256
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
STATUS OF HONGKONG OFFICIALS.
to
that was
because
C
votes. For
[Ostaber 19, 1907. to adopt the gold standard, but after con. the hope of the reform would still have to weary of kicking against the pricks, and sideration the latter decided to have nothing be of the chastened variety. There have yearned for a really effective voice in the to do with it, but to improve their silver been Decrees on the subject, but plenty of toanagement of their affairs, external and standard. Advice of such a change would observers remain sceptical as to the likeli-internal." They also askel for " perfect certainly have reached London were it con- hood of a constitution for China. The freedom of debate for the Official Membere, templated." Quite so, and on the strength forces of re-action are reported to be still with power to vote according to their con- of that competent opinion, the Times was active and strong. The recent missionary scientious convictions without being called quite safe in thinking it " necessary to Decree approved the principle that treaties to account or endangered in their positions receive with chastened hope the news that a with foreigners must be rigorously adhered by their
very convincing gold currency is to be introduced." No to, but there has ben no hint that the reasons, which there is no present occasion doubt exists as to the advantages of such a currency reform clause of the MACKAY to recapitulate, the petition was refused. reform. At present China is cursed by a Treaty was meant to be included. The We need only quote the answer relating to bewildering confusion of coins, and the Chinese Reform party has been repeatedly official speeches and votes. Only one various provincial mints turn out both silver | advised that financial and fiscal reform ans ver can be given to it," replied Lord and copper tokens without much regard for ought to be in the foreground of their RIPON, the Secretary of State, and any object beyond that of making a profit. picture, but they do not appear to be con
"that the paid servants of the Commerce, of course, suffers by the fluctua- vinced of it. It is not improbable that Government cannot be left free to oppose tions in exchange it also gains in some advocacy of the abolition of the present the Goverumeut. I should be surprised to cases], and the people are injured by currency chaos, with its numerous opportu- learn that the Officials themselves wished to depreciation in the value of the copper cash, nities for gambling, dear to the Chinese be given this freedom. It is in fact not produced by the vagaries of the various mercantile heart, would cost them many peculiar to the Crown Colony system; it is mints. According to the MACKAY Treaty supporters.
We cannot forget BANO of the essence of all administration that the of 1902, the Chinese Government bound Caiн-TUNG's denuuciatory criticism of Pro- paid supporters or components of a govern- itself to establish a single, uniform coinage. fessor JENKS' scheme, nor ore the fac
ment should either vote for and when So far there has been much talked of reform. | that even that childish criticism Was necessary speak for the settled policy of the "It remains to be seen," concluded our con-heartily endorsed by the ative banking government or else resign their places." temporary, "if there is now to be any real guilds. Also, the fact that oreigners seem Then what, we ask again, does this letter of attempt to carry out the pledge given in the particularly keen on this reform must bring the COLONIAL SECRETARY to the Sanitary that the Treaty." Out here we do not expect it,-yet. it under the suspicion of the growing Board import? Does it mean We do not even entertain a chastened hope. China for the Chinese" party. At pre- public officers who are members of the Our Chamber of Commerce occasionally sent our information forbids us to hold out Board are free to vote as they please on any mentions its aspirations thitherward. and any hope, and the American telegram was mat ers that come before them? If it does, our GOVERNOR and some of our Legislative clearly a stock-exchange invention.
