April 21, 1902.]
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way similar to that of the Agent-General ́" or "Commercial Agents of self-governing Colonies. He tells them that if their trading interests are to be represented in London, their agent must be entirely un- connected with the Government, although there would be no objection to making a "small grant to such a body as the Royal Jamaica Society of Agriculture and Commerce. The Crown Colonies are,
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fore, to be ear-marked commercially as well as politically, and while Canada and the Australian States have the advantage of commercial agents in England, Jamaica's trade is to be sacrificed in the interests of red-tape. It would almost appear that the authorities are determined to drive our West Indian Colonies to seek protection and development under another flag." If Jamaica is to be ear-marked and sacrificed to the cause of what a facetious and well-known writer calls "rufus tape-orum," we cannot expect to be exempt in Hong- kong from the same influence; yet it strikes us that it is time the Crown Colonies of the Empire took combined action in this matter and made it plain to the home Government that they desire to be governed according to common-sense.
THE. DROUGHT,
(Daily Press, 19th April.)
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
"been illustrated by the efforts of Jamaica on local, industries outside China proper, enquire into any subject is generally con-
"to obtain commercial representation in would be amply repaid by the possibility ofsidered to be synonymons to a shelving of
London. The planters and merchants the abolishment of lekin. If the merchant the question. We baye had evidence lately
"of Jamaica are bluntly told by Mr. feels that he has sound security that lekin that the same principle applies unfortunately
to Colonial methods, but it is to be hoped "CHAMBERLAIN that it is impossible for a will be abolished, that the Central Govern-
"Crown Colony like theirs to have an agent ment has power to fulfil its obligations, be that in this case the moderate and well-
considered recommendations of the Com-in England occupying a position in any will be willing, we think, to make the ex-
mission will be given full effect to by the periment. The matter depends entirely on the question of guarantee. The Manchester Government. They qught to be approved Chamber of Commerce offers strong objection of in folo.
Not the least interesting of the many to an increase of fifteen per cent, but will not object to ten per cent. The Committee of points that emerged during the hearing of the Shanghai branch of the China Associa-evidence before the Commission was the tion, we understand, bas proposed a side-light thrown upon the Crown Agent resolution in support of Sir JAMES MACKAY'S system. The Crown Agent system was not, as the Report carefully points out, referred proposal. The basis of that resolution is the form of guarantee suggested, namely, to the Commission for enquiry, yet, owing "by the institution of a reformed system of to certain statements made by the witnesses, “fiscal administration in the provinces." It they felt that "those statements should be may be asked, why not compel China to thoroughly investigated." Mr. A. DENISON in his evidence stated that he knew an in- inaugurate the latter, which on paper seems so plausible, and let the lekin question stand stance in which be was purchasing iron for over? Why not go thus to the fountain his clients at a much cheaper rate than that
at which it was being supplied at the same" head, and when you have introduced an
time to the Colony by the Crown Agents. honest civil administration there will bẻ no need for lekin? In fact, Sir THOMAS It was also stated by a member of the JACKSON'S conception of guarantee, Commission that the Crown Agents had coupled with that of the Committee of the forwarded a consignment of cement to Shanghai branch of the China Association, | Hongkong without having received any reveal the enormous difficulties attending the requisition in the usual way from the As a result of enquiry which proposal to abolish lekin. No such satisfactory Government. proposals or guarantees can be given by the followed upon these statements it transpired Central Government, and however much in that the cement in question was duly sympathy the British merchant may be with ordered by the Director of Public Works, this scheme that would terminate this Mr. ORMSBY, who appears to have forgotten octopus of inland commerce, his judgment, that he had sent his order and to have formed from years of experience of the misled others into believing that the Crown Chinese Government, is opposed to it. It Agents had forwarded the cement, with- "The witnesses," says the would perhaps be better to look to the out authority, gradual though continual improvement of Report further, who have had practical
experience of the Crown Agent system, The present year will be memorable for the transit pass system as an alternative of
including Mr. CHADWICK, all speak highly its long continued drought. Not alone in the lekin evil. The question is one, however,
of it, and the Commission is of opinion this unfortunate Island of the Fragrant of such vital importance to local trade that
that it works well and that it would not Streams but in most parts of Southern we should be glad to receive some expres-
be easy to substitute for it any other China has scarcity of water prevailed. sions of opinion on the subject befóne again.
system that would work so satisfactorily.' In the Yangtze Valley there has been alluding to it.
