Hong Kong
Minutes of Proceedings
of the Executive Council
for the year 1859
Enclosure No.1 in
Despatch No.46 of 1860
Minutes of Legislative Council
1857
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In 11088/57
A
337
Minutes of the Legislative
Council of Hongkong for
the half years ending
30 June 1857
3 January 1857
Present:
His Excellency The Governor,
The Honorable The Lieutenant Governor,
The Honorable The Chief Justice,
The Honorable The Colonial Secretary,
The Honorable The Attorney General,
The Honorable J. F. Edger, Esquire
No meetings of the Legislative Council having taken place on the 17 and 18 Ultimo, in consequence of the recent events at Canton, the Council met today by special summons for the purpose of giving consideration to the expediency of Legislating for the Security of the Colony, and of discussing other Enactments.
The Minutes of the Last Councils were read and approved.
His Excellency The Governor handed in for record in the Minutes the following dissent from the Colonial Secretary relative to the amended Venereal Ordinance.
"Minutes of dissent on the Venereal Ordinance."
"Having been the sole opponent of the motion to read a first time and publish in the "Gazette the Ordinance for the better repression of certain 'Diseases', I think it fit "to record in writing the reasons I here gave for my vote.
"It was proposed to get once the objection of the Secretary of State to Clause 7 - "One fatal to the whole Ordinance by making clause 7 clause 8, and then by "the insertion of certain words to make alteration of the clause.
"Agreeing with the other members of the Council as to the advisability of the "alteration, I observed that so strong were the directions of the Secretary of "State to omit clause 7 altogether, and so great was the liberty now taken with "those directions, that I should vote for the further reference of the Ordinance "thus amended to the Colonial Office.
"I may add of this date my regret that the Ordinance has been brought before the "public in its present form."
(Signed) "W. T. Mercer"
"Colonial Secretary and Member of the Legislative Council."
"Hong Kong
"16th December, 1856"
His Excellency then stated that it was not his intention to deal at present with the Venereal and the Seamen's Ordinances, but that he would postpone the second reading of those Enactments until further notice.
Read a second time, amended and passed, the Ordinance for "Intestates' Estates, being "to 1 of 1857, which was ordered to be published in the government Gazette.
Read a first time and ordered to be published in the government Gazette for general information a Draft Ordinance for extending to this Colony certain acts of Parliament", passed during the last session.
Read a first time, and ordered to be printed a Draft Ordinance "for better securing the "Peace of the Colony." This Ordinance to be brought forward for the second reading on Tuesday next the 6th instant, at 12 o'clock; and the Council adjourned accordingly.
(Signed) John Bowring,
Governor.
Read and approved,
this 6 day of January, 1857
(Signed) L. d'Almada e Castro,
Clerk of Councils.