PAPERS.-The Colonial Secretary, by command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the following papers:---
1. Statement showing action taken to give effect to the Recommendations in Mr. CHADWICK'S
Report on Sanitation.
2. Extract from the City of Bombay Improvement Act, 1898.
3. Report by Mr. CHADWICK on the Sewerage and Drainage of Hongkong,
4. List of houses that collapsed from 1st January to 3rd August, 1902, and the Act itself.
QUESTION. Mr. PLAYFAIR, pursuant to notice, asked the following question:-
With reference to the recent collapses of newly erected houses in both Hongkong and Kowloon and consequent deplorable loss of life, what steps have the Government taken to fix the responsibility?
Will the Government take steps to license Contractors under bond or otherwise?
Will the Government state what the regulations are as to public enquiries being held into
accidents such as these?
Will the Government table a return showing the number of houses which have collapsed this year with fatal results and giving the owners' names, the architects' names, the contractors' names, and date of erection?
The Colonial Secretary replied.
QUESTION. Mr. SHARP, pursuant to notice, asked the following question :---
Will the Honourable Colonial Secretary inform the Council—
(1.) Whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the account of the hearing
of an assault case before the Police Magistrate on 5th instant; and
(2.) Whether the Government proposes to take any action with reference to certain allega- tions in the evidence given in the said case, which bear upon the question of the integrity of a public servant?
The Colonial Secretary replied.
QUESTION. Mr. SHEWAN, pursuant to notice, asked the following question:-
Can the Police not take measures to prevent chair coolies from deserting their chairs when most
required on occasions such as the Coronation night for instance?
Are the chair coolies allowed to leave their chairs lying unprotected on the public street? If not, can the Police not take the number of chairs so deserted and have the coolies belonging to
such chairs punished by fine or the licensee punished by forfeiture of his licence?
If the Police have no power to do this, will the Government not bring in an Ordinance giving
the Police such power?
In view of the present great scarcity of chairs, will the Government not license a further large number of chairs either direct or through a contractor and continue to do so until the supply fully equals the demand?
Can the Government not appoint stands for chairs and rickshas and instruct the Police to pre-
vent the coolies from leaving the stands without sufficient reason?
If not will the Government farm out all the chairs and rickshas to a contractor who could deposit
a sum of money as a guarantee for the good behaviour of the coolies?
The Colonial Secretary replied.
NATURALIZATION OF LEUNG NGAN PAN BILL.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance for the Naturalization of LEUNG NGAN PAN alias LEUNG WAI CHING.
The Colonial Secretary seconded.
Question-put and agreed to.
Bill read a first time.
The Attorney General moved the suspension of the Standing Orders to enable the Bill to pass through its remaining stages at this Meeting of the Council.
The Colonial Secretary seconded.
Question-put and agreed to.
The Attorney General moved the second reading of the Bill.
The Colonial Secretary seconded.