Hongkong, Mar. 11.
Replying to questions (1) whether the Hongkong Government had _re—ceived instructions from His Majesty's Government that the seamen's strike must be settled and (2) whether it was a fact that the terms of the settlement were due to pressure upon the shipowners by the Hongkong Government, the Government replied that (1) no instructions of any kind had been received and (2) that the Government throughout had remained entirely neutral as far as the commercial aspects of the strike were concerned, merely tendering its good offices with a view to a settlement. Its efforts had been confined to taking steps for the preservation of peace and order and securing the maintenance of food supplies and essential services.
The "Gazette" notifies that in view of various rumours which have been spread in the colony and elsewhere in connexion with the settlement of the seamen's strike, it has been decided to publish an account of the part played by the Government in the negotiations. The report does not contain any essentials not already cabled.—Reuter.
Hongkong, Mar. 14.
The Chairmen of the Shipowners' Committee has submitted to His Excellency, the Governor, a preliminary report of the strike settlement, of which a copy has been handed to Reuter's correspondent.
The report states, inter alia that while generous concessions have been made in respect to Chinese-owned steamers, the seamen's delegates met the position with the fullest regard to the other lines.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.