October 5, 1908.]
do the same in a case of this kind and not allow a great public convenience to be in- definitely delayed because some head of a Department has a disagreement with the promoters of the enterprise. There must be some reasonable and sensible settlement of the difficulty to be found, and it is not for the Government to all w a few dollars or auy small concession with regard to the laying of the rails to block the way to the completion of the line.
EXPENDITURE ON PLAGUE.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE STRAITS CURRENCY
BILL.
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yard from British territory. He carries over $24-$25 being the limit in silver coin for import and export allowed by the Ordin- ance and hands it to his confederate Province Wellesley. He makes at least a hundred such trips per hour, nettin a profit of $2.50 per trip. Starting at 5:80 o'clock a.m., he can have his $10,000 legally imported into the Straits Settlements by 9.30. "Each separate importation of $24 could certainly not be stopped, and this being so it will be easy to play a safe game by providing for immediate exchange, "either by merchandise or drafts. To pre "vent this, the Bill would have to be enlarged so as to include the aider and abettor. That kind of legislation once begun always "leads further downwards, ending at last in contempt for, if not in arbitrary handling "of the law.”
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(Daily Press, 28th September.) Mr. HUTTENBACH continues his vigorous campaign against the Currency Restriction Ordinance now up for its third reading before the Legislative Council at Singapore. In the Straits Times of the 21st instant appears a long interview with him and also a short leading article on the substance of that interview. "The Hinterland with the Straits!" is the watchword for those who desire to modify the currency measure before it is too late. The many who believe in this watchword, Mr. HUTTENBACH said, have still time to organise, act, and save the situation. He has no faith in the Bill, and further contends that the scheme itself on which the measure is based exposes the mercantile firms of the Straits Settlements to tremendous losses, while incidentally, the passage of the Ordinance with its great restrictions may abolish the fame of Singa pore na a free port, and cast its trade into the hands of rivals. It may lead to much oppression and private persecution.
" When the possession of money becomes cousin nex-germane to a felony, and the informer
is rewarded for his pains," Mr. HUTTENBACH" asks, "will the native be always able to disprove a trumped-up case?" But his strongest point against the Bill is that he shows that it places a premium ou smuggling. We quote a passage from the interview in the Straits Times :-"It is apparently believed that the persons or baggage of passengers will be the main "vehicle of smuggling," said Mr. HUTTEN- BACH.
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TENBACH says:-
Proceeding with bis attack, Mr. Hur- "The Bill is allegedly intended to regulate the importation of "coins. In reality it endeavours to pro- "a drain of the old currency through an "hibit the importation so as to bring about
"extensive export of British and Mexican "dollars-the whole ultimately to lead to
the change of currency.
But even if "smuggling cau be prevented, that drain will not take place. The object, the essence of the recommendations, will not be realised. Money-mills move independent "and irrespective of the wills of Govern- "ments or Government Committees. Its
current cannot be stopped, its course "cannot be deviated by legislatio 1 irres- "pective of commercial laws. That is "evidenced by the fact that our local dollar is already now at a substantial premium as compared with the value of silver, while "the Commission's recommendations were "based on our remaining at par until the
process of demonetisation is begun "If a premium has been caused already, "there is sure to be one when the measure is. put into full effect. And the existence of a premium without smuggling is alous sufficient to prevent the drain, and thus "the change of currence on which the "whole scheme rests.
Nobody, except
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"That presumption is erroneous. "When the law goes into force, and there "is a local premium of, say, 10 per cent. on any class of dollars, those dollars will hegin to pour into the country. They "will be shipped in small amounts, con- "cealed in all sorts of packages, in paldy "bags, in rice, in ginger-jars, in pickle-jars, "in every possible vehicle of importation. "Therefore, if smuggling is to be prevented "it will be necessary to examine practically
every cargo that discharges here. In "
perhaps the Government, will export "other words, the freedom of this free port" dollars if he gets 10 or perhaps 20 per "will become a myth, a memory. We "cent. less for then outside of the Colony
"than inside."
