The Chinese Bankers Association furnished an interesting explanation of present trade depression. They Jattribute the standstill to the lack fof confidence amongst the merchants themselves. Prior to the strike, money was plentifa) in Hongkong, and every genuine business enterprise found considerable financial support, Loans easily can be secured on shares and other proerty anc today the Colony's financial position is just as stra bat so little trust exists in business circles that every appeal from enterprises requiring financial sup. port from merchants falls on deaf fears. The Association urges the bigger banks to set the Colony on its feet again by granting loans against reasonable, security and thus remove, as far as possible, the general distrust and revive business confidence. There are plenty of re-corves in all the big banks and much good con be done at the moment by relating them rather than by leaving them in the vaults, Mr, He Tu, an influential [chant, said it! was worthless to talk Jot trade revival unless there was government support. The—great rcusre of revenue in the Colony undoubtedly was the various taxes, lof which tive Chinese pay the largest proportion, and he thought it 4 that the' Government, at a th when Chinese merchants were financially embarrassed, should sist them by granting fnaneil sup-Port te legitimate business ventures, Dismiesal of Undesirables Unruly crews with extreme lene lendes who were employed on Cane ton river steamers have been di missed since they no longer are protected by the local branch the Seamen's Union. Taking ad~ Vantage of the shutting down of the union in this port, the Hong-Kong, Centon & Macao Steanivoat Ca, suddenly dispensed with the services of 30 of the crew employed fon the str. Lungshan. They were mustered and paid off, much to tei surprise, each receiving an extra Gay's pay in flew of notice, in ace cordance with their terms of engagement. It is understood that the dismissed mon are being replaced by those who rendered server to the company as _strike-breakers during the anti-British boycott, It is not anticipated that this issal will give rise to any cute burst, because the present Canton Government does not give much supe port to labour agitators, Cooling Legal Heads The summer heat has caused a, relapse in the dignified atmosphere of the Supreme Court, Despite overhead electric fans working at full speed, the temperature of the court room has been more conducive to sleep than to sharp and keen cross-examination of witnesses, Mr, F.C, Jenkin, @ prominent member lof the local Bar, was cross-examing' ug a witness during the afternoon and the high temperature caused him to remove his wig and mop his Perspiring brow with his handker=
Mr. Justice Wood, who also was feeling very hot, remarked that Counsel might remove their it they wished and he led them by taking off his own wig, being ime mediately followed by Mr. Jenk Mr. H. Somerset Fitzroy, proseeuting for the Crown, apparently did not find the temperature so trying. After a cool-oft, his Lordship end Mr. Jenkin replaced their wigs, and the proceedings continued, Tar Nationalist Minister of Finance in Nanking invites tenders, for a monopoly for the sale of salt! and declares all former arrangements null and void. He says that the Government has lost too much by the fold terms because, although some 185,000 piculs were sold, the Govern-/ment only received. $125,000, which sum he thinks is far too little for! such an important commodity.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.