In the light of that expression of opinion, no rain for a prolonged period, and the it is interesting to place in juxtaposition the¦ great river is unusually low, while everything view of Mr. ROBERT SHEWAN, a gentleman is parched and dusty, with a high tempern- whose business acumen and common-sense ture. In the province of Chekiang there are well known and appreciated. Speaking has been a disastrous shortage both of snow as a member of the Commission, be says: and rain, and the outlook for the crops is "I am not of the opinion that the Crown very disheartening. At Swatow the water Agent system works well. I think the famine has at last been mitigated, but in Government would be better served by its most parts of Kwangtung the rivers have own Agents, under its own orders, whom fallen so low as to impede navigation, while “the Government could change when dis- the prospects for the crops are deplorable, satisfied. I do not think that the Crown their salvation lying in an early downpour The same story also Agents should be entrusted with the of the needed rain.
comes from Hainan, where there has been floating of loans. That should be done
no rain since early in the autumn, the through a Bauk or financial firm of first- "class standing." Mr. SHEWAN'S opinion water in the streams is running low, will, we think, meet with the approbation many rice-fields have not been planted, and the sweet potato crop is a failure. We of everyone who has had the misfortune to have lived under a Crown Colony govern-in Hongkong are not single therefore in The Crown Colony system is our affliction; the absence of that useful meut. radically bad so far as regards the liberty trouble of the rain has been almost as much and indepeudence of the subject: the Crown marked along the coast for many hundreds Agent system, as an integral part of it, of xiles. The fact that our neighbours are shares in the obnoxious characteristic. In little better off than ourselves is, however, the case in point the Commission have gone poor comfort to us here. Inded it may be to great length to refute the allegations, and doubted whether, even to the most selfish, have succeeded. But that does not alter it can be counted as other than an addition the main fact, To their refutation of the to disaster, for the wider the area of the charges, indeed, one is prone to retort, water famine the greater and more per- manent the suffering, from ruined crops Thou protestest too much." If we must bave Crown Colony government, let us at and diminished trade, must be. least have the privilege that Mr. SHEWAN suggests of having our own Agents, under our own orders, whom the Government can change when dissatisfied. The British Trade Journal, an eminently well-versed news
some pertinent paper, recently made remarks upon the Crown Colony and Crown Agent system. In its issue of the 1st March it says:-"How inimical to trade develop "ment is the Crown Colony system again has
PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION,
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(Daily Press, 15th April.) The Report of the Commission which was appointed to enquire into the state of the Public Works Department has been pul lished. Its main feature is that it serves to show the futility of the Commission system. There are no doubt recommenda- tions in it that are good. But there is not
• a single recommendation which was not
66 Was self-evident before the Commission appointed and which might not have been safely given effect to without all the delay attendant up on the examination of witnesses and the chronicling of their evidence. In effect, the Commission's Report amounts to this, that the staff of the Public Works Department should be increased. It seems nonsensical to have to go through the formality of a public enquiry in order to arrive at such a conclusion. The recom- mendation of the Director of Public Works does not perhaps carry the same weight as the deliberative opinion of a duly-appointed Commission, yet we think the Government might well have trusted to the matured knowledge of the Hon. W. CHATHAM in this affair, so far, at least, as regards his request for an increase in the staff. It is now nearly a year ago since he drew the attention of the Government to the in- efficiency, in point of numbers, of the Department of which he is the head, and still that reform which he advocated is unaccomplished-though in a fair way to
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which could have been given effect to by a stroke of the pen. At home the appointment of a Royal Commission to
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In Hongkong what troubles us most-now is how much longer can we go on in the present dilemma. The Government doing all they can both by husbanding the supply and bringing from Lai-chi-kok two and a half million gallons per day to provide But the supply in for immediate wants. the reservoirs is daily growing smaller, and the scanty dole now issued will soon have to be further reduced or it will cease
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