April 11, 1908,1
Government of this Colony has assumed not merely a just but a liberal, benevolent, and sympathetic character, and that at no time within the recollection and experience of the oldest of your petitioners has an administration been so universally appreciated and admired.
5. That to say that the administration of Sir Henry Blake la completely won the confidence, respect, and admiration of the entire Chinese population and has cemented their loyalty and
affection to the British Crown, is but to state a well acknowledged truth, and that the present Petition is the outcome of the earnest desire on the part of every section of the Chinese Com- munity to seek for a continuation of a strong, wise, just, and sympathetic rule at a time more or less unsettled and troublous,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
£57
otherwise, it will probably be attended with much | HONGKONGGENERAL CHAMBER difficulty and friction.
OF COMMERCE.
13. That provision for a largely increased supply of water to the Col ny by further astangements for its conservation and distributor of the Hongkong General Chamber of Com
Ata monthly meeting of the G-neral Commit- tion, together with provision for the housing. and spicad of the Chinese working classes, is considered by your petitioners to be absolutely necessary for their welfare and the s nitary improvement of the whole Colony, and that your petitioners have good reason to believe that His Excellency the Governor is now devis ing schemes to meet immediate and future requirements in those respects.
I
!
14. That owing to the unsatisfactory condi- tion of the local monetary currency, and the disturbed and unsettled state of Southeru China, 6. That to enumerate the many benevolenta crisis may at any moment occur in this Colony acts and liberal measures adopted by Sir Henry aud its neighbouring provinces, which will Blake during his five years" administration is require at this great emporium of trade a strong not the intention of your petitioners, nor is it Government and a Governor possessed of an ✓ deemed necessary to do sɔ; but there are some intimate knowledge of affairs and the complete administrative acts which have so deeply touched confidence of the entire Chinese Community. the hearts of the native population that it is Your Petili ners therefore humbly pray that "impossible for them to ever forget.
His Most Gracions Majesty the King be advised to ext nd the term of His Excellency the Governor, Sir Henry A. Blake, which will shortly expire, to another six years; That His Excellency may be permitted for yet another term to continue to rate and guide His Majesty's loyal Chinese subjects in this Colony at a time fraught with danger and trouble to them and their follow-countrymen; And that the vast Chinese population of Hongkong and its Dependencies may have their lives and property, their welfare and happiness, protected and conserved by the one Governor in whom they have the utmost confidence and faith, and whose high personal qualities and great administra- Live abilities they so much admire and respect.
AS in daly
7. That several public charitable institutions have in recent years been promoted aud established under His Excellency'sdirect patron- age having for their object the healing of the sick and sheltering of the incurable. The new Wing of the Tung Wa Hospital, the infections Diseases Hospital, the Home for Lepers, and the projected Maternity Hospital are and will be perpetual monuments of the charitable phase of his benevolent Government; while his personal zeal in the cause of charity has caused the Chinese to treble their efforts in contributing to the relief of sufferers from tho devastations of war, famine, typhoon, or flood.
8. That the establishment of separate schools for European children and high schools for the sons and daughters of the Chinese, together with the endowment of a College of Medicine for the Chinese and the adoption of most of the recommendations of the Educational Committee, are Governmental acts which cannot fail to promote education in the olony, especially among the Chinese inhabitants,
9. That the passage of the 1 ublic Health and Buildings Ordinance in its present form, the adoption of various effe.tive but considerate and reasonably sanitary measures, the opening of Government Dispensaries, the institution of a Bacteriological Research Department, the em ployment of Chinese trained in Western medical science, the establishment of public bath houses. the conservation of open spaces, the training of nullahs, the increase of the water storage, and the better regulation of the water supply, are measures which will improve the health of the Colony, and finally eradicate therefrom all forms of epidemic and infectious disease.
+
And Your Petitioners shall
bound ever pray. Data Hongkong, 30th March, 19.3.
}
¦
merce held in the Chamber Room, on 24th March, 1903, at 3.30 o clock p.m.
-Mr. W. Ponté (Vice-Chairman), Hon. Dickson, Mesers. E. A. Hewett, 0. N, A. Siebe, J. R. M. Smith, H. Ber R. C. Wilco Hou. R. 1 hewen (ex-Melo) A. R. Lowe (Séoretary),
MINUTES.
The minutes of the last meeting held on the 17th ult, and also of the special meeting held on 24th alt, were read and confirmed.
RESIGNATION OF CHAIEMAN,
51
The SECRETARY read a letter from Hon, 0. 8. Sharp, dated 9th inst., stating that he resigned his seat on the Committee on account of leaving the Colony for some time, and expressing his regret at not being fable remain in the Colony until the annual general meeting took placs.
The VICE-CHAIRMAN – said that he had pleasure in proposing that the Committee should place on record a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Sharp for the able manner in which he bad carried out the duties of the chairmanship during the past year.
Mr. R. C. WILCOX seconded, and added that they were much indebted to Mr. Sharp who had put in a great deal of hard work and given the Chamber the benefit of his Shanghai experience. in dealing with the Tariff question and other subjects. He was sure they would have great difficulty in finding an equally painstaking. Chairman.
