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• THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
very short-lived. We have been told (by an expert) that a smallpox gerin will die in the course of a forty yards' voyage through fresh air, unless it encounters some floating particle that acts the part of wreckage to a drowning sailor; and the raft of wreckage must have provisions aboard, else the micro-organism wilts and withers to its doom. So we are told by the Sanitary Board PRESIDENT, quoting other experts, that the plague microbe is a feeble creature wheu deprived of his prey.
His viability, or capacity for existing, will not endure more than seven day's of starvation fare on wall or ceiling, even in temperate climes. In the tropics it is much less, or expertly said to be. We assume, therefore, that in most cases here, his demise has taken place before the Sanitary Board's coolies have ripped down the ceilings and needlessly annoyed both landlord and tenant! We hope we do not here argue sinistrously, but is not this n point worth seizing by Mr. HENRY HUMPHREYS or Mr. SHELTON HOOPER The experts have told them that the plague bacillus must have human beings, rats, or insects for lodgement, failing a tin¦ of scientifically cooked gelatine. On wall or ceiling imminent death awaits him, of sheer inanition. Then why make such a wreck of house interiors under course of disinfection? Why pull down ceilings? These are the next questions for the people's representatives to ask, and even expert answers to them will be welcomed.
THE NANCHANG AFFAIR.
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¦ compulsion without remonstrance, however much we should have felt inclined to pity, we could not have held it guiltless. The fact of the matter was that the action was
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taken without any consultation with France. It is not for us to make any comments on the indemnity that France has exacted. There are things that by international law belong to the country wronged exclusively. | We are, however, heartily glad that the mat. ter has been settled at last, and hope that the belated acknowledgement by China of the crime may lead to a better understanding for the future. In this all civilised countries are at one, and it will be well for China in her own interest, to remember that it is not | by flaunting herself before the world that she can ever hope to earn respect. No country, as no individual, can afford to stand alone. The law is universal and lies at the basis of all human intercourse. MENCIUS did his best to inculcate this fact. There are the Empire, the State and the Family. The Empire has its origin in the State; the State in the Family; and the Family in the individual. Wheu the rulers are straight the whole realin will follow. This and not petty attempts at isolation is the continual cry of the old teachers, and what is true of the individual is equally true of the State. Ouly by emulating what is best in other lands can China hope to raise herself. This is the lesson which China has forgotten.. If the punishment inflicted for the crime of Nanchang will lead her to think this out for herself, it will have proved an inestimable blessing, not so much for the world, as for China herself,
But, as
we have lately had too much reason to regret, it is not only in Nanchang, and not only amongst officials who perhaps have not had much personal knowledge of the world outside China, that like feelings and like methods have of late been in evidence. We have seen officials trained abroad equally ready on their return to
(Daily Press, 29th Jane.) It is to be trusted that the Nanchang massacre will prove to be the last of the long line of murderous disorders which have entailed disgrace on the. Government of China, and more than anything else have compelled the civilised nat qus of the world to refuse to accept China as a nation on China to call in the aid of mob rule. We equal terms with themselves. Although in have seen foolish attempts to exclude foreign the beginning the world is willing to allow capital, simply because it was foreign, not that the wrongdoing was not altogether on because it in any way interfered with the China's side, the subsequent conduct of the independence of the country, but merely authorities, and the instigation of the mob that it seemed the only way of exclu ling to murder at the hands of the gentry of the emulation, which China in her heart of province, were things which no self-hearts knows would lead her insensibly to respecting country could pass over. If the conduct of the priests, about which the Chinese make serious complaint, had only been laid in the proper manner before the French authorities, there was no reason to doubt that it would have been properly investigated and dealt with. As the authorities, instead of taking this course, were fatuous enough to appeal to mob law. no country-and in this connection France does not stard alone, ut is backed up hy the whole civilised world-could for one moment permit any presumed exter uating circuinstances to enter into consideration, It is true that the punishment inflicted is a heavy one, but the crime was also a serious one, and (which the Chiuese Government should occe for all take t heart) was immensely aggravated by the fact that this time the criminals were those who were appointed to preserve order, and were trusted with the execution of even-handde justice. It is difficult to find a single plea in the conduct of this miserable business in favour of the Government of China. That Government in the first instance placed it self in the wrong by granting official rank to a body of men over whom it had no power of control; and the reason alleged for so doing, that thereby it hoped to remove responsibility off its own shoulders, was a proof, if any such were needed, of its incapacity to rule. Had it done this under
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reform the errors of her way. It is not ignorance, nor lack of understanding that stands in the way. Chinese officials in point of intelligence take a high rank amongst the uations but the inertness of centuries clings to the race; and it hesitates to take the step which it yet feels and knows to be essential to its own happiness. Perhaps wounded pri le has something to say to this strange proceeding, but the wounds have been mostly self-inflicted. None of the Governments of the world would willingly hurt China's feelings; most of them would rather strain every nerve to keep on pleasant terins; but Chinn herself by outraging every rule of social intercourse has hitherto rendered this impractical. Are we any nearer to a beter understanding? And is any one of the leaders of public opinion prepared in the face of the clamour of the mob to move to the front?
