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March 16, 1901:]
HONGKONG HARBOUR LIGHTS.
The Hongkong Government having had under consideration the advisability of transferring the light formerly exhibited at Cape D'Aguilar to the Green Island Lighthouse and the light at present on Green Island to Cape Collinson, with the view of improving these lights and thereby providing for the more efficient light ing of the approaches to the Harbour, in August last requested the opinion of the Chamber upon the propose transfers. The Committee, after inquiry and consideration, expressed the opinion that the advantages to be gained would greatly outweigh the cost, and added a recommendation in favour of the substitution of flash or revolv- ing lights for the fixed ones hitherto employed in the lighthouses named. The change has not yet been effected, but it is understood that a recommendation has been received from Trinity House in favour of the use of occulting lights, which will no doubt be substituted for those now in use.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE
BANKRUPTCY LAWS.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
surveying vessels on the 29th, and seconded the resolution moved by Sir Edward Sassoon in favour of a reduction in cable rates. The hearty thanks of the Chamber are due to Sir Thomas Jackson for the readiness with which he stepped into the breach and took charge of the two resolutions which were to have been moved by the Hon T. H. Whitehead (who was prevented by unavoidable circumstances from being present at the Congress), and for the efficient manner in which he advocated the ques- tions dealt with.
THE RE-SURVEY OF EASTERN SEAS.
The resolution moved by Sir Thomas Jack- son in the Fourth Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire at its sitting on the 29th June, was subsequently conveyed to the Marquess of Salisbury in a letter signed by the President and Secretary of the Congress, and a copy of the reply thereto was transmitted to this Chamber under date of 31st August. The resolution had been referred by the foreign office to the Lords Commissioners of the Ad- miralty, who returned a rather indignant reply, In July last, a judgment delivered by His declaring that for sixty years vessels had been Honour the Chief Justice in the Bankruptcy sent to the Eastern Seas to make surveys, that Court of Hongkong, in which it was laid down the greater portions of these seas had been that, according to the provisions of the Bank-charted, that the main routes through the China ruptcy Ordinance, 1891, Chinese Traders or Sea and along the China Coast are now as con- others non-resident in the Colony, although fidently navigated as any part of the world, and carrying on business therein under a firm's that the Congress must have been misinformed name, either by themselves or in co-partnership as to the knowledge of these seas possessed by with others, are beyond the reach of that the Admiralty, which though not perfect is still enactment, made it apparent that the law as so far advanced that no re-survey of main it stood did not afford that protection to routes is necessary. The Secretary of the Con- creditors which was intended by its framers.gress therefore requested to be supplied with The defect was brought to the attention of some further information on the subject in the Committee, who received most valuable order that he might communicate with the assistance from the legal profession, and Foreign Office. This was done as promptly as addressed the Government with a view to the possible, and a list of uncharted dangers dis. amendment of the Ordinance, forwarding a covered in these seas during the past seven draft Bill for the purpose, which Bill has been years was forwarded with the Chamber's reply. passed by the Legislative Council.
THE BETTER CONTROL OF NATIVE MASTERS
PROPOSED REGISTRATION OF PARTNERS IN CHINESE FIRMS.
AND ENGINEERS OF STEAM-LAUNCHES.
Recent legislation having made the owners of steam-launches in Hongkong responsible for acts of piracy committed by their craft, no mat ter whether the crews are implicated in the act or not, and the masters and engineers having shown themselves but little amenable to control, the Chamber was during last October asked to address the Government on the question of the advisability of adopting a system of continuous
In connection with, and as a corollary to, the Bill for the amendment of the Bankruptcy Ordinance, 1891, your Committee made a strong recommendation to the Government in favour of legislation to provide for the compulsory registration of the partners in Chinese hong- or firms trading in this Colony. His Excols lency the Governor, recognising the impor- tance of the question, has appointed a Com-record certificates, the result being that the mittee to consider the advisability of intro- ducing & Bill into the Legislative Council for the purpose, on which one member of the Chamber and its Representative in the Council have been selected to serve. Efforts were made a quarter of a century ago to secure the same object by legislation, but were aban- doned for causes that no longer exercise the same effect. Your Committee are of opinion that a Bill to secure registration of partners in Chinese firms will now meet general ap probation, not only the British and Foreign but also the Chinese community.
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Governor appointed a Committee to consider the matter, two members representing the Chamber (Messrs. A. M. Marshall and D. R. Law) being included thereon. The Committee, haring in- vestigated the question, recommended in their report that a record be kept in the Harbour Office setting forth the dates of each engage- ment and discharge of each certificated launch master and engineer, together with reason of discharge and all complaints and charges against him and punishments awarded by the Marie Magistrate or Harbour Master, such record to be open to inspection by launch owners or their representatives.
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QUARANTINE RESTRICTIONS.
heavy losses last year by reason of the quaran The Colony of Hongkong again suffered tine imposed at Singapore and other places against arrivals from Hongkong. Although the plague hal long ceased to be epidemic, the restrictions were not relaxed until Novem ber last, after ten clear days without a case of plague had elapsed, notwithstanding the appeals made by this Chamber to the Government to issue a clean bill of health for the port.
