56
C.S.0. 2779 of 1509.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Two thousand and Seven hundred Dollars ($2,700), in aid of the following Votes in the Sanitary Department:-
Incidental-Conveyance Allowance,
Uniform for Staff,....
Electric Lighting of Central Market,.............
Watering Streets,
....
.$ 250.00 650.00 1,200.00 600.00
Total,
$2,700.00
Government House, Hongkong, 10th November, 1899.
The Colonial Treasurer seconded.
Question-put and agreed to.
PAPER. The Colonial Treasurer laid on the table au amended copy of the "Financial Returns accompanying the Draft Estimates for 1900," and addressed the Council.
Mr. WHITEHEAD addressed the Council.
QUESTIONS.-Mr. WHITEHEAD, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions
(1.) With reference to the report dated 9th May last of the Principal Civil Medical Officer which gives the number of first class private paying patients as 65 for 1896, 53 for 1897, and 58 for 1898, will the Honourable the Colonial Secretary lay on the table a statement shewing the average number of days the said patients occupied the Hospital in each of those years, the aggregate amount of money received in each of those years from first class private paying patients, and the estimated actual cost to Government of each of the said first class patients?
(2.) Will the Honourable the Director of Public Works lay on the table a statement shewing the area and the estimated value of the land at “Mountain Lodge” on which it is proposed to erect a summer residence for His Excellency the Governor ?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY.-In reply to this question I beg to lay upon the table a statement giving the information desired, with the exception of that asked for in the last portion of the question. With regard to this, the Principal Civil Medical Officer reports that to obtain the information asked for would entail much labour, and the employment of a special clerk, owing to the fact that the diet, extras, medicines, &c. vary each day with each patient, and to the difficulty of determining in accurate proportions the cost of the medical, nursing, and clerical staff respectively. The statement now laid on the table will be printed if Honourable Members so desire.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-The reply to the second question is as follows:-The area it is proposed to retain round "Mountain Lodge" is about 14 acres, most if not all of which was probably considered the policy of the former building. Fully 12 acres is within the Pokfulam drainage area and therefore unsaleable. The remainder is steep and rocky and may be valued at $5,000.
COMMITTEE ON THE BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE FURTHER PROVISION FOR THE SANITATION OF THE COLONY AND TO REPEAL CERTAIN ENACTMENTS OF THE CLOSED HOUSES AND INSANI- TARY DWELLINGS ORDINANCE, 1894.
Amendments were proposed and adopted in clauses 7 and 8.
Council resumed and Bill reported with amendments.
BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO APPLY A SUM NOT EXCEEDING TWO MILLION SIX Hundred and EIGHTY-ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE DOLLARS TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE YEAR 1900.- The Colonial Secretary moved that this Order of the Day be discharged.
The Colonial Treasurer seconded.
Question-put and agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned until Thursday, the 23rd November, 1899, at 3 p.m.
Read and confirmed, this 23rd day of November, 1899.
R. F. JOHNSTON, Acting Clerk of Councils.
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor,