العالم
480
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE LADIES' BENEVOLENT
SOCIETY.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS."]
1st June, 1909.
DEAR SIR-It was reported at the monthly Committee Meeting of the Hongkong Benevo- lent Society to-day that some misconception has arisen with regard to the testimonial to the Rev. J. France from the members of that Society.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE PRATAS ISLAND QUESTION.
"FARTHER THAN EVER FROM BEING DISPOSED OF.'
11
We read in the Jiji Shimpo what is evidently an authentic version of the Japanese Govern ment's attitude towards the affair of Tungsha. Japan was not at all disposed from the outset to raise any question about the ownership of such a petty speck of territory in mid-ocean. Sho had no inclination to claim it for herself, and the idea of allowing such a trifling matter to disturb her relations with her neighbour never for a moment found favour in her eyes. She The testimonial was purely a private sub. did not even ask that China should produce con- scription from some of the members most inclusive proof of ownership. Even in the case terested in the work of the Society, in grateful of a Power with the best ordered archives in recognition of Mr. France's help and advice for the world, it might be difficult to marshal valid
so many years.
The funds of the Society naturally were not
touched.
Yours truly,
HELENA A. V. MAY. President Hongkong Benevolent Society.
MACAO IN FINANCIAL STRAITS.
UNABLE TO MEET THE MUNICIPAL WAGES BILL.
the
"I am
Our Macao correspondent writes: sorry to report that the Leal Senado finds itself in a position of inability to fully meet the wages bills of the Municipal employes. Municipal policemen and
Sanitary Department coolies have been paid in full, but the employes of the Senado Secretariat and of the Administrator's department have received only 50 per cent of their salaries for May. The school teachers have to wait. Other employes were paid only 25 per cent."
Commenting on this our correspondent remarks that in spite of the deplorable state of to reduce the number of employes. Presently the municipal exchequer nothing has been done
it is anticipated that the Government will be obliged to confess itself practically in a state of insolvency, as the Leal Senado has done. Yet there is a considerable number of officials in the Colony who have been drawing good *salaries, and apparently doing little or nothing for the money. Why not, asks our correspond- ent ship all these superfluous officials back to Lisbon ?
BELGIAN CONSUL'S RESIDENCE ROBBED.
A daring robbery was reported to Police Headquarters on June 2, the victim being Mr. J. Bribosia, Consul for Belgium at Hongkong. Between 7 and 11.30 p.m. on the 1st instant, while Mr. and Mrs. Bribosis were absent from their residence at 106, Gough Hill Road, thieves gained an entrance and departed with $100 in Hongkong and Shanghai Bank notes; one twenty-franc Belgium note, valued $8; one plain gold chain with jade pendant, pear shaped, valued $50; one plain gold bracelet valued $50; one gold finger ring, valued $15; two Japanese bracelets, one butterfly and one plain, valued $12; one lady's gold watch, semi-Hunter, English Lever, valued $150; one gold brooch set with small pearls and greenstone in centre, valued $40. The total value of all the articles stolen is placed at $425. Detectives are in- vestigating the matter.
CHEUNG CHAU AS A HEALTH RESORT.
Visitors to Macao know Cheung Chau pretty well by sight, but few people have been ashore on the island and are therefore unaware of its potentialities as a heilth resort. This know. ledge, however, has not escaped the mis- sionary bodies in South China and a number of them have built houses on this little island, and there, when the heat of summer makes it impossible to work successfully in their various spheres of labour, they seek rest and recupera- tion on the breezy uplands of Cheung Chau. The missonaries who use these rest houses are mostly from Canton and the West River. At present sight houses have been completed.
}
ovidence as to the connexion between the home
country and all its outlying portions. Tokyo was therefore prepared to recognise any claim advanced by China, provided that it possessed a semblance of validity. In response, however, to this liberal attitude, Japan asked that Chins should lay aside her suspicious with regard to the motive of Mr. Nishizawa's enterprise. Mr. Nishizawa and his party had exploited Prata‹ Island in the bona fide pursuit of commercial profit, and it was only fair that their under taking should be recognised as legitimate, seeing that the island had lain unin. habited from the earliest times, that it
to
was not under the effective jurisdiction of any State and that it had never been supposed possess any resources worth developing. Mr. Nishizawa onght therefore to be allowed to continue his enterprise without interruption or ing it in favour of a Chinese company. Such should be reasonably compensated for surrender- was the moderate and fair attitude assumed by Viceroy Chang and the publicists of Canton had Japan from the outset. On the other hand, insisted that Nishizawa's enterprise was de- liberately planned in the interests of aggression,
he ought to be severely mulcted for lawless and instead of agreeing that Nishizawa's position had a claim to consideration, they declared that
trespass.
