VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG. No. 7 of 1859.
WEDNESDAY, 21st SEPTEMBER, 1859.
PRESENT:
His Excellency The GOVERNOR AND ALL THE MEMBERS, EXCEPT MR JARDINE, WHO WAS ABSENT AT CANTON.
The Council met to-day by special Summons.
The Minutes of the Council held on the 18th May last, were read and approved.
His Excellency The Governor announced to the Council the arrangements made with the view of supplying the vacancies amongst the Official Members.
Mr W. H. Adams, Attorney General and Acting Chief Justice, had been appointed provisionally to be a Member of the Legislative Council until Her Majesty's pleasure should be made known.
Mr W. H. Rennie had been requested to retain his seat, and The Governor had recommended to the Secretary of State that his provisional appointment should be confirmed in the room of Mr Tudor Davies, resigned.
Mr F. W. Green, the Acting Attorney General, had been appointed to a provisional and temporary Seat in the Legislative Council.
Messrs Adams and Green being in attendance were accordingly sworn in.
His Excellency then made some observations as to the present constitution of the Legislative Council, expressing his opinion that for the future the Official Members should never bear to the Non-offical Members a greater proportion than two to one.
The Governor stated that the Colonial Estimates for the Year 1860, were in course of preparation, and would, when ready, be submitted to the Council.
??? Despatch No. 39 of 9th April last, from the Secretary of State, respecting the Resolution of the Legislative Council of 8th December last, on the subject of the distinction to be preserved between the "Fixed Establishment" and the annual "Estimates;" and His Excellency remarked that, until further instructions, the whole of the Expenditure for the Civil Service for the Year 1860, would be submitted to the Vote of the Council.
??? the representation of the Governor, that several heavy articles of Furniture are wanting at Government House, which should be provided by the Colony as is usual in other Colonies, it was unanimously agreed, that the Surveyor General be directed to procure the same at the public expense, their cost being hereafter included in a Supplementary Estimate.
The Colonial Secretary was desirous of giving Notice of motion on the subject of the Press of the Colony, and intimated that, with the sanction of His Excellency The
Governor, he would at the next Meeting of Council submit a Resolution thereon,
Upon the form of Resolution he would decide when he handed his written Notice to the Clerk of Councils; at present he would simply state that his object was to give either the Council collectively, or the Members individually, an opportunity of expressing an opinion on the present state of the Hongkong Press.
The Governor said that he would be glad to receive at an early date the remarks which had been called for from the Colonial Treasurer, and Messrs Jardine and Dent, on the ultimate conditions of the Postal Authorities ??? Home for placing the Post Office at Hongkong under the control of the Local Government.
A question was then put by the Acting Attorney General, relative to Ordinance No. 5 of 1858; and some remarks were made by the Colonial Secretary on the possible necessity of submitting to the Council, at an early date amendments of the Markets' and Pawnbroking Ordinances.
The Acting Chief Justice remarked that under the Local Ordinance substituting penal servitude for transportation. Criminals were necessarily sentenced to as long periods of penal servitude as formerly of transportation under Statute Law.
Mr Adams under these circumstances advised that power be given to the Court to pass sentences of penal servitude for reduced periods.
The Council adjourned sine die.
HERCULES G. R. ROBINSON, Governor.
Read and approved, this 9th Day of November, 1859.
L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO,
Clerk of Councils.