The vote of thanks was carried unanimonsly. The VICE-CHAIRMAN proposed that Mr. A. G. Wood should be asked to fill the vacandy on the Committee and Hon; C. W. Dickson seconded. This was unanimously agreed to.
NEW MEMBERS.
The SECRETARY reported that since the last meeting The British-American Tobacco Co. · and Mr. L. 8. Dady Barjor had been cleated to membership, subject to the uznal confirmation at the annual meeting.
'Hongkong, Government Honse,
31st March 1903. · FI-I am directed by His Excellency the
LIQUOR LICENCES ON SPIRITS OF WINE, Governor to acknowledge the receipt of your
Read joint letter dated 19th ult. from Messrs. letter of yesterday's date transmilting a Peti- tion from the Chinese inhabitants to the Grossmann & Co. and Jebsen &.Co., informing Secretary of State for the Colonies praying the Chamber that the Government had compell- that the terms of His Excellency's administra-ed them to pay a licence fee of $1,000 for selling spirits of wine although it had been shown that tion should be extended.
the spirit was used for making varnish and not for drinking purposes. They contended that the imposition w. uld result in the trade leaving Hongkong for Canton.
The Governor desires me to convey to the Chinese community through you his grateful acknowledgment of their express ons of con- fidence and goodwill in the Petition of which his first authentic ipformation was its receipt last evening. It will be forwarded in due 10. That the almost bloodless pacification of
course to the Secretary of State for the the New Teritory together with the estab ish- Colonies and, whi's you will understand that ment of local tribunals and the promotion of the regulation by which the duration of a agriculture and industry there, the improve-Governor's administration is determined is the ment and augmentation of the police and dis- rict watchmen forces, the stern suppression of secret societies, and the deportation of hardened criminals and dangerous characters, have tended to preserve the peace and good order of this Colony in a manner the most effective and unsurpassed
result of careful consideration after long experience, His Excellency desires me to say that the Chinese community may rest assured that, whoever may be the Governor, the administration of this important Colony will, in the future as in the past, be conducted with just and sympathetic consideration for the Chinese population to whose industry, energy and business capacity the Colony is so largely indebted for its phenomenal prosperity..
I have the honour to be, dir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) J. KE▴ne, Private Secretary,
The Hon. Doctor Ho KAI;
M.L.C., C.M.G.,
&c. &c.
¡In the course of the discussion which follow- ed it was pointed out that spirits of wins being obtained and used for making cheip alcoholic liquor and it was decided to let the matter stand over to give the applicants t me to try the experiment of methylating the spirit in order to prevent its ase for drinking purposes.
PROPOSED DIVE T F BOEL POST EXCHARGE
WITH U.S.A..........
Read letter from the Colonial Secretary dated 16th. ult, informing the Chamber that with the Secretary of State for the Colon His Excellency the Governor after contermas respecting the desirability of establis direct exchange of parcels with the U.8.A had recommended to the Ceoretary of State, as best means of attaining the end in view, that the Foreign Offices in London should negotiato a convention with the U.S. Government.
HONGKONG-TRADE-MARK LAWAN Read correspondence between the Chairman - (Hoù. C. S. Sharp) and Messrs. “Wilkinson & Grist, solicitors, relating to the refusal of the Government to register a certain trade-mark which it was contended could bə registered" in England.
11. That the maintenance of unbroken friendly relations with the local Government at Canton, frequently ander very trying circum stances, especially during she troublous time of the taking over of the New Territory and during the Boxer rising in the North of the Chinese Empire, has inspiral your petitioners with the u'most confidence in the diplomatic as well as the administrative abilities of Sir Henry Blake, and this confidence has spread a tranquil feeling over the mind of the Chinese residents notwithstanding the many recent disquieting The Governor-General of Formosa has no rumours of rebellious risings in the neighbour-tified the Osaka Shosen Kaisha of the fact that ing provinces and of possible foreign complica-the Government of Formosa will subsidize the tions
Youth China service of that steamship company to the extent of Yen 249,945 and the Formoss service to the extent of Yen 327,995 for the 56th fiscal year of Meiji, whch will begin on April 1st. Mr. Pen, Pao-cheng, the newly aphe 1th in the tropics, pointed Chinese Consul at Nagasaki, is going there from home in June next instead of in April as previously reported. Mr. Tsu Chung- ching, now in charge of the consulate at that port, will postpone his departure for home until the arrival of his successor.
12. That the new Public Health and Build ings Ordinance reserves large discretionary powers to the Governor and several of his Executive Officers, and that the carrying out of all its most important provisions requires much experience, discretion, and consideratio. I the humble opinion of Your Petitioners, this Ordinance, if enforced by a Governor who com- ids the confidence of the vast majority of the public prove a success from the first
+
It was decided to leave the matter over, untile the next meeting.
· FREVENTION OF MALA The rules drawn up för
warded
pool School of Tropical Media of agents of firms trading in the laid on the table.
The SECRETALY. as presented at the
monthly meeti
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.