266
SIR MATTHEW NATHAN IN
HONGKONG,
(Daily Press, 20th April.) To-day the community bids farewell to His Excellency Sir MATTHEW NATHAN and tenders to him an Address, hearing many hundreds of signatures, testifying to their great appreciation of his abilities as well as to the high regard and esteem which all sections of this cosmopolitan community | entertain for him, and their sincere regret at having to say "Farewell "so sool.
For
SLUCA
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(April 29, 1907.
is officially published to prove the contrary, the pnb'ic will sɩtribute to him the full credit for the achievement.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
main thoroughfares in Kowloon and the road communications of the hinterland, the prosecution of the waterworks, and in o her directions calculated to lead to that When therefore the community testifies developtaent which the Governor has been in the address to its assurance that in what- eager to encourage. Most of us have been ever part of the Empire His Excellency accustomed to regard the New Territory may be called upon to serve, i's interests as having value mainly from the military and traditions, in his hands, will always point of view-it was in fact acquired 'b. securely guarded and maintained, they because of its necessity "for the proper do not subscribe to a mers platitude. The fentures of the administration we have dwelt defence and protection of the Colony but it is worth bearing in mind that the upon supply some striking reasons for this keen interest erinced by our Soldier. faith, over and above that thorough grasp it is less than three years
His Governor in the territory has been prompted at the details of administration which have Excellency took over the reins of Govern- by a perception of its future importance to served so well to keep the public services ment; but short as the perio! is, much has the Colony as an industrial coutre There up to a high standard of efficiency. Equally are doubtless among those who take more well-groundel and sincere is the wish that been accomplished under his wise direction to the permanent advantage of the Colony, than a passing interest in affairs, many who Excellency had been permitted to remain longer in the Colony to guide and and incidentally to the enhancement of Sir will not have forgotten a little warning to MATTHEW NATHAN's reputation as an able which His Excellency gave
towar's completion the many interests which have develop-1 or pro- and far-seeing administrator. The qualities couple of years ago in the Legislative
· With the VUOTAISA gressed undr his care; but as the Colonial which have made His Excellency so popular Counel Chamber. in the Colony are well set forth in the of Dek accommolation in the Far East Office has willed his departure for a larger Address-his singleness of purpose, his and the construction of railways to tw sphere of activity, it only remains for us to impartiality, his strength and ability, and Tetty Ports," said His Excellenes, "this resecho the general regret and to con- the dignity with which he has maintained Colony cannot always hop to maintain its gratulate the Colony of Natal on its geod fortune tu securing at the bend of its affairs the office, combined with his unfailing past trade prepoùlerance. If it is
of the calibre of Sir MATTHEW courtesy and unbounded hospitality. The advances as it has hitherto advanced it will outstanding features of the administration | have to take full advantage for industrial are likewise enumerated, but to these we may make one or two additions.
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of the
"
utterane 24,
to
i
His
encourage
A m in NATHAN
DISARMAMÈNT.
nearly inexhaustible purposes supply of cheap labour that can be attracted What will give to Sir MATTHEW NATHAN'S to it, and the convenient sites for carrying ;
on manu'acturing businesses which exist [1] régime a special distinction in the anals of
(Daily Press 22nd April). the Colony, we think, is the wise foresight the New Territories." Since those words
Although the majority of thinking men in which has characterised its most conspicuous were spoken much has been done in that ! achievements. To adopt the phraseology of direction, and there are many healthy, England are disposed to look upon the the Address, "paramount among these stands indications of future development. It may proposals of the present. Ministry for a out the Kowloon Railway which is to connect he, as His Excellency at the time observed, general reduction of armaments, which they 18 with Canton and the railway system of that it is not greatly in the power of the purpose in submit to the forthcoming Penca China." In his first speech in the Colony Government to stimulate industries, but the
ingress at the Hague, az little better than Gov -rument, and His Exellency showed that he clearly good will of the
have been equally well its quixotic, they perceived the great impor ance of this readiness to do whatever it can to encourage, disposed to throw no obstacles in the way railway project, and his declaration that be the starting of industrial enterprises i es fof für discussion; and certainly do not desire that there should appear to be any ranked it among the foremost abjects to he far to bring about the result désire 1. attained was a most welcome automcement