Following is a translated quotation from a not very trustworthy native paper: At the request of the Japanese Government, the foreign concession at Mukden, which was d-clared open to foreigu trade on the 1st inst., will be placed under the exclusive control of the Japanese, while it is expected that Antung and Tatung- kon, which will be opened shortly, will be jointly administered by Japan and the United States The Consuls of these two countries have taken up their duties at Mukd u, and the Peking Government has been notified to this effect.
(June 30, 1906.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
Council was held on June 28th in the Council
A meeting of *th. Hongkong Legislative,
Chamber at 2.30 p.m.
PRESENT:-
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HIS EXCELLENCY THE Governos, Ste MATTHEW Nathan, K.€.M.G.
HIS EXCELLEncy Major.GENERAL · VIL. LIERS HATTON, C.B. (Commanding the Troops). Hon. Mr. T. SERCOMBE SMITH (Colonia- Becretary)
Hon. SIR H. S. BERKELEY, (Attorney- General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar- General).
*
Hoa. Captain L. A. W. BARNES-LAWRENCE, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Dr. Ho Kat, M.B.,.C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK. Hon. Mr. E. Osborne. Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETT.
Hon. Mr. W. J. GRESSON.
Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Council ).
MINUTES,
The minute of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
FINANCIAL
The COLONIAL Secretary, by command of His Excellency, laid ou the table Financial Minutes 41 to 42, and moved that they be referrel to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER syconded. His EXCELLENCY-The first of these two
small votes, which it is proposed to refer to the Finance Committee, is required on account of there having unfortunately been more executions this year than last year. The necessity for the, second arises from a preliminary inspection of weights and measures that was made in the New Territory, where it was found that rough steel yards not very accurate and giving facilities An inspector for fraud were in general use. of weights and measures has therefore been
appointed, and the vote now asked for is to provide standard weights for his guidsave.
This was agreed to.
FINANCE COMMITTRE'S REPORT. The COLONIAL SEC&KTARY moved that the report of the Financial Committee be adopted.
The COLOVIAL TREASURER secindel, and this was agreed to.
LAW COM WITTEE.
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The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the adoption of the report of the Standing Lu Committee, which having considered the Bli entitled eg Ordinancs to regulate the qualificatio as and to provide for the registration of dentists, at thres cons cutive meeting, found it impracticable un ler existing circumstances to frami a measure which would bear equally upon the various rices of the commanity, and 'unanimɔn«ly rec›m- mended that the Bill be withdrawn. He said -As honourable members will observe, the Law Committee, aftse having hid three consecutive meetings to consider this Bill, hvo come to the conclusio · it won'd by bast for t 19′′ -
Government to with Iraw this Bill for fartier which let the
onsideration. Tue
roasjus
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Committee to adopt that cours I think I will, with your permission, state to you. At the secud reading of this Bill it passed without any comment of any kind except from myself. There was an opposition to the principle and I assumed that it was generally soos sted as a Bill which might puss as it framed. I therefore moved that the Bill b referred to the Law C›mmittee. I am not certain I am not sɔmewhit to blam› in hoving withdrawn the Bill by that motion from-thé consideration of the general body of the memb w of the Council and referred it to a special' body, the Law Committee, whose duty is to seo th it the Hill in ita legal shape is calulated to giys effect to its principles." That Bill came bora the Law Committee, and that was all the Com mittee gare its attention 't l'he Bill osing back with slight modifications, nothing that would affect the principle of the Bill which wet forth that persons entitled to prnotice dentistry in the Colony should possess pertsim qualifications” set out in the Bill4Um
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