Saturday, 21st November 1857
Present:
His Excellency the Governor,
The Honorable the Acting Colonial Secretary,
The Honorable the Colonial Treasurer,
The Honorable the Surveyor General,
The Honorable the Chief Magistrate,
The Honorable J. Jardine, Esquire,
The Honorable George Lyall, Esquire.
The Council met pursuant to adjournment.
The Minutes of Council held on the 17th November, were read and approved.
The Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure of the Colony for the year 1858, were laid on the Table for discussion, according to the arrangements made at the last meeting of Council. They were seriatim considered, and the two following Resolutions were unanimously recommended to the Attention of the Governor:
Moved by the Colonial Treasurer, seconded by the Honorable George Lyall, that His Excellency Sir John Bowring be respectfully requested to bring the relative position of Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong under the notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with a view to the reduction of the Salary for a Lieutenant Governor as unsuited to the present circumstances of the Colony due regard being had to the claims and Services of the Honorable Colonial Caine;
and
Moved by the Honorable George Lyall, seconded by the Honorable J. Jardine, that His Excellency the Governor be requested to bring to the notice of the Secretary of State the great facilities and advantage that would arise from the Colonial Accounts being kept in Dollars only, and also that consequent upon such change he should direct enquiry to be made as to the advantage or otherwise of the cash payments and receipts being managed through Local chartered Banks in connection with the Treasury Department.
It was agreed that the Estimates, when amended by the Acting Colonial Secretary and approved by the Governor, be laid before the Council, with a view of eliciting the separate opinions in writing of the members, and that it should be considered whether a recommendation should not emanate from the Council, that the Imperial Treasury should contribute towards expenses not local or Colonial, but which the Colony is called upon to incur, on account of its connection with the whole Trade in China, and the protection it affords to British Interests in general as connected with that Empire.
(Signed) John Bowring,
Governor.
Read and approved,
this 24th day of November, 1857
(Signed) J. M. d'Almada e Castro,
for the Clerk of Councils.