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THE CUBICLE QUESTION.
(Daily Press 1st August.) It has become perfectly plain that the Section in the new Ordinance requiring the abolition of cubicles in Chinese dwellings in this Colony is at the present moment unworkable, and we welcome the decision of the Sanitary Board, on the motion of Mr. POLLOCK, appointing a sub-committee to consider and report to the Board what amendments appear to be desirable in the new Ordinance. While it is admitted that the Ordinance rightly aims at the abolition of conditions which tend to promote the dissemination of disease, it is at the same time perfectly evident that if the crusade against cubicles, already begun, is to be drastically prosecuted, a most serious blow will be struck at the commercial prosperity of the Colony. As Mr. Lau CHU PAK pointed out in the minute he attached to the motion on the agenda, the rentals now charged by Chinese property-owners are already very high, and if by the operation of the Ordinance one family is compelled to occupy the space now accommodating three and often four families, the rent will be far beyond their means, Consider how many Chinese families in the Colony are living on less than 825 a month How many flats in Hongkong could be Mr. rented at that figure we wonder ? LAU CHU PAK says the rent of such flats or floors ranges from $8 per mouth in the poorest districts to 875 per month in the busiest parts of the city. It is clear, therefore, that unless there is a further enormous rise in wages, as a consequence of the law requiring the abolition of cubicles, it will be impossible for four- fifths of the Chinese to remain in the Colony, and we need hardly say that any substantial increase in the cost of labour would vitally affect the interests of the port. We trust that the Committee ap- pointed will upon a due consideration of the problem in all its bearings be able to make some recommendations which will obviate or at least mitigate these fell consequences without an undue sacrifice of those hygienic principles which the Colony from the-public health point of view cannot afford to disregard.
WUCHOW'S TRADE IN 1902.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
}
(August 10, 1903,
"that the
in Hougkong. 2. The disturbed state of | actually British firms, all represented by the province, always one of the poorest in native agents; Mr. Fox adding "It is, I China. 3. The failure of the opium crop think, matter for regret that they do not in Kweichau and Yunnan, native opium see their way to send a young Englishman being the medium of exchange with those here to push their interests." Another regions. 4. Floods in the summer of 1902, remarkable fact is that though 93 per which devastated the crops in the low-lying cent. of the total trade of Wuchow is districts, especially the fields of sugar-cane with Hongkong, rot a single steamer on in the neighbourhood of Nanning. Mr. Fox the line flies the British flag:
"It is
adds:
:- It is an eloquent testimony to the to be hoped," Mr. Fox says, vitality of the Wast River trale that in British companies in Hongkong, who spite of this accumulation of disasters, in, withdrew their steamers from the line two spite of the fact that Wuchow stands at years ago, will see their way to reopen this the gate of a bankrupt province, the brauch before the direct carrying trade decrease in the import trade should not passes entirely into alien bands." A refe have been even greater and that the export rence to the Chairman's speech at the trade should even show a marked improve meeting of the Hongkong. Cantou and ment." The lowness of exchange of course Macao Steam-boat Co. on Tuesday is inte- stimulated exports, and the natural expan resting in this connection. The question, sion of trade was not retarded to the same
Mr. DICKSON told that meeting, of taking extent by the disturbe I state of the country up again the Hongkong-West River trade We trust that the as in the case of imports, the brigands is under consideration. having a particular inclination for the Company will read Mr. Fox's remarks and
be encouraged thereby. pillage and destruction of foreign goods.
With regard tf the port's prospects, Mr. Fox
Careful expresses himself hopefully. enquiries, he says, go to show that its trade has by no means reached its highest point. There are still vast regions in Kwaichau and Yunnan which naturally derive their supplies through the West River, where for goods are practically unknown. As to the proposed Pakhoi-Nanning railway, Mr. Fox thinks highly probable that the West River route with its cheap water carriage and its direct communication with Hongkong will be able to hold its own
against the quicker but dearer overland line with its trarshipment at a small coast port. In Kwangsi great riches await development. There must be a commercial fature, says Mr. Fox, before a country which can pro duce silk, sugar, coal, timber, oils, paper, rhea-fibre, gold, tin, and antimony. But it is necessary that the officials and gentry shall cease to repel foreign capital and skill and that the native merchants shall cease to adulterate their goods for the Europe in market.
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Hongkong's share in the trade of Wuchow amounted in 1902 to no less than 93 per cent.
