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and it will be for the gentle men to say what they think of it. I doubt that, if it is borne in upon the Hongkong that thorous any necessity stand), Hongkong will be as ready fo assist in this instan03 as it has always been eady to assist in any charitabl work." I hope hon. members will kindly notice this and I request that any person who takes an interest in this mat'er will kindly meet us here at half- past twelve on Thursday next
The Council then adjourned]
LOCAL RELIEF MEASURES. A meeting at which H.E. the Governor presided was held in the Council Chamberathalf past twelve o'clock on the 23rd inst, to consider means to relieve as far as possible the state of famine at present existing in several parts of the province of Kwangsi. The attendance was good, and included the Hon. F. H. May, C.M G., Hon. Sir H. 8.-Berkeley, Hu. £ir C. P. Chater, C.M.G., Hon. Gershom Stewart, Hou, R. Shewan, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, C.M.G., Hon. Dr. Atkinson, Hon. R. Murray Rum sey, Hon: Wei A. Yuk, Ven. Archdeacon W. Banister, the Reverends T. W, Pearce, C. H Hickling, Hess, and Sontham, Lieut. Col, Candy 14th Burmes, Messrs. Ho Fook, Fung Wa Chun Lau Chu Pak A. Rumjabn. Tang Loi Tenn, Tang Lau Hop, Yin Wai Chi, Ng Pak-to, Sin Un Fai, Eam Tenu Tak, Li Shin. Wai, Chan Kan Ming, Chin Sik Yin, and Li Chuk Yu. Lady Blake and Mrs. F. H. May were also present.
Addressing the meeting, HS EXCELLENCY said-Ladies and gentlemen, I have asked you to meet me here to-day for the purpose of laying before you some facts brought to my notice with reference to the famine existing in portions of the province of Kwangsi. On the 17th inst. there was submitted to me a letter written to the Bishop of Victoria by MByrde, of Wa chow, in which he declared that in certain districts of the province of Kwangsi famine existed, that the people had no food, that their rice crops, had failed for two years, that they were dying of hunger, and that they were sell- ing women and children into slavery to save their lives. I made some enquiries from Mr, Fox, the Consul at Wachoy, who was in Hongkong on that day, and I heard from him a confirmation of the statement made by Mr. Byrde. I then communicated with Bishop Piazzoli, who was kind enough to make en quiries among his missionaries in Nanning. One rev, gentleman wrote to him, and here are some extracts from his letter ----
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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Father Poulat, of the district of Kolu Yun. wrote to me in October 1902: Rice is already selling at more than eight piastre: the 100 Chinese litre. The famine is horrible for our poor peasants, already so tried and impoverished by the rebellion. Those who are more daring go out to pillage in order to live and our Christians are • polluted like the rest. In November be wrote to me. I almost envy your lot. At any rate you have not, like me, the pain of being present without being able to prevent the slow agony of so many poor people who are dying of hunger. I am daily besieged and implored by numbers of unfortunates who. having nothing to eat either at home or abroad come to entreat, me to help them and to give them something to eat to prevent their dying. Even after having had a little rice and somewhat regained strength they refuse to go away telling me they cannot endure seeing their families struggling with hunger." Then he goes on to make several statements with reference to the absence of rice and the presence of famine, and from the statements of various missionaries brings the situation down to the present time.
Well, gentlemen, I even went further, because I was anxious not to make any move in this matter until I had satisfied myself that there really was such a state of famine existing in Kwangsi, as would justify me in coming be- fore the people of Hongkong and asking them to subscribe for its alleviation. Mr. o Fook was kind enough to make enquiries through some hongs in Kwangsi, and he writes as follows:
"I have sent to the Wing Chui Yuen, Fook On Cheong and Kwan Mow arms, which do a considerable business with Kwangsi, and learn that the faming in that province is very bad.
The rice crops for the last two years have failed owing to drought and instead of exporting rice as in former years the people have bad to import it and the price they are paying is about twice as much as they should pay for the same thing in Hongkong. In addition to the short crops they have been plundered by rebels and then by soldiers who are sent up to suppress the rebel- lion. They are selling their children in order to save both themselves and their children from | starvation. The Tang” Wa Hospital has re- mitted two sums of $1,000 each."