it is a very thin sop for a hungry Cerberus. Councillors have recently 18-echoed the
For even if they did vote with the unoffi food tale; but at present we do not attach
cials, the Government could always veto the much more importance to the dream than
Board's decision; but beyond that, the we do to (say) the inauguration of a
COLONIAL SECRETARY's reminder of their public service of dying machines. We (Daily Press, October 17th.) alleged right—a right denied to them on the note, however, that quite recently our
"The entire superstructure of the Govern- Legislative Council-does not change the well-informed contemporary at Shanghai ment of this Colony is glaringly faulty
s.tuation. No authoritative machinery could has been impressed by its information and its acts arbitrary, disreputable, and induce such fearless voting and speakig, from Peking, and it goes even 80 far unjust." That is what had
we
an official voting against the as to tell us that proposals for a uniform half a hundred years ago, in the way of Governor would probably not consider coinage for the Empire are once more being duty; but nowadays, fortunately, things are
himself any more secure for a govern- put forward in Peking" with some show of not so bad, and we can manage to retain a
mental declaration that he was allowed urgency and sincerity," and it would appear quite Waltouian love for the officid worm
freedom of speech. His promotion or his that Professor JENKS' scheme,
which wa
even while we may be impaling it. Evidently leave might be stopped, or rejected two years ago, is now to be studied up Battery Path, as in China, the spirit of relations embittered, without any one being To begin anew in the light of subsequent develop reform is awaking. It cannot be sail to be required to give the reason." ments. The Treasury and the Ministry for quite awake yet, for there cau be no question with, then, it seems impossible to confer such Agriculture, Works and Commerce ale re- of granting the petition of thirteen years a right; and in view of Lord RIPON'S ported to be moving in the matter, but, ago, that the official members of the Legisla emphatic denial of the right, how comes adds the N.-C. Daily News, it is by no means tive Council shall be allowed to speak and it that it should now be suggested clear that they appreciate the difference vote as they please. China is like to have a between amateur recommendations and really representative system of Government practical reform. If in no other department before Hongkong, where the conditious are of State affairs, at least in the reorganization admittedly unfavourable for it. The letter of her currency, it is essential for China to of the COLONIAL SECRETARY, read at the enlist the best expert advice, which can only meeting of the Sanitary Board, is, as re- be procured from abroad. The moment is ported, a triffe ambiguous. At first we were opportune, when a stimulus is forthcoming nudecided as to its significance, and some- in a considerable shortage in the Central what inclined to consider it petty. Indeed, Treasury; for it must be remembered that its first effect was merely to recall the story with the exception of the Government and of the builler's foreman, who called up to foreign merchants all interests in China may enquire how many mea were on be reckoned upon to oppose any change in the scaffolding. Being told that there the present chaotic system of finance. If, were three, he bawled. "Then half of yez however, there are to be changes, it is to be come down." The Hon. Mr. MAY get the hoped that the advantage of adopting PRESIDENT a similar problem when he standards of measurement and weight as instructed him to seat the ex-officio and well as of value will be recognized. The representative members of the Sanitary principle exists in other countries; in India, Board alternately. It wasn't possible, so for instance, the rupee weighs a tola (from Dr. ATKINSON thought out a practical com. which is derived the world "tael"), while promise. But seriously, what does the the subsidiary coins weigh respectively, arrangement import? Is it a recoguition of and of a tola. In Great Britain, the legal the fact that the official vote is top-heavy, weight of a penny is oz., of a halfpenny and au attempt merely to disguise the fact? oz., and of a farthing to oz., and the half Is the splitting up of the bureaucratic penny is one inch in diameter. A new phalaux equivalent to the covering of treacle standard com for China -hould not be a tael, over the brimstone, to make less evident to which is too big; it might be made to weigh the strenuous representatives of the electors tael and to mea are a useful standard, the fact that they must take their medicine
anTM inch.
is the advice jst the same? Or does it mean a litle offered on the strength, apparently, of mere more than that? In 1894 the people of rumours, Even if there had been a Decree Hongkong pelit oned Parliament for an specially stating that the undertaking of the amendment of the constitution of the Crown Macza Treaty is to be carried into effect, Colony of Hougkong. They had grown ate it as more than a¤ ̈éésimple of góðd
say
Such
1
his social
to Sanitary Board officials, if that is what the letter means? Having arrive! ลง far, we have got to our original view that the thing is petty, and the re- shuffling of chairs in the Board Room, remove the appearance of an official phalanx ou the Board," strikes us as a childish per formance. It is the result of the vote that
shows the phalanx, and that cannot be changed. Some minds, however, assume that appearances are worth cultivating, and that the re-arrangement was worth while. There is, indeed, another point of view which it would not be honest to iguore. It may well be that His Excellency the GOVERNOR, deprecating the scandalously hostile attitude of official and un-official members, has thought by this device to make the tension less patent and painful. Whether His Excellency has the power to over-ride the general principle laid down by Lord RIPON, or whether, having it, the official members of the Sanitary Board are likely to take advantage of their trust in him and the promise of Immunity implied in the letter, are questions we do not Time alone can feel competent to answer. show us. Supp sing it to be an honest att mpt to ameliorate conditions neither pleasant or creditable, we should receive it thankfully and with our deartiest wishes for its succ‹ BS. Human nature being what is, however, we cannot at the best estim-
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