In these circumstances nothing remained for Japan except to revert to the question of ownership. If China will not accept the island with a small responsibility attached. Therefore the question is farther than ever sire must prove her right to its possession. from being disposed of.-Japan Mail
HONGKONG INVESTORS IN
PHILIPPINES.
According to the Baguio correspondent of the Cablenews-American, & Hongkong syndicate has purchased a tenth interest in the Headwaters Mining Company (Inc), from Nels Peterson, for the sum of P40,000. Governor Whitmarsh represented the Hongkong capitalists in closing the deal. This is one of the most important mining deals put through here this year and is an indication of the interest being taken by capitalists of Hongkong in the Philippines mining industry.
The Headwaters Mining Company (Inc.) was recently organized (with a capital stock of P600,000 of which P350,000 is paid up. This company controlled a large group of mines in the most desirable section of the Baguio district and the promise for future development in the area is very bright. The president of the company is Mr. H. P. Whitmarsh, the first governor, and a pioneer merchant of the summer capital. He has always taken a lively interest in promotion work affecting the mining industry here and it is largely to his personal efforts that much capital has been attracted.
Nels Peterson, who is a large shareholder in the company and who sold the tenth interest in the Headquarters, is one of the first prospectors who invaded the Benguet country.. He has been active in development work and his mill has made him a snag fortune. He is now worth several hundred thousand dollars, the result of his activity in the district and his unbounded faith in the future of mining there.
The strike and boycott movement against the Manila Electric Railway and Light Co. Was revived by a proclamation issued by the Union Obrera on May 28th.
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[June 7, 1909.
CHINA'S CUSTOMS TARIFF.
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN FOREIGN :
GOVERNMENTS.
The American Minister, Mr. Rockhill, has communicated to the Waiwupu the result of certain correspondence which has passed be- tween the American and British governments bearing upon China's desire for an international conference to consider the question of increase of the customs duties upon imports.
It will be remembered that some time last Docember the Chinese government sent notes to all the Powers suggesting such a con- ference and outlining briefly China's need for friendly assistance in this direction. No steps until recently. Shortly after Mr. Taft became seem to have been taken by any of the Powers
President of the United States, this matter was brought to his attention with the result that the American government took the initiative to the extent of communicating on the subject with stood that the American government expressed the other Powers, or some of them. It is under-
its friendly sympathy for China's desires for a conference of the Powers to consider the
customs question and such other questions as might properly be considered at such a con- ference.
Because of Great Britain's very large in- terest in commerce with China, the matter was The reply of the British government, as com- first taken up with the British government. municated by the American minister to the Chinese authorities, is in effect that so long as China has failed to abolish likin barriers and to bring about reform of the currency and other reforms provided in the Mackay treaty, Great Britain' does not consider that China has a right to ask for tariff increase.
The reforms especially referred to in addition to doing away with likin, are understood to be curtailing the minting of copper money by the
forms is understood to be as follows: provincial authorities, stopping the issue of too many bank notes, and other currency reforms. China's position towards these and other re-
China recognises the need for all these re- forms, but maintains that the evils of which the foreign governments complain are, to a large extent at least, due to conditions produced by the lack of sufficient income to the central govern- ment from customs. China refers to the pre- sent customs duties as being wholly inadequate, It is claimed that no other government has MË low duties upon importa as those to which China is restricted by treaties with foreign governments. Therefore, before China can bring about these reforms, she must have the definite assurance of the Powers that they will agree to customs increase to a reasonable
extent.
China will agree to totally abolish likin as soon as she has soon as she has entered upon a definite agreement with the Powers for customs increase,
The too great minting of copper and other coins will be restricted as soon as the central government is able to reimburse the provinces for the income now received by the provinces from this source, which will be when there is an increase in the customs receipts.
With regard to issue of bank notes, the position of the Chinese Government is this: The central government is responsible for all notes issued by the government banks.
The pro- vincial governments are responsible for the notes issued by banks operating under the sanction and control of the provincial au- thorities. As for the issues of private banks, the Chinese government would advise foreign merchants not to accept these. As soon as China is able to adopt and put into oper stion proper banking laws, private banks will be compelled to conform to those laws.
The central government is anxious to carry out all the reforms promised in its treaties but it maintains it can make no substantial progress along these lines until it is permitted a reson- able increase in its customs duties, as only in this way can it secure sufficient income to carry these reforms into effect. The Chinese govern. ment makes it clear that there is no desire for such high rates as might in any degree restrict foreign trade, as its great need is revenus.-- Peking Daily News.
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