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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 23.
MONDAY, 16TH NOVEMBER, 1891.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (Major-General G. DIGBY BARKER, C.B.).
The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary, (William Meigh GOODMAN).
•
the Acting Attorney General, (ANDREW JOHN Leach).
the Registrar General, (JAMES HALDANE STEWART LOCKHART).
the Colonial Treasurer, (NORMAN GILBERT MITCHELL-INNES).
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the Acting Surveyor General, (FRANCIS ALFRED COOPER).
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the Acting Harbour Master, (WILLIAM CHARLES HOLLAND HAstings)., CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.
HO KAI, M.B., C.M.
THOMAS HENDERSON WHITEHEAD.
The Honourable PHINEAS KYRIE.
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ABSENT:
JAMES JOHNSTONE KESWICK.
The Council met pursuant to adjournment.
The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 9th November, 1891, were read and confirmed.
PAPERS LAID ON THE TABLE.-The Acting Colonial Secretary, by command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table despatch from the Officer Administering the Government, No. 266, of the 10th August, 1891, on certain Public Works, and despatch from Secretary of State, No. 239, of the 6th October, 1891, in reply.
The Honourable. T. H. WHITEIRAD gave notice that at next meeting of Council he would ask the following questions:-
1. As it seems only reasonable that the public should have an opportunity of judging of the work done by the Registrar General's Department, will the Government lay on the table copies of the Registrar General's last annual report in the same way as is done with the reports of other departments, and as was formerly done in regard to the department in question?
2. With reference to the following paragraph in the address of His Excellency Governor Sir Cecil
Smith to the Legislative Council of Singapore last month-.
"The Estimates for 1892, which are now submitted to you are as follows:-
CA
K
"Revenue,
Expenditure,
.$3,629,316 3,820,806
"The above Estimates of Revenue, as compared with the Revenue actually brought to "credit in the last completed year, viz.: 1890, show a falling off of $639,810. "Nearly the whole of this large sum is to be accounted for by the decrease of $440,000 under the head of Licenses and of $138,000 under the head of "Interest. As the farms have been re-let for the usual term of three years, it may “be taken that the estimated Revenue for 1892 will also be about the same for the years 1893 and 1894. Before that period expires, the Secretary of State hus "intimated that the Farming system ought to be considered with a view, if
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prac-
ticable, to its modification, and the adoption of a system of Licenses to be issued "at high rates-the object being to diminish the evils of the Opium traffic without "seriously crippling the Revenue,"
Will the Government lay upon the table a copy of any despatch received from the Secretary of State within the past few months intimating that the Farming system before the new three years lease about to be granted expires, should be considered with a view if practicable to its modification, and the adoption of a system of Licenses to be issued at high rates,—the 'object being to diminish the evils of the Opium traffic without seriously crippling the revenue,
3. Is it correct as stated in the "China Mail" of 12th November, 1891, that in the course of the Bankruptcy proceedings in the Supreme Court on that date it was revealed that there is no provision in the law of the Colony to assign debt, and if so will the Government take steps to amend the law in that respect.
4. With reference to the Honourable the Colonial Secretary's letter of 22nd July, 1890, to the Chamber of Commerce to the effect that Government will consider how far it is possible to separate the Lighthouse dues from the general revenue of the Colony, will the Government inform the Council what progress has been made by Government in the matter.