- quainted with Japan, having either visited or lived in the country.
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They consider it necessary, in order that the situation shall be clearly understood, to point out to you that one of the principal characteristics of the Japanese people is their hatred of foreigners. This feeling is disclosed in thousands of ways to the Europeans who visit Japan or negotiate business matters with them. It was this feeling that engendered the outrages committed by the Japanese against the Czarewitch when he travelled simply as a tourist in the Far East, and against Li Hung- chang when he ought to have been doubly protected as an old man and a plenipotentiary of a conquered nation. This hatred of for eigners is directed to all, French and others, and it is only the arm-chair colonials (unfor- tunately so numerous in Paris) who designate the Japanese as the French of the Far East. "Having made this explanation we will not examine in this report the treaty of the 4th August, 1896, article by article, as we have attentively read the treaty from beginning to end; we will merely point out some of the most dangerons defects,
"We have often protested again the applica- tion in this country of the general customs tariff, but since France is actually protectionist, let us point out the danger as good patriots. Hand labour in Japan is at a low price; the charges for transport between that country and Indo-China, especially by the Japanese steamers, will be so much lower than freight rates between Marseilles and Haiphong, that French products will not be able to compete with those of Japan. Already, at this moment, certain Japanese pro- ducts, such as matches, clocks, beer, &c., challenge our protectionist tariffs. What will it be when Japan enjoys for its products entering Indo-China the minimum tariff? (Article 7 of the treaty.)
F4
Therefore, not only in the interest of local commerce, but above all in the interest of the placing of metropolitan products in our colony, we suggest that you should strongly oppose the application of the treaty of the 4th August, 1896, to Indo-China. Article 22 provides that the provisions of the treaty shall be applicable to the French colonies for which the French Government may claim the benefit. As far as Indo-China is concerned that benefit will be negative.
"Concerning the mother country, we wish to point out to the French Chambers of Commerce that the day when the Japanese manufacturers go with their workmen to establish mills or workshops in France, in accordance with article 3 of the treaty, it will be impossible for our countrymen to resist them. "As to reciprocity, it is not true. Europeans will never he able to create in Japan prosperous establishments with a European personnel. The reason is simple. The Japanese workman haa, as a rule, a salary of only fifteen or twenty francs a month; female hands have only half that. And these Asiatics are already manufacturing all our products, such as clocks, lamps, furniture, carriages, jewellery, hats, watches, boilers, colours, shoes, beer, umbrellas, crystals, chemical products, electric apparatus, printing presses, machines of various kinds, coloured paper, printed cloths, pumps, &c.
"In conclusion we must add that we have
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learnt, in Japan itself, that the Government has advanced funds without interest to various growing industries, similar to those of Europe. How then can we compete against these people who pay such a low price for hand labour and get their capital for nothing ?
"To sum up, we consider that the treaty herein reported on is all to the advantage of the Japanese. The future will prove it.'
In consequence of this report, all the conclu sions of which it approved, the Chamber of Commerce ananimously passed a resolution pointing out the danger which the application of the treaty would present to Indo-China and asking that the treaty should not take effect in the colony.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
EXAMINATION OF ACCUSED PERSONS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
SIB, In your leading article this morning you point out what has always seemed to me a singular peculiarity of the English criminal law of evidence and you say "A few direct questions addressed to the prisoner would frequently result in bringing his guilt clearly into view when the evidence of other parties falls short of that point. British Law, however, as it stands at present, says that the prisoner must not be questioned and that even if he wishes to make a confession he must be warned that it would be better for him not to do so.”
I think you do good service by calling atten- tion to the very different principles which are acted on by common sense people out of court in investigating an offence and interrogating a suspected offender. You would do further good service if you would point out that the anomaly was dealt with in this colony, by legisla tion, nearly a quarter of a century ago. Ordinance 18 of 1873 was passed expressly to provide for the oral examination of prisoners by (a) the Magistrate, and by (b) the Judge, in the Supreme Court.
As regards examination by the Magistrate, although the Evidence Consolidation Ordinance 1889, and the Magistrates Ordinance (No. 10 of 1890) repealed certain of the sections relating to the examination of the prisoner by the Magistrate this was not because the principle was not fully approved by the Legislature; for the Magistrates Ordinance, 1890, practically reenacts the sections it re- pealed. It repealed them in order that the subject might be dealt with in its proper place, namely, the Ordinance consolidating the procedure and practice before Magistrates.
· commences
as
Section 98 of the Magistrates Ordinance · regulates, the subject. It follows:-"Notwithstanding anything in this Ordinance, it shall be lawful for a Magistrate, in any case in which he may deem it expedient so to do, to examine an accused person as in this Section provided."
The procedure is then laid down in the sub Sections as follows :—
(1.) Examination of accused by Magistrate- Upon the investigation or hearing by a Magis. trate of any case in which any person is accused of the commission of any criminal offence, the Magistrate may, if he shall think fit, from time to time, at any stage of the inquiry, and with- out previously warning the defendant or accused, examine him, and put such questions to him as he thinks necessary.
(2.) Record of such examination.--Whenever any defendant or accused is so examined as a- foresaid, the whole of such examination includ- ing every question put to him and every answer given by him shall, where such defendant or sc- cused shall or is about to be committed for trial before the Court, be recorded in full and shall be shown or read to him, and he shall be at liberty to explain or add to his answer. When the whole is made conformable to what the defendant or accused declares is the truth, the record of the examination shall be attested by the signature of the Magistrate, who shall certify under his hand that it was taken in his presence and in his hearing and contains accurately the whole of the state-
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