This Is a serious charge to bri fand T must explain why we complain. Confidence is the soul of trade. Tt means credits and the enforcement of contracts, In theory the law Courts do enforce contracts." But in practice there are so many appeals and the process of the law Is so halting. that Is our common experience that by the time an attempt is made to enforce the final judgment the dedior has almost invariably absconded oF has denuded himself of his posses This matter affects all honest merchants, Chinese as well as forelzn, As a practical Justifeation of our complaint T can assure you, Sir. that the local situation has so far de-teneraled that whereas some years ago extensive credits were freely given by foreign merchants and trade was extensively financed by such credits, It Is now extremely risky to ive credit at all and trade is consequently affected.
This is a very serious position and trade wilt not flow freely again until we can help in the fnaneing of our customers. The hand of the law needs strengthening. and we have that Justice will "ce-operate in the much desired revival of industry and commerce and we might well add of agriculture, for this Is the spring from which alone prosperity" can flow,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.