Ordinance 15 of 1888.-(The Rating Ordinance) as amended by 5 of 1892.
211
As by Section 6, the Assessor is to make his valuation of the tenements in the Rating Ordinance. Colony or of such part thereof, as the Governor in Council may direct, it would be practically in the discretion of the Governor in Council whether rates should be levied in the new territory. Therefore I do not know that it is necessary to exclude this Ordinance. Indeed, as time goes on, and money has to be spent on the new territories some mode of raising some revenue will become necessary. At présent the rates are 7 per cent. in rural districts as against 13 per cent. in Victoria.
Ordinance 15 of 1889.—(The Building Ordinance) as amended by Ordinances 25 of 1891, 15 of 1894 (Sections 7 and 8), 7 of 1895 and 5 1896.
No doubt some building law will be required in the new territories, but before Building Ordinance. the present Building Ordinances are extended to the new territories, I should like to have the views of the Director of Public Works as to whether they could be satisfactorily carried out. Unless he thinks the present Ordinances might be made to apply I should for the present exclude them-see Section 69 and also Section 70 of 15 of 1889 as amended by Section 3 of Ordinance 7 of 1895, &c., &c.
Ordinance 5 of 1890.—Vaccination.
As the penalty (see Section 11) is only enforceable after six months' notice and Vaccination. neglect thereof, and the Registrar General would not give such notice till proper facilities for vaccination have been afforded, it seems to me the extension of this Ordinance to the new territory is desirable and would in practice create no hard- ship. The Chinese do not usually object to vaccination.
Ordinance No. 26 of 1891.—(Merchant Shipping) as amended by 9 of 1892.
A new Bill has been prepared in the Colony by the Harbour Master and my- Merchant Shipping. self, consolidating the Law of Merchant Shipping and approximating it as nearly as local circumstances permit to the law in force in England under the 1894 Act. I do not think the operation of the Ordinance 26 of 1891 should, in the meantime, be excluded from the new territory. Of course, care will have to be taken in the new Ordinance in defining "waters of the Colony" (compare Section 2 of 26 of 1891).
Ordinance 17 of 1887.-(Cattle Diseases, Slaughter-houses and Markets) as amended by Ordinance 23 of 1890, Ordinance 12 of 1894, Ordinance 17 of 1895, 25 of 1895.
Possibly difficulties might arise if this Ordinance were extended to the new territories, eg. the provision of section 12, and it should be made clear that the lessee under section 10 has no sole privilege of slaughtering as regards those territories, and the Bye-laws, as to landing cattle imported. at certain places only, might operate harshly unless amended.
I would suggest, therefore, excluding, for the present, the operation of this Ordinance and most of the amending Ordinances, but I see no reason why sections 4 and 5 of Ordinance 23 of 1890 should not be extended to the new territories, for it is expedient to provide against the sale and importation of unwholesome food even if it proves difficult to enforce such provision.
12. I have annexed to this Memorandum a draft Ordinance with a Schedule of excluded enactinents. It is possible that some other Ordinances should be added to the Schedule, but I was unwilling to suggest excluding any laws in force in Hongkong, unless it is absolutely necessary so to do. The Sanitary Board might be consulted as to whether any and what portions of the Public Health Ordinances should be added to the Schedule or whether the application of any Bye-laws unsuited to the extension might not be limited to the Colony as it existed when they were made.
13. In conclusion, I can only hope this Memorandum and Draft Bill may be of some use in assisting the Governor and Legislative Council in finally deciding what legislation shall be excluded from the new territories.
I have, etc.,
(Signed)
W. MEIGH GOODMAN.