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His Excellency then addressed the Council as follows:-
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN,
Before we adjourn to indulge in a short recess from our Legislative duties it may be of interest to have brought before you a short retrospect of the work we have accomplished during the last few months and to be informed, in so far as I can inform you, of the position of the Colony at the present time.
It was with regret that we learnt from Sir WILLIAM DES VEUX, towards the beginning of this year, that ill-health compelled him to leave us for a while, but we trust that when he returns in December next he will do so with renewed vigour so that he may be enabled to take in the future that same active interest in the welfare of this Colony as he has taken in the past.
A few months ago we welcomed in our midst a Son and a Daughter-in-law of Our Gracious Sovereign, and we have the gratification of feeling that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Connaught were well pleased with the brief visit they paid to this the most Eastern Point of Her Majesty's Colonial Empire.
The number of Ordinances which we have passed during the present session has not been very great and I was in bopes that we might have been able to deal with several other matters, more or less ripe for our consideration.
We have, however, enacted some laws of importance. I may refer to "The Magistrates' Ordinance "--a very lengthy measure; "The Waterworks Ordinance;" "The Vaccination Ordinance;" "An Ordinance relating to the Falsification of Accounts;" besides others of less significance.
There are several matters which I trust will engage our attention when we meet again- such as a new law on Bankruptcy, the modification of our Emigration laws, the amendment of our laws concerning Opium, &c.
But the enacting of Ordinances is not the only work we have got through. We have adopted a new Code of Standing Rules and Orders for the regulation of our proceedings, more in accordance with the procedure we now follow and more in conformity with the Royal Instructions under which this Council is constituted.
The Finance Committee have had under their consideration many matters of importance to carry out which it was necessary to apply for public moneys. It will always be my endeavour to consult this Council previous to undertaking measures which involve that cost which it is necessary for this Council to sanction. I do not hesitate to say that there are few Colonies in which Members of the Legislature are prepared to vote moneys so readily as here for what they consider essential in the public interest. But the more the Members of a Legislative body put trust in the proposals made for public expenditure, the less they regard with suspicion suggestions made in this direction, the more careful should a Govern- ment be in bringing such proposals before them and the more anxious should it be to see that the money is legitimately expended towards the purpose for which it was asked.
In addition to such questions as have actually been submitted to you, many matters have occupied my attention.
I am very desirous that the many Chinese who must necessarily die during the course of the year in this Colony should be buried elsewhere than in the limited area we possess. I feel confident that if burials continue to take place as they do now the time will come when we shall have cause to regret it. I have been in communication with Her Majesty's Consul at Canton on the subject and although the Chinese authorities are not prepared to meet the suggestions I made, I have not abandoned hopes of being able to carry out in some way what I venture to think would tend towards the sanitary condition of this Island, while, I believe it would be more in harmony with the feelings and wishes of the Chinese themselves.
Another matter of almost equal importance which has attracted my notice is the system of squatting which has long existed here and in regard to which several recommendations were made in the report of the Land Commission which was appointed to enquire into this and other kindred questions in the year 1886. I am about to appoint a Commission to deal with this particular subject, and although there are no doubt many difficult and complicated points involved in it, I trust that those who have expressed their readiness to serve on the Commission will be able to surmount them.
I am desirous, Gentlemen, of seeing the profession of Brokers in this Colony placed on a better footing than it stands to-day, but I would much prefer that any steps in this direction should come from the Members of that body themselves rather than be taken by the Govern- ment. I may state that on one or two occasions I have received deputations with whom I have discussed the question and who have mentioned to me proposals worthy of careful con- sideration. I trust that at the end of this year, if not before, circumstances will allow of those, who I believe are anxious to move in the matter, to follow up these proposals. If, however, such is not the case it will become necessary for the Government to seriously con- sider whether it should not take the initiative.