LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 31.
MONDAY, 1ST DECEMBER, 1890.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (The Honourable FRANCIS FLEMING, C.M.G.).
The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE, C.M.G.).
the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD).
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the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.). the Surveyor General, (SAMUEL BROWN).
the Acting Registrar General, (NORMAN GILBERT MITCHELL-INNES). PHINEAS RYRIE.
CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.
JAMES JOHNSTONE KESWICK.
Ho Kar, M.B., C.M.
THOMAS HENDERSON WHITEHEAD.
The Council met pursuant to adjournment.
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The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 24th November, 1890, were read and confirmed. PAPERS.-The Acting Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Officer Administer- ing the Government, laid on the table the Report of the Select Committee appointed to examine into the details of the Estimates for 1891; with addenda by the Un-Official Members.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD, pursuant to notice, moved the following resolutions :-
1. That in re-adjusting the salaries of Government officials in Hongkong, all personal allowances, special grants, fees of office and other payments of a like nature should be abolished, and the salary in local currency of each officer be a fixed sum to include, where possible, all allowances. 2. That with a view to get rid entirely of personal allowances for length of service or special merit,
there should be for each office a minimum and maximum salary with a periodical rate of increase, and that no more than the maximum salary should under
any
circumstances be paid.
3. That within the limits so fixed the salaries of the present occupants of the various appointments
be settled by the Committee of Council, with regard to length of service and personal merits of the officers, subject of course to the approval of the Secretary of State.
4. That to prevent the evil effects constantly arising in certain departments from frequent changes of officers, it be laid down as the rule that, unless under very exceptional circumstances, the occupants of the undermentioned offices are not entitled to and are not to look for any pro- motion, acting or permanent, out of their own departments. The offices are: Registrar and Deputy Registrars Supreme Court, the Police Magistrates, the Land Officer, and the Chief Clerk at the Magistracy; the occupants of these offices to be legally qualified when fresh appointments are made to them in the future, the Interpreters of the Supreme Court, and the Clerk of Councils and Chief Clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office.
5. That in fixing the maximum salary for the offices above mentioned the rule of irremoveability be borne in mind and the maximum salary made equivalent to any promotion the occupant of the office might reasonably hope to obtain, if the rule had not been made.
The Honourable P. RYRIE seconded.
His Excellency having addressed the Council, the motion was withdrawn.
BILL ENTITLED "THE GAMBLING ORDINANCE, 1890."-The Acting Attorney General moved the first reading of the Bill.
The Acting Colonial Secretary seconded.
Question-put and agreed to.
Bill read a first time.
The Acting Colonial Secretary moved that the consideration of the following Bills, viz.:-
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE LAW RELATING TO Bankruptcy,
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDINANCE OF 1887,
be postponed until next Meeting of Council.
Question-put and agreed to.