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REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Colonial Secretary, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee dated the 13th September, 1897, (No. 7), and moved its adoption.
The Colonial Treasurer seconded. Question-put and agreed to.
SANITARY BYE-LAW.-The Colonial Secretary informed the Council that he would move the approval of the Bye-law (made by the Sanitary Board on the 16th September, 1897, under sub-section 12 of Ordinance 24 of 1887 and sub-section Ď of section 1 of Ordinance 26 of 1890) at the next meeting.
QUESTIONS.—Mr. WHITEHEAD, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions:-
Was the evidence taken by the Honourable the Captain Superintendent of Police and the Crown Solicitor in connection with the charges against Inspector Stanton and other members of the Police Force submitted to the Honourable the Attorney General for his opinion, and was he satisfied as to its sufficiency before action was taken thereon, and did His Excellency the Governor sanction the dismissal of Inspector Stanton and other members of the Police Force with the advice of the Executive Council or on the sole recommendation of the Captain Superintendent of Police?
His Excellency replied.
Under what authority and for what purposes have the Crown Agents for the Colonies recently sold in London to the Exchange Banks ofd bills on Hongkong for large amounts; if this has been done in virtue of any special instructions will the Government lay a copy thereof on the table together with a copy of the Secretary of State's general instructions in connection with the custody and the disposal of the Colonial Government's cash balances in Hongkong? Can the Colonial Government's contribution of $98,892.28 towards the Queen's Jubilee Fund be paid out of the existing balance of the sterling loan, or out of revenue balances in hand, or partly out of one and partly out of the other, or is it to be paid out of revenue? If out of revenue how is such revenue to be raised and will the Imperial Government forego its claim to the Military Contribution of 17 per cent. on $98,892.28, viz., $17,306.15, and present. it to the colony as the Imperial Government's contribution towards the Jubilee Fund?
The Colonial Secretary replied.
NOTICE OF QUESTION.- Mr. WHITEHEAD gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would ask the following question:-
"
If the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, after last meeting of the Finance Committee of this Council held on 13th ultimo, requested or directed the Reporter of the "Daily Press and for the official Hansard report of the proceedings of this Council, to suppress any portion of the discussion on the subject of the Military Contribution which took place at said meeting, and if it was at his suggestion that a question put by me at that meeting with reference to the Military Contribution, the Honourable Member's reply thereto, and the Honourable the Colonial Treasurer's correction of an error into which the Honourable the Colonial Secretary had fallen in his reply, did not appear in the report of the meeting of the Finance Committee in any one of the three local newspapers and is not contained in the official Hansard report as sent round by the "Daily Press" to Honourable Members for revision.
JUBILEE VOTE.-His Excellency addressed the Council on the subject of the Cypher Telegram sent to the Secretary of State on the 14th April, 1897, in connection with the Government contribution towards the Jubilee Fund.
His Excellency then addressed the Council as follows:-
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,
I have much pleasure in laying upon the table the Estimates for 1898.
These Estimates have been in your hands for the last fortnight. You have therefore had sufficient time to give them your careful attention, except in one important item which will necessitate a change in the figures of these Estimates.
Before proceeding to deal in detail with those points which call for special remark, it affords me satisfaction to announce that, in deference to the wishes of the Shipping Commu- nity, the charge for Light Dues has been reduced from 2 cents to 1 cent per ton. Whilst
I am glad to be able to redeem the promise of the Government in this matter, I would remind you that, if hereafter necessity should arise for increasing the Revenue, it may be necessary to again raise the shipping charges. I trust that this contingency may not occur.