May 20, 1897.7
THE AMOY CONSULAR`TRADE
REPORT.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER T. GARDNER has writ- ten quite a voluminous report on the trade of Amoy for 1896, in which he makes numer- ous suggestions, chiefly for the extension of what is known as the muck and truck trade, in which he appears to be a great believer. One reason of the success of foreigners as against British in the trade in small articles in the Amoy district, and, indeed, through out China generally, is that a feeling "exists amongst the British that it is more genteel to deal in certain commodities "than in others. Thus, at home a brewer "holds a higher social position than a grocer "or haberdasher. In Chiun.dealers in tea "and silk were our commercial aristocracy, "and articles other than the two above
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. the information of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, the samples including trade marks, the choice and colour of which are in China very important. Accordingly Mr. GARDNER encloses for transmission to the Associated Chambers of Commerce, but not for publication, four hundred odd appropriate trade marks or labels, which he recommends to the various home dealers who may wish to push the sale of their commodities in China, and from which they can make a selection. But where have these trade marks come from? If Mr. GARDNER has invented' them himself he must be wonderfully prolific in ideas, and if, on the other hand, they are trade marks already in use, how can traders in general make a selection from them?
THE NEW SANITARY BY-LAWS,
(15th May).
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only other amendment of very great import- ance made by the Legislative Council in the by-laws was in No. 25. As originallydd, passed by the Board this by-law (then No. 26) empowered "any officer of the Sanitary Board, specially authorised in writing by the "said Board under the hand of its Secretary," during the prevalence of an epidemic, to enter houses, tear down cocklofts and partitions, remove the furniture, and destroy the lot. In commenting on the by-laws in y October last we drew attention to this F extraordinary power and said we would be surprised if the Legislative Council was s found ready to meet the views of the Sanitary Board in that respect. The compromise now arrived at is that no action is to be taken in the direction of removing goods and furniture until a report has been made to the Medical Officer of Health or to such named were called 'muck and truck,' and
other officer as may be appointed for that "it was considered derogatory to deal
purpose by the Sanitary Board with the "in them. The trade in them Was
approval of the Governor, such officer to 'consequently taken up by foreigners, who The sanitary by-laws which will be sub-make a personal inspection and give direc
naturally imported goods made in their mitted for final approval at the meeting of the tions in the matter. The destruction of respective countries. This policy is in Legislative Council on Monday next were goods and furniture can therefore only be "the process of being modified." Mr. passed by the Sanitary Board in October carried out upon the order of a responsible GARDNER also thinks an impulse to our last. The Government does not appear to officer. In the debate at the Sanitary Board trade would be given if exhibitions of have been greatly impressed with their on Thursday the Captain Superintendent of our industries were permanently established urgency, as it allowed more than six months Police raised the question whether a sub- at Hongkong, Singapore, and Shanghai, to elapse before submitting them to the ordinate officer of the Board would be con and he further suggests that in such ex Council, and without the approval of that sidered a responsible officer in this sense and hibitions simple machinery in working body they cannot take effect. However, after he spoke in high terms of the ability order might be shown. This is a sugges- this long interval they were first submitted and trustworthiness of the Chief Inspector tion that has often been made before with to the Council on the 3rd May, the unofficial of Nuisances. We believe Mr. GERMAIN, respect to Hongkong and Shanghai; but merubers having had only two days' notice who has rendered valuable services with the present repetition of it is none the of the character of the by-laws. It was scant recognition, fully merits what Mr. less valuable оп that account. Mr. naturally objected that this time was too MAY said concerning him, and if it were GARDNER's reason for including Singapore brief for a proper study of such an import- deemed desirable to entrust to him the is that thousands of returning emigrants ant matter, and H.E. the Governor con- power referred to in by-law 25 we fail : start from there for Amoy, also because the sented to postpone the by-laws for a week, to see that the fact of bis, being a native merchants there generally have although he said he did not like to take subordinate officer of the Board should be agents in Amoy and are themselves ac-
