J
368
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
CHINESE LABOUR FOR SOUTH mine areas, except under special pass;
now
..
AFRICA.
K4
$4
FE
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[November 21, 1903.
The Chairman laid before the Committee an would be productive of other than good. estimate which had been repared by the Su- He continues, (and we quote his last few perintendent of the Gaol showing that the cost of the staff for supervising the proposed prison sentences in full): They would supple- and the cost of transport would amount in all to ment the present inadequate native labour $: 3,153 per annum, the sum included for supply, filling places that white labour transport being 82,600. The only saving to be "would fill most reluctantly, if at all. effected the present annual expenditure would Their labour, by allowing present mines be $5,36, which is now expended in connection to be re-worked, and new properties to be with using the Belilios Reformatory as a gaol. developed, would allow of many openings The net extra expense of the proposed prison "for the white labourer, which, without would therefore amount to $27,316 per annum. The only saving which would be effected by "such unskilled force, would not be at his constructing a prison on the outskirts of the disposal. As unskilled indentured la-city instead of on Stonecutters' would be the bourers, restricted to the same departments sum of $2.600 per sanam for transport. The as the natives, they will not affect the annual working expanses of the existing..gaol price of skilled labour, but will give such amounted to $110,176.80. more opportunity. There may be a "certain class of labour that would bo affected, but such a class is affected to-day "by the Kaffir, and to have to sustain it "would be to keep back the development "of the whole country." Mr. SKINNER is a whole-hearted advocate of the Chineseated to cost $107,001.
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL,
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on Thursday afternoon. Present:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir
The Chairman also read the Colonial Secre- tary's minute of the 24th September, 1903, in which he stated that in the event of the Colonial Government abandoning the Stonecutters' site for a gaol, the War Department might contri- bute as much as half the cost of the new Gun- powder Depot on Green Island, which is estim-
The Committee desire that definite informa-
tion should be obtained as to the amount which the Military Authorities would be prepared to contribute in the event of the Gunpowder Depôt being removed from Stonecutters Island as proposed, and
(a.) the proposal to erect a convict prison there being carried out;
(b.) the proposal to erect a convict prison there being abandoned.
PUMPING APPARATUS AT TYTAMTUK. The DIRECTOR OF Public Works-Before resuming my seat, sir, I would like to mention for the information of hou, members that a temporary pumping plant has been established at Tytamtuk which is capable of raising about half a million gallons, daily (hear, hear, to the tunnel which conveys the water to the city. The pump commenced work on the 1st of this Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary), month, and has been at work since with slight Hon. Sir H. S. BERKELEY (Attorney-intermission. (Applause.) General).
HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
Colonel L. F. BROWN, Commanding the Troops.
(Daily Press, 19th November.) The question whether or not South Africa is to import Chinese coolie-labour to work in the mines is one which must excite a certain amount of interest in Hongkong, as in the event of the importation being decided on, it is through this port that the emigrants from Chira must pass and in it the regulation of the traffic must be carried out. It seems more than probable that the mine- owners will ask for Chinese labour and that the Government will yield to their request. There is very strong opposition outside mine-owning circles in South Africa to the Chinese immigrant, but the owners have practically come to the conclusion that they cannot do without him, and that his exclusion will ruin the mines, pative labour being entirely insufficient. We published yester- day an abstract of the report of Mr. H. Ross SKINNER on his enquiries into the prospect immigrant, under due restrictions, and we of obtaining Asiatic labourers for the Wit-have given some space to the explanation watersrand mines. MH SKINNER, it will be of his views, without comment of our own, so as to present the other side of the ques- remembered, visited Hongkong early in this
tion from that which we have touched on year, in the course of his mission. His
before. task has been completed and his full report has now been published. It will have been seen from the abstract that Chinese labour is thought both suitable and procurable, and that could soon have an appreciable effect on the production of the mines. The subject is one which we have discussed before in these columns, and we have expressed fears that the invasion of Chinese into South Africa will not be to the benefit of the country. This is the view, we may mention, which is held very strongly in Australia on the matter, and Australian papers have been propesying to their South African kins. | men what evils will result from the intro- duction of the Chinaman. Mr. SKINNER naturally anticipates forcible objections, and be therefore only advocates the adoption of Chinese labour under rigid restrictions, the main points of which are:-(1) Indenture for a term of years. (2) The restriction to certain classes of labor and places of abode. (3) Prohibition to trade and irability to lease and own property for such purpose. (4) Compulsory return on termination of indenture, unless indenture renewed. (5) The necessity of complying with Eug- lish laws and health regulations, both foreign to the Chinese traditions. These restrictions, although they will undoubtedly deter many, will not, in Mr. SKINNER'S opinion, effect the influx of sufficient num. berg to meet requirements. He lays down, in his report, careful regulations to be, ob- served with regard to the treatment of the Chinese, both on the voyage out and in South Africa; health precautions; accom- modation; food; wages, etc. He would forbid all рве of opium, but place plenty of cheap tobacco within the coolies' reach. And he would, when the coolfes showed aptitude in the mines, give free passages for wives and families as rewards and incentives, a plan which would, he says, conduce to good work and behaviour, while the women might be given light employment about the mines.
