32
(3)
With reference to the Colonial Secretary's letter No. 1187 of 27th June, 1892, to the Registrar General, forwarding a precis of correspondence re Home for Girls, the following paragraphs appear in the latter:-
"Five Chinese houses were accordingly erected near St. Stephen's Church in accordance with plans which the Pó Leung Kuk Committee had seen, and which, it was understood, they approved................
"The cost of building these houses was $8,000; the land on which they stand was
valued at about $12,000.
"Thère seems to have been some misunderstanding with regard to the rents to be derived from the lower floors, the Pó Leung Kuk Committee thinking that they were to go towards the maintenance of the Home, while the Government decided that they were to be paid into the Treasury.
"When the buildings had been completed the Pó Léung Kuk objected to move into them
because they considered them unsuitable, etc.,......?
and in the report to the Colonial Secretary dated 1st February, 1892, on a petition from the Pó Léung Kuk, the Registrar General says-
"I understand that it is the intention of the Government to sell the five houses, the top floors of which were intended for a Home. Their value, together with that of the ground on which they stand, has been estimated by the Surveyor General at $21,000.
"
Will the Government inform the Council whether these houses, erected at the public expense, were built upon inland lot No. 1,129; if so, have they been sold by private contract, the name of the buyer, and at what price? In connection with the sale, if there has been one, will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the correspondence which has passed between the Government and the Colonial Office on the subject?
(4)
Will the Government lay upon the table a statement of the number of convictions, the amount of fines imposed and paid, in respect of offences against Ordinance No. 13 of 1895, from the date it came into force until the end of last week, and a copy of the correspondence which has passed between the home authorities and the Colonial Government in connection with the Bill, and also inform the Council whether it has yet received the sanction of the Imperial Government, and if not, state the cause of delay?
(5)
Will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the reports or letters to the Government from the sub-Committee appointed by the General Committee elected at the public meeting held at the City Hall on 27th September, 1894, to consider and report upon the question of recognition of services rendered during the suppression of the plague last year, and a copy of all the correspondence which has passed between the Government and the homme authorities in connection therewith.
QUESTIONS. Mr. CHATER, by special permission of His Excellency the Governor, asked the following questions:-
(1) What are the reserves of water at the present moment, and will they be sufficient at the present
rate of distribution to last to the end of the dry season?
(2) In view of the great scarcity of water this year and the consequent inconvenience both to individuals and industrial enterprises, are any steps being taken to increase the supply and prevent a recurrence of a similar scarcity?
His Excellency the Governor replied.
His Excellency then addressed the Council as follows:-
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,
I have much pleasure in meeting you again for the transaction of public business. The programme that I have to present to you is a somewhat lengthy one, the most pressing item in it is, of course, the Appropriation Bill for 1896. From the Draft Estimates, which I now lay on the table and which were circulated more than a fortnight ago together with the explanatory memoranda, you will perceive that the revenue for 1896 is estimated at $2,288,366. This estimate has been prepared with due caution; and I believe that it will be realised.
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