In the tables" foreign" trade means trade with Hongkong, whereas "native trade means principally trade with Canton and Samshni. Mr. Fox notes ļa general tendency, strong y marked among the well-to-do Wuchow natives, to substitute articles of foreign manufacture for native whenever the price of the former permits. Cigarettes and cigars, condensed milk, coffee, biscuits, razors, scissors, soaps, scents, on imelled teapots and basins, etc., are thus coming into general usə, Fox gives gone serviceable hints as certain articles.
CHINA AND OTHER TEAS.
(Daily Press, 1st August.) We quoted a few days ago a paragraph remarking on the fact that in the reports of certain recognised London tea merchants China teas were scarcely mentione I, so parlous has the state of this trade become. The tea reports from Australia bear similar mournful testimony. The first shipments of China tea to Melbourne this season amounted to only 1,954 packages.
(1
Years ago," says one of the tea circu'ars, "the first steamer used to bring 50,000 to 3,09) packages, "but the deman 1 for China tea has given "place to that for Indian and Ceylon ters.' In Boyd's Commercial Guide it is remarked that the China tea statistics show plainly that unless active measures be immediately taken the one staple industry of China will be cati- logued among the things of the past. Several reasons are advanced to account for the enormous falling-off in the exports of this once eagerly-sought-for product, th: prime reason being the live competition of tea from Assam, Ceylon, Japan, an1 Java. The supremacy in the world's markets of tea from the two first-named countries is in the main dus të judicious advertising and the employment of up-to-date machinery in the manipulation and preparation of the leaf. A recent retros- (Daily Press, 6th August.) -
pect of the gradual decline of the industry The report on the trade of Wuchow for
has been cleverly sketched by an expert, 1902 is written by Mr. Acting-Consul H.
from which it appears that 30 years H. Fox, who has made some changes from
ago the exports of ten from China aggregated From that time it has previous reports, giving the values in
141,000,000 lbs. Haikwan taels, not in sterling, as well as
gradually diminished, until it is estimated that the figures of the present year will omitting the usual tables of imports and
darely reach 12,000,000 lbs. Prices, too, exports, showing quantities and sterling
during the last 20 years have fallen nearly 50 values in the year under review and the year preceding, and giving comparative
per cent. It is stated that at last a really tables of imports and exports with
live effort is being attempted to apply quantities only, extending over the five
remedies, but we fail to note any signs of it. years the port has been open to trade.
We note, by the way, that the Cylon The figures refer only to trade in foreign
planters have as yet failed to surmount the bottoms. The port's gross trade amounted
difficulties of producing a tea correspond- in value to Hk. Tis. 6,601,868, made up
ing to the Formosa oolongs, for which there is a very valuable market in North America. as follows:-Foreign imports. Hk. Tis. 3,853,005; native imports, Hk. Tls 162,202;
One of the planters at a meeting of the native exports, Hk. T. 3,086,661. The
Association a few months ago declare that figures show a falling off from those of
he did not believe that Ceylon would ever 1901, when the total was Hk. Tls. 7,496,243
be able to produce the Formosa oolong and are only slightly larger than the Hk
but that it could copy the inferior Funshow suey kuts." Some Tls, 6,539,327 of 1900, when the tael was
variety known as Js. 14d. as ngainst the 2s. 7 1,5d. of 1902.
years ago he imported into Ceylon, to his This falling off, Mr. Fox explains, was
after regret, some seed from the Formosa entirely due to imports, which decreased
trees, and the resulting trees reverted to over 37 per cent. ; exports, on the other
the worst China type. Tuis, however, is As
not accepted as the last word of the subjecs, hand, increased just 40 per cent. reasons for the fall in imports he gives the
and there appears to be some scheme in following:-1. The fall in exchange and consist of Hongkong or Canton Chinese trad-hand to get expert Chinamon from Formosa consequent rise in the price of piece-goodsing under a British nams. There are ten to make the experiment.
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Mr.
to
The increase in exports is partly due to extension of the outward transit pass system and the consequent change from junk to the safer and faster steamer carriage. A great advance was made in the export of cattle. In 1901 523 head of cattle exported to Hongkong appeared for the first time in the Wuchow
returns. In 1902 the figures increased to 7,442 head, valued at Hk. Tls. 123,380. The demands of the Philip pines promise a still greater development. The provincial authorities for some reason view the new departure with disfavour, but the Kwangsi valleys afford excellent pas turage
the supply should the
and
practically unlimited.
There are
some points in Mr. Fox's report which do not read very well for Britons. One is the doubtful status of some "British firms at Wuchow, which really
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