THE KASTEEN MAIL SUBSIDY. Further communications on the question of of the Colonial contribution to the subsidy paid to the P. & O. 8. N. Co. for the Eastern Mail Service have passed, the Government forward- ing to the Chamber on the 30th August a copy of correspondence between the Colonial Office and the Treasury, and of an award given by the Earl of Morley as Arbitrator upon the questions which arose as to the proportion of the cost of the service to be borne by the Government of India The Chamber were also invited (if they so desired) to supplement the remarks made in their letter of the 5th June, 1897. This invi- tation was availed of by your Committee to In January, 1901, several vessels arriving emphasise and reiterate the arguments used here from Singapore were heavily fined for against the mileage basis being adopted to technical breaches of quarantine regulations, estimate this Colony's share of the mail subsidy in omitting to hoist the yellow flag before and to bring forward certain new arguments entering the harbour limits, the masters plead developed by events since their original protesting ignorance of the fact that quarantine had was addressed to the Imperial Government.
FOURTH CONGRESS OF CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OF THE EMPIRE,
This Congress, which was held on the 26th to 29th June, 1900, and proved a great success, was attended by the Chamber's Delegate, Sir Thomas Jackson, Kt., who moved and spoke at length upon the Chamber's resolution on the Chinese Inland Waters Navigation Regulations on the 26th, moved the resolution in favour of re-survey of Eastern Seas by the British
THE PUBLICATION OF QUARANTINE REGULATIONS.
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the Amoy and Hongkong Chambers of Com- merce with the British Minister in Japan, but so far without any beneficial effect. Sir Ernest Satow, takes up the position that the British Minister can only intervene on behalf of the tea shipped to Great Britain. the Colonies and India; that destined for the United States he considers an American interest. The posi. tion assumed by the Amoy Chamber is that the trade having been created by and being in the hands of Bri ish merchants, that trade is a British interest, no matter where the merchant's constituents reside.
THE REVISED FRENCH CUSTOMS TARIFF AND COLONIAL PÃODUCE.
Certain changes in the French Tariff, which were originally intended as an act of reprisal against Brazil, were submitted by the Colonial Office through the local Government to this Chamber, but your Committee could not see that the changes made would to any extent affect imports or exports here, and therefore had no suggestions to offer. It has, however, been suggested by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Foreign Office that as French products are admitted free to this port, exceptionally favourable treatment should be accorded in France and French Indo-China to goods imported there from Hongkong
SCHEME FOR THE IMProvement OF THE
NAVIGATION OF THE YANGT ZE.
When passing through the Colony in Septem- ber last, Sir John Lister Kaye, Bart., submitted to the Committee his scheme for the improve- ment of the navigation of the Upper Yangtze, by creating a Conservancy Board with powers to remove obstructions in the rapids, &c., to control the traffic, to provide a fleet of fast launches for towing junks, and to levy a toll to secure interest on outlay. The Com. mittee, after examination of the scheme, as set forth in his petition to the Tsung-li Yamen, While unable to offer an opinion on the details, returned a reply to the effect that the removal of the existing obstructions to the, navigation of the Yangtsze would prove of advantage to trade generally.
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SUGGESTED BRITISH COMMERCIAL COMBINATION.
With reference to the above changes in the French Tariff, which will operate prejudicially against produce raised in India and some of the British Colonies, a propossi has been received from the United Planters' Association of South- ern India to join in a movement for a commer. cial combination of Great Britain, her Colonies and India, against the world by a system of differential duties which would afford some pro- tection to British grown products and manu- factures. The Committee could not see their way to join in such a movement and replied to that effect.
THE DEATH OF QUEEN VICTORIA. The deeply lamented death of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoris, which took place on the 22nd January, plunged the Colony into profound gloom, and your Committee, feel- ing that the occasion of this illustrious sover- eign's funeral should be observed as one of national mourning, addressed a letter to the Government suggesting that the Public Offices should be closed and all business suspended. This course was adoptel most fully, and there was such a complete suspension of business as had never been witnessed in the Colony sinos its foundation.
PROPOSED REG:STRATION OF SERVANTS IN HONGKONG
A proposal mace by the Honourable the Captain Superintendent of Police to the Gov- ernment to re-enact the provisions of Ordiu- anos 7 of 1866 relating to the registration of domestic servants, together with suggestions to attach a photograph of the holder to the certificate and to deposit one in the register, with penalties for non-observance both to em- ployers and servants, has been submitted
the
been imposed at this port on vessels arriving | your Committee for an opinion as to t
from Singapore. Representations were made to the Government" praying that greater publicity than the pages of the Government Gasette afford might be given to these notifi- cations, and saking that printed notices might be sent on board each steamer at Singapore. »
AMOY AND THE FORMOSA TEA TRADE.
Further correspondence on the discriminating duty levied in Formoes on tes if shipped other. wise than to a Japancee port has passed between
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advisability of re-enacting the Ordinance. The Committee considered the matter at their meet. ing in February, and arrived at the unanimous conclusion that the project was inadvisable and probably impracticable.
SUNDAY: CORRESPONDENCL. Correspondence dealing with the Appoint- ment of British Commercial Agents abroad and Certificates of Origin of Goods imported into Japan will be found in Appendices ▼ and Z.
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