Mr. SKINNER dismisses the question of Corean and Japanese labour very briefly, neither in his opinion being as suitable as Chinese, and in his concluding remarks affirms that, since the expansion of the min- ing industry in South Africa is greatly retarded by the scarcity of unskilled labour, and as a consequence the development of the whole country is in suspense, it is difficult to see how the introduction of the indentured Chinese, under strict sani- tary regulations and confined to their own
Hon, L. A. M. JOHNSTON (Acting Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General). Hon. BASIL R. H. TAYLOR (Acting Harbour Master).
Hon. Sir C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, C.M.G. Hon. WEI A YUK.
Hou. C. W. DICKSON.
Hon. GERSHOM STEWART
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Councils).
SWFARING IN A MEMBER.
Hon. A. W. Brewin, Registrar-General, was sworn in as a member of the Council on his return to the Colony.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
The following standing Committees were
inted app
Finance Committee: All members except the President (Chairman, the Colonial Secre- tary).
Public Works Committee: The Director of Public Works (Chairman), the Colonial Treasurer, Sir C. P. Chater, Mr. C. W. Dick- son, Mr. Gershom Stewart (temporarily and in place of Mr. Shewan).
Standing Law Committee: The Attorney- General (Chairman), the Harbour Master, Dr. Ho Kai, Mr. Wei Yuk, Mr. Pol'ock, K.C. (temporarily and in place of Mr Sharp).
FINANCIAL,
The COLONI· L SECRETARY laid on the table Financial minutes (Nos. 54 to 57) and moved that they be referred to the Finauce Committee.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was agreed to.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the a report on Queen's College and table correspondence arising out of the report of the Education Committee (1902).
THE CONVICT PRISON ON STONECUITERS' IBLAND.
The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKs laid the following report of the Public Works Committee on the table:--
SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the following additional bye-law made under Sub section 25 of Section 16 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903. for regulating the slaughter of animals, and moved | its approval.
All animals killed for food in a Government slaughter-house shall be killed in the following manner :-
:-(1.) All cattle (except buffaloes) shall be killed with a pole-ax of a pattern to be approved of by the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon. (2.) All buffaloes shall be killed with a rifle of a size and pattern to be approved by the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon. All rifles used for this purpose shall be kept by the inspector in charge of each slaughter-house and used by him alone. (3) All sheep, goats and swine shall be killed with a knife in the usual manner, except in the case of pigs which, in the opinion of the inspector in charge of the slaughter-house, are too large to be killed in this way. Such pigs shall be killed in the same manner as cattle. Provide always that nothing in this bye-law shall affect Jews, Mahommedans, or other peoples holding religious beliefs wh'ch compel then to kill animals for food in a particular
manner.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
NEW TERRITORIES TITLES ORDINANCE. The ATTORNEY-GEN BAL moved the first
reading of a Bill entit'ed an Ordinance to re- peal the New Territories Titles Ordinance 1992.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The objects and reasons attached to the Bill, are as follows: The object is to repeal the New Territories Titles Ordinance because it has become apparent that the system of title by registration thereby esta lished is unworkable and because it is fount that the system if it could be brought into operation would clash with the Land Court Ordinauce, 1900, in a manner contemplated neither by its framer ner by the Lezislature when it passed the Ordinance, The conflict with the Laud Court Ordinance arises from the interpretation given in the New Territories Titles Ordinance to the expressions "customary land” and “customary landholde: .”
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