Clementi
Well, I found on enquiry that the Tung Wa Hospital had been approached in this matter, because that really was the barometer that would show ma whether the Chinese were in such distress that they felt compelled to ask for assistance in Hongkong, and I noticed that, with its usual charity, the Tung Wa Hospital sent $1,000 on 27th March, another $1,000 on 6th April, and I believe $2,000 are being sent by the Tang Wa Hospital to-day, (Applamse.) Now, gentlemen, that seems to me to be a considerable amount of con- firmation of what has been said with reference to the famine, but I went still further, for I thought it was well we should have somebody connected with ourselves who would write and tell us what he observed in Kwangei. So two days ago I requested Mr. to proceed to Kwangi and to report direct to me what he observed, the extent of the famine, and his advice as to the best method of distributing any funds that might be collected, and as in a case of this kind we cannot wait for public meetings, I authorised him to expend at once $1,000, if necessary, for any immediate necessities that came under his observation. I have not heard from Mr. Clementi yet, but I shall probably hear from him to-day or to- morrow. I gave him absolute authority and left it to his own discretion to visit whatever part of the province he thought well. I have asked the Consul to place him in communica. tion with the Chiness authorities, and I have no doubt they will offer him any assistance that may be necessary in the prosecution of his investigations. I may tell you that Messrs. Butterfield & Swire have kindly undertaken to ta'e him up to Foochow and back, and the Chinese Telegraphs have undertaken that all messages on famine business shall be sent free. I might add that Mr. Clementi himself has declined to accept any payment of expenses incurred in connection with his mission. (Applause) I have here a letter which I think I had better read to you. It is from Mr. Ho Tong, whose resence I was anxious to have here to-day. He writes from Macao on the 22nd inst.:→→
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[April 26, 1903. Archdeacon Banistan said that, with r to what Mr. Hoss had said, he himself huck just returned from Wuchow, and from enquiries he made up there was fully persuaded that the statements that had been made were true in every particular,
His EXCELLENCY said that as there wer no dissentients, he would take it that the Committee had been elected as proposed. He had great pleasure in accepting the position of President of the Committee, and would give any assistance he possibly could in the carryingsm out of whatever might be necessary, ve
This closed the proce dinge before the meet- ing, which dispersed after receiving His EXCELLENCY'S th nks...........
The Committee met immediately afterwards and decided to send a telegram to Mr. Clementi at Wachow appointing him thes representative of the Committee and giving- him full discretion regarding the distribution of assistance.
The steamers running to Wuchow have kindly offered to send up rice free of charge, vingtag
PROPOSED NEW LAW AGAINST STOWAWAYS.
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The following is the complete text of the Bill (read a first time at the Legislative Council on the 20th inst.) entitled an Ordinance to provide for the more effectual prevention of frands on owners and charteres of ships by stowaways, '-- their aiders and abettors:- -
Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows :→→→
1. This Ordinance may for all purposes. Le cited as The Stowaways Ordinance, 19038.
2. Ordinance No. 22 of 1890, entitled "An Ordinance to amend the Chinese Emigration Con-olidation Ordinance, 1899," and Ordinance No. 7 of 1897, entitled An Ordinance to pro- vide for the punishment of Stowaways arriving in this Colony," are hereby repealed.
3. Every person found on board any ship with intent to obtain a passage therein without the consent of the owner, charterer, agent, master or other person in charge thereof, and every person arriving in this Colony on board any ship who, without the consent of the owner, charterer, agent, master or other person- în charge thereof, has obtained a passage therein, and the aider and abettor of every such person; shall respectively be liable on conviction by a Magistrate to a penalty not exceeding one thousand dollars and, at the discretion of the Magistrate, to imprisonment, with or with- out hard labour, for a period not exceeding nine calendar months.
"Your favour of even date reached me this evening. Owing to absence from Hongkong I regret my inability to attend the meeting at 4. Every person so on board any such ship the Council Chamber to-morrow, I shall, how-may be detained and may be handed over to the ever, be most happy to associate myself with Police and be taken without wärrant before a the charitable work wh oh your Excellency is so Magistrate, and such Magistrate may, on proof kindly going to initiate, and to request you to of the offence, summarily convict such offender. put my name down in the subscription list for the sum of $1.000." (Applause.)
Now, gentleman, the Rev. Mr. Hess, who has come down, I think, from Kwaiping, is present, and I shall ask him to be kind enough to tell us what has come under his own observation in this matter.
Thus invited, the Rev. Mr. Hess, of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, detailed what he personally know of the famine, laying before the meeting facts that have already been published, and all of which went to show how grievous is the state of the people in the afflicted districts.
5. In every case coming within the provisions of this Ordinance the onus of proving the re- quired consent shall lie upon the accused.
OBJECTS AND BEASONS, Z This Ordinance, which is very drastic in its provisions, is introduced, as a last resort, in the hope that it will at once check and finally put an end to the at present constantly recurring cases of frauds on owners and charterers of ships by stowaways, principally between Hong- kong and Manila.
The matter has been made the subjeof of communications to Government from several quarters, among others from the Chamber of HIS EXCELLENCY said there were threeCommerce. Various measures have been taken things that remained to be settled-(1) the to stop stowing away, but all bitherto done has extent of the famine, (2) the collection of been insufficient to countervail the exceptional relief funds, and (3) the distribution of those temptations to introduce Chinese into the funds. For the carrying-out of these items he Philippines. proposed the following committee :--Colonial Secretary, the Registrar General, Sir Paul Chater, Messrs. Dickson, Gershom Stewart, R. Shewan, J. R. M. Smith, P. R. Law, N. A. Feibs, Shellim, A. J. Raymond. H. N. Mody. C. Michelau, Dr. Ho Kai, Wei Yuk, Fung Wa Chun, Ho Tung, Chau Shin Kee and Ho Fook. Hon. Dr. Ho Kar proposed that the gentlemen whose names had been read out be elected as a committee, and that the name of His Excellency as President be added. .
Hon. WEI A Yux seconded.
In one case, that of the Kaifong, no less than 134 stowaways were found concealed on the ressel on her arrival at Cebu, a port in the Philippines The ship's officers made a timely. discovery of the stowaways, and reported the matter to the American Authorities, so escaping a very heavy fine for a breach of the stringent laws against the introduction of Chinese inte the Islands. As it was, great delay and expense to the ship were occasioned, and the owners obliged to enter into a bond for $70,000 take the stowaways back to Hongkong.
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