THE CHINESE CONSUL.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 204, 27 August 1909, Page 2

THE CHINESE CONSUL.

AN INTERESTING PERSONALITY. PUNGENT REPLIES TO PRINCE rro's doubts. The Chinese Consul for New Zealand. Mr. Yung Liang Hwang, M.A., arrived somewhat unexpectedly from Wellington by the Main Trunk train this morning, and proceeded to the Grand Hotel, his headquarters during his week's stay in the Northern city.. Elaborate preparations had been made by the Chinese residents of Auckland for his reception at the station, and the subsequent delivery of addresses at the Grand Hotel to honour the first visit of the Emperor of China's representative in New Zealand to Auckland, but the well laid plains of mice and men gang aft agley, for a letter to Mr. Ah Chee, who is one of the committee organising a programme of entertainments for the visit, intimated that the Consul's trip would be broken at Marton, and that Auckland would be reached to-morrow. Mr. Hwang, however, declares that he knew nothing of any such alteration in his programme, and that he had no intention of breaking his journey at Marton, hence his arrival this morning. China's representative in New Zealand is a man of high attainments, being a distinguished graduate of Baker University, and holds views on international relationships that stamp him a cosmopolitan of a broad tyne, while his efforts to improve the condition of his fellowcountrymen in New Zealand have already met with considerable success. With all the gracious personality and innate courtesy that belongs to the native of Old Cathay, he combines a western keenness of intellect and capacity for grappling with weighty and diverse problems that together make of him a delightful conversationalist and a telling speaker. This morning he. called upon his Excellency the Governor, with whom lie had luncheon, and tipon his return to tne Grand Hotel a "Star" representative had a taW with him. One of the first subjects touched upon was the cabled message to-day from Tokio respecting Prince Ito's speech at •Fakushima. "1 do not wonder that he has doubts whether Ohina could successfully adopt a constitution," laughed our ■visitor. "He would endeavour to discourage us all he could, but we do not lav great stress on 'his utterances. He should remember that we have ten years to prepare, and eight of them y<>t to run. What have we done? Look at the rapidity with which we have 'built railways, and the manner in which our postal system has ibeen extended. Regard the way in Which we 'have been getting translations on all the most approved authorities on constitutional law. And then the students and men of learning we have sent abroad to study modern methods and progress, and make enquiries on lihe constitutional question. We have -hundreds of students studying in the different countries of Europe, and 10,000 in Japan." "I grant you that we have difficulties to encounter—we may have confusions as to the, system we shall eventually adopt, but we are now following you step by step nnd will gradually get to a sound basis after a few years of experience. And this desire for progress is not only on the part of the Government, but the people are eager to obtain knowledge to fit them for the change, and look forward hopefully to when the day arrives for Us consummation.'' " What we want at first, of course, is not a general franchise. But we desire that every intelligent man, and man of modern learning will come out and record his vote when the time of election arrives. It is not proposed that everyone of the 400,000,000 people in China will have a vote." " Already the arms of learning are spreading throughout the country; the railways stretch from north to south and east to vest, and the great mail nnd railway system will alone have n sufficient modernising effect on the general life of the people. "Immovable Conservatism! Such a term is altogether wrong to apply to China. We have abolished our examination system of 300 years to the modern system of education. Does that look like immovable conservatism? I agree that we are untrained in local administration, but we have only just awakened. And we are anxious to learn Western methods. I think myself that what has taken Japan 40 jrieau-s to |aA;pt nSay be adopted in China in 20 years.