We would refer again to the words of the divergenes of opinion on the part of Great inasmuch as it indicated that the plea of Governor quoted in the preceding paragraph | Britain as to the needlessness under present the China Association for the immediate as suggesting another important achievement | conditions of keeping up a huge military construction of the line, at Government in the future interests of the Colony,during display. It is quite evident that if such a Sir MATTHEW NATHAN's régime. It finds proposition as a general disarmament is expense, if necesary, strongly supported as
no place in the public address, and perhaps lever ti take phe» the preseur is mick 'd out it was by Mr. MAY while administering the Government, had carried weight in the could not prop rly be included therein, as ¦ as the most suit uble périod for its ine option. councils of the Colonial Office. Perhaps it the faible have not been fully informed at ! More by the fron of circumstances thau in the reasons for the act, either by the Colonial consequenes of any pre-arrangel policy, was a recognition of the imperative necessit v of constructing this railway which dictated or the Imperial Government, and there is ; Euroq) has jased into a stage which may be almost called in mathematic il language the appointment of an officer of the Royal little more than the apparently inadvertent Engineers to the Governorship It was a publication of the matter by the Chiness" one of stable equilibrium. There is little or nothing to re-tify in the outlines, and departure from previous practice. Though authorities on which to be conclusions. the Government of the Clony has often When His Excellency alluded to the danger, there are few dangerous internal string to France is France, been temporarily administered by the officer threatening the Colony's trade from the c ́u. I be provided against
Russia is commanding the troops in South China,struction of railways fo the Tie dy ports there. Italy is Italy, Spodia is Sorin,
was probably in his mind an apprehension of ¦ now convinced that aggression westward is danger from possibile developments out of the quemim, and that she will have neighbourhood of C'auton, As soon as the, quite sufficient to occupy all her reserve force in asse milating what she already has. | American concession for the construktion ot
Austro-Hungary is in like i w‹uri mora the great trunk line of railway Hankow to Canton was known to be passing / bent on assimiliting her. Teutonie, Magyar and Shay te populations than in looking into the hands of Belgiin tuaneierf, it was not only the Chinese of the plovin es ont for still more discordant elementi; that any fear on the sore that the com- mercial would be subordinated
while t'io suiller stites are only desirous of to the through which the rout lay who began to military interests of the Colony has had no feel uneasy about the future and to hive being left in quiet. Of England it ne d justification. For Sir MATTHEW NATHAN, as presentimeats that behind this apparently hardly be said that she has no ambitiou we have heard it wittily expressed, has been harmless exchange of financial intered's projects in Europe, nor
remarkably civil."¦ To his training as a stood a Power bent on territorial aggrandis. imeddle in her neighbours' affaire. Tuis is jment. The construction of that has under ng new determination on her part; any of Royal Engineer we are indebted for many good features of the administration, and i such auspices would have menaced the her prey ous interferences on jhe_contiuent notably the commencement of the railway commercial and political prestige of the having been brought about entirely against work. The energy and perseverance His Colony of Hongkong, and when the Hong her own will, and always ending in her Excellency has shown in connection. with kong Government undertook to lend the voluntary retirement, and withdrawal with- the advancement of this important work, ¡ Wuchang Viceroy the whole sum necessary out any indemnity or recompens, of any to redeem the concession, everyone sort asked or given. Instinctively, since conceived in the commercial interests of the
the business acumen and the withdr wal of HENRY VI from his Colony, we are all proud to neknowledge. ; recognised
the arrangement. father's conquests in France, this has been In further illustration of the foresight diplomacy show in which has characterized the administration The effect of it has been to conserve for the policy of Engla....., who throughout bas now closing, we may print to the other many years yet the commercial interests of 'felt that continental conquens, even if excellent work which has been accomplished the Colony which Sir MATTHEW NATHAN SU cessful, yet were not consistent with her in the Peninsular territory during the perceived were imperilled by such projects other aspirations, and could only be per as the one referred to, and, until anything manent with an entire change of her own last two years-the improvement of the
Sir MATTHEW NATHAN, we believe, has the distinction of being the first army officer to hold the substantive appointment. In a great commercial entrepôt such as Hong. kong has become, this departure from tradition Was not at
first favourably regarded in the Colony, but time has shown
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