(Daly Press, 3rd October.) The discussion in Finance Committee at the Legislative Council meeting on Thursday last on the subject of plague expenses was one which should be rend with interest: With the Hon. GERSHOM STEWART, al residents who care for the welfare of this Colony must b: glad to hear the statement of the Principal Civil Medical Officer. The vote in the E-timates of $487,522 for the Sanitary Department is certainly a large one, and the items of $80,000 for scavenging and $20,000 for coalie birc are calculated to cause surprise to those who have seen planation of theul. Mr. STEWART's enquiry whether, the plague not being with us now, guy saving is effected, and whether the special coolies are kept employed, was a natural an, indeed, most desirable one. Dr. ATKINSON, in his reply, admittel that the figures seem large, but stated that the expenditure on plague for the first half of this gear has been $110,000 less than in te first half of 1902-wl en, however, there were 1,000 more cases of plague to be dealt with. The estimate for expen-liture in 1904 is based on the number of plague cuses this year. As to the increase of staff, this is the result of the advice of the sani- tary experts, whose most important re- commendation was that there should be a permanent plague staff, distinct from the ordinary staff of sanitary inspectors. Accordingly an organised plague staff has been established, the numbers of which are ad led to in a certain ratio to the!" number of plague cases, and decreased as the epidemic abates. The $20,000 for coolie-hire was devoted to the extra coolies
must have an expensive Custom House taken on to deal with plague cases as they 'staff, without securing any revenue from occur, removi grubbish from infected "excise duties wherewith to defray the cost houses, taking clothing to the dis- "of the maintenance of such a department. infecting station conveying water for "The personnel of such an excise staff cleansing purposes, etc. The number "would have to be mainly European. of thes; coolies decreases with the Excise matters cannot be left to the epidemic, and at present Dr. ATKINSON 'charge of uninterested Asiatics. The stated there are none employed, a fact temptations are too great, the customs of which he thought shows that & duo check “backsheesh and cumsha too deeply inherent, is being kept on the expense. The Hon. "too universally prevalent. At sea and on F. H. MAY, in the chair, followed the land we must draw an impassable pale Principal Civil Medical Officer's explana-around our Settlements. How are we tion with an expression of his opinion that “ going to do it? As regards imports by a great saving has been effected since things "sea by the regular liners, it will be possible have been authorised in the estimates "to restrict them to a certain extent if the instead of being charged upon open vote, steamship companies co-operate with the a statement which it is welcome to hear.
"authorities; but then it will be necessary Further he had imself called some time "to extend to the masters of steamships the ago for a report showing exactly how the "right of searching baggage and cargo. plague staff is employed, and this report is "Will the passenger and the trader tolerate to be laid on the table. This, as Sir PAUL"the risks of such a search process? An CHATER said, Will be satisfactory; and criticism of the expenditure may well be delayed until the appearance of the report. It was expected, of course, that the calling in of expert opinion would lead to reforms involving the Colony in heavy expenses, and Hongkong residents are not disposed to grumble at this if real reforms are carried out. Ogly it is desirable to know that money is not being unnecessarily wasted.
**what will become of the trade ? On laud "it will be totally impossible to prevent
smuggling."
道路
Mr. HUITENBACH goes on to describe how, if an outsider with a capital of $10,000 desires to increase his hoard by 10 per cent. (assuming this to be the premium on im ported coin), he has only to carry his $10,000 to the conterminous frontiers of Kedah and Province Wellesley, and lay it down on the Kedah side of the line, about a
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And so, for these and for other reasons, Mr. HUTTENBACH fears that the passage of the Ordinance may mark a turning-point in the prosperity of the Straits Settlements; and he therefore calls on those who believe in the cry "The Hinterland with the Straits !" to act at once. The Straits Times, endorsing at least part of Mr. HUTTENBACH's argu- ment. calls too for the embracing of the hinterland in the proposed financial change: "We are here in the midst of a community using both British and Mexican dollars”; says our contemporary. * Our hinterland; "our source of supply, our source of wealth; u-es those dollars. We cut off a feir tens
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of millions of the existing and ever-in- creasing supply, and we funcy that we can "isolate our own little $30,000,000 and keep out the $1,600,000,000 that circulaté "outside. Perhaps we can." But there is evidently much in that "perhaps.”
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Rumours wore current in Osaka and Tokyo a fortnight aro that some steamers of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha had been chartered – as transports by the Government. The news, Kobe Herald says, has been confirmed, but
reason given is that the O. 8. K. boats are to carry provisions and muniti us of war for the island not being numerous or large enoug garrisons in Formoss, the mail vessels of the carry out the wishes of the military authorities. within the necessary time.
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