"the responsibility," and that he could not held to be an objection. The point is thint quainted with the requirements of the "take the respousibility, with he plague in such a very extraordinary and exceptional locality. The Consul seems, indeed, to "the neighbourhood of this colony, of post- power should be exercised only by men of have great faith in Singapore as poning all this necessary work for a further experience and proved trustworthiness and a tradal and educative connection of perial" After postponing it for six should not be considered an ordinary ad- A moy. An enterprising Singapore firm months the responsibility of postponing it junct to the functions of the Inspectors of proposes to establish a line of steamers, for another week does not strike one as very Nuisances, some of whom, while efficient in starting once a week from Amoy to Singa- stupendous. The postponement was very the discharge of their ordinary duties, may pore. If such steamers, says Mr. GARDNER, fortunate, for at the next meeting of the not possess the intelligence and discretion would connect with the British and French Council His Excellency stated that, having necessary for the exercise of such powers as mail steamers at Singapore it is possible that reason to believe that objections existed in are conferred by the by-law in question." much of the cargo from Amoy to Europe, certain quarters to some of the by-laws, he had It is no light thing to enter a man's house which is now transhipped at Hongkong taken steps to ascertain what those objections and throw his goods and furniture out into might be transhipped at Singapore. Ship were, and he proceeded to consider the objec- the street and burn them amongst an ping people will probably smile at this tions and to suggest compromises which do English community such a proceeding would suggestion. Another curious suggestion is credit alike to His Excellency's good feel-probably place the officers carrying it out that missionaries should be utilised as coming and good sense. In conclusion he said in some personal danger from the resent mercial travellers. There are in China that "the desire of the Government was ment of the victims, and it is to the credit..." "about a thousand of our missionaries, "to have the strongest possible mensures of the Chinese community that in the most of them inured to travelling in "for the protection of the health of the epidemics of 1894 and 1896 they submitted "the country, and
many of them public without unnecessary interference to the hardship with so little opposition. ⠀⠀ (especially those belonging to thewith the liberty of the subject." In that We hope the necessity may never again... China Inland Mission) acquainted with desire the whole community will cordially arise, nor do we see why it should if the "trade. If our manufacturers could induce join and the by-laws as they were amended Sanitary Board and its officers, do their "the heads of the China Inland Mission to by the Council and subsequently adopted duty, for full power of inspection exists at l "allow some of their staff to act as com- by the Sanitary Board may be accepted all times for ascertaining the condition of u "mercial travellers, these would be a valu- as reasonably calculated to secure the ends houses, and, as was said in this column when s "able aid, nor would their spiritual work in view. No. 5 of the by-laws, which the by-laws were passed in October last
'suffer, as, being ostensibly engaged in has been struck out, dealt with a very what is required is that cleanliness shall be trade, they would be less liable to important matter, namely, the obstruction permanently observed in the colony, not suspicion and dislike than if only engaged | of private lanes in such manner as to that things shall be allowed to drift intod in proselytising, the motive of which the prevent the proper ventilation of build- the old groove and that we shall have an a Chinese find it difficult to understand." inga opening on to such lanes. It is absurd crusade of pulling down and burned Some missionaries are reputed already to do essential that this matter should be dealt ing whenever an epidemic breaks out? a little trading on their own account or on with. The striking out of the by-law re-
(19th May:) commission, but obviously the system is not ferring to it does not mean that it has been The new by-laws made by the Sanitary one that it would be desirable to adopt dropped entirely, for it has been re- Board have now received the sanction of generally. Such suggestions as this seem to ferred to the Insanitary Properties Com-the Legislative Council, and, in times of indicate a little want of mental ballast mission. That body may possibly be able epidemic, the Bard by its duly authorised on the part of the writer, but nevertheless to suggest some amendment, but however officers will have power to pull down the report taken as a whole is a useful the details may be arranged it is of the first partitions and destroy furniture and other and instructive one. Mr. GARDNER importance that structures excluding light property, the owners possessing no right of I has tried to make it as complete as possible and air from buildings opening on to pri- appeal. The power is a very "greats and q and has accompanied it with samples for vate lanes should not be permitted. The extraordinary one, but under the conditions
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