'A comprehensive review of the Colony's business, together with the work done by the Chamber of Comin connection with the past year's trade was contained in the Chairman's speech at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce held at Chartered Bank Build ing on June 28.
mong the interesting points brought out by the Chairman was that the Chamber still held the view that while it was not practical to ju conjunction with those of the Hongkong Government—attended 1931, the regulations applying to vessels trading in' Far' Eastern waters are now in form for final approval by the Board of Trade, From 1984 the regulations applying to the International "Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and also the Simla Rules will probably be effec-five, In order to Work out the many Shipping Technical Committee details pertaining to them, a special standardise the local the ey the Chamber has ce-operated closely heartily endorsed the opinion that it with Commander GE Hoe. was essential to have greater de-Harbour Master, and Messrs.'W.-0, ree of uniformity and stability in Lambert and G. Swan, Government World exchange, The work "9% Hongkong's azine Serverars, To Se, erect Oficers and our "Committee port at Kai Tak was also com-the'thanks of the Chamber are doe mended. for the care. and attention which The attendance was as follows:—they have readily given to all The "Acting, Chairman of the matters discussed," These included Chamber (Mr. If. Shaw) sup-Fecommendation- formulated by the potted by the following members st {Government Marine Surveyors who the General Committee:-—Hion.. Me. arafved'a well thoughe out sey Gordon. Mackie, Hon. Mr. J. rules governing the use of Life-person, Hon, Mr. Paul Laud saving Appliances. In addition to ra. J. K "Bousehield, $. Do these, there are many" questions Stafford Smith,. B, Pearsonacction with the convection and Cojand Cit. GP; "Mactan The Acting Chairman, MrT, Toaintenanee of ships which ave also being dealt with in conference by Shaw, said the above Committee, Te is to be 'Gentlemen—In the absence of the chairman of the chamber, Int. Plum however good they may be in them mer, tt devolves upon me to present the"Annual Report and Account elves, ae an') created pense 'Our annual meeting is held som what later this year, chiefly on Eime when trade' is ata Zount, of work undertaken by. the fand put vessels of signatory coun: {ries "to additional cost. in conspet Secretar. of the Charsber in conneetion with vessels of countries which tion with the Empire, Fair, to which the Committee agreed at the request Hhave not signified their intention to of the Hongkong Government. adhere to the rules, In September The annual report, which "is in fast the Board of Trade derided hands, deals vith @ number of undertake "the "framing of these! ales, and in order that due const occupied the attention of the Cham-BEncpal questions which have federation might de given to focal be? during the past year, though leon ditions, and at thole request, Mr. some, which are of a confidential nature, are omitted, In addition, Swan, Naval Architect and Govern: ment' Ship Surveyor, proceeded. to trade enquiries from many parts of ondon to confer with them:
arrive by every mail, and require a good deal of inv Light Dues Reduced Work has increased also, In an important harbour such as by reason of the tendency of Gov-Hongkong, the Chamber has. of emuments to regulate the movement necessity frequently before it ques-of commerce and to require certitions concerning " regulation "and fleates of origin. The Chamber of Improvement, either referred for Commerce has had to act lately unofficial interpreter to merchant opinion by the Government, or in-of the rather complicated British by the Chamber, The im-|F* rtanee, for example, of keeping Preference Regulations. T take th 8 free a port as possible opportunity of mentioning that, yressed on many occasions requisite forms can be" obtained the Chamber from the Chamber so that there no need for individual firms to the expense and trouble of print ernment, a reduction ing thelr'own supply. There has fied in the Light Dues. been a number of Arbitrations and Surveys during the year, and, in Another point with which the addition to routine work in this con-Chamber has dealt is the position nection, the staff has been busily and adequacy of Quarantite An-Occupied in attending to the various chorage. A number of big ocean interests of members of the Cham-steamers cow using the port have ber. found it advis "gale of Piece Goods chorage in Kowloon Bi particnar instance of this has is now being defined as a regular quarantine Anchorage for deep iraught ye—-'~ entering from Lye. Ghineae. Piece Goods moon, the existing Quarantine Anchorage at Stonecutters being rain Sot reached the festive conclusion 1Srage! ao aay, have tained for the many local craft fre-or which the Chamber worked for quanting the western part of the many. months, "The. upshot of the harbour.
Rogotiatons ie thay the contract TOE han been "revised to. afford Currency Stability Needed the matter of sh eater protection to the delay With the opening of the World Economic Conference, it may be pertinent to emphasise the great 1002." offelniy, however it has not difficulties under which merchants Mteetive peeguse. some sit business under exi fate that they need ditions. of exchange. Saiffernt.'method. of doing" has The Chamber still hold the view hess, namely, buying for "aeival® that it ig not practicable for Hong-Fanead of for atfpment™=—which Hkong—which is first and fore-fatter, isthe generally accepted most a port of distribution—to Being done om either the 1922 or the practice, Meanie. business standardise the local dollar, but they Ido most heartily endorse the opinion 104 Contract, This situation" does that in a port such as this, dealing Zot. prevent. discussion with, Mane with many parts. of the world, it Shestbe and: Bradford ofa revieed tween importers and ave a essential for sound trading ' to asked land stability in international ex-greater degree of uniformity [changes if business is to be conduct. of Jed with a degree of security, draft contract which, if you apjand costs reasonably cnlontated be-rove, it, will be forwarded to winchester and Bradford Chambers tween the time of ordering into consumption. One has only for adoption, as representing the realise the vicissitudes through terms on which importers as a which the piece goods and other whole are now buying. trades are passing to bring home Developments in China bring with the vital importance of this matter. them an' expanding demand for The existing variation and Auctuagoods from other countries, and it tions. in exchange "and the be noted that there has just Imargins between buying and selling een another grading upwards of rates may make a speculator's para-import These successive dise for those concerned in purely tariff increase are view with con-monetary and exchange dealings but cern both by to. the legtfimate business interests lof the Colony they are a conditions pre~ menace which
Breater part of the Man-would appear hester and Bradford lines wil Jeerns. in this Colony—in common the effect of the ili. these and other institutions Smuggling is also encouraged them, and effects to check this elsewhere—have had to retrench and ince overhead expenses and they ate counteracted by the profits fare not out of the wood yet.
Which the smugglers gain in evad-However, in spite of the difficuling the high duties. ties to which trade is. subject, and Shipping Regulations [the problems with which China is Following upon the Simla, Con-Ifaced, one cannot help being impresference which our representatives—sed by the progressive advancement
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.