VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.
NO.7 OF 1872.
TUESDAY, 9TH JULY, 1872.
PRESENT:
His Excellency Governor SIR ARTHUR EDWARD KENNEDY, K.C.M.G., C.B. The Honorable the Acting Chief Justice (HENRY JOHN BALL).
The Honorable the Acting Colonial Secretary (CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH). The Honorable the Acting Attorney General (THOMAS CHILD HAYLLAR). The Honorable the Acting Treasurer (CHARLES MAY).
The Honorable PHINEAS RYRIE.
The Honorable HENRY LOWCOCK.
The Honorable JAMES GREIG.
The Honorable WILLIAM HASTINGS ALEXANDER.
The Honorable JAMES WHITTALL.
The Council meets this day at 3 P.M., by Special Summons.
His Excellency administers to the Honorable WILLIAM HASTINGS ALEXANDER, and the Honorable JAMES WHITTALL, the Oath of Office, as Members of this Council, and they take their seats accordingly.
This Minutes of the Council held on the 16th May, are read and confirmed.
Read a Despatch from the Secretary of State, No. 61 of the 24th April, 1872, notifying His Lordship's sanction of the grant of a Pension of £198.6.8 per annum to Dr. MURRAY, late Colonial Surgeon, to commence from the 19th April, 1872.
The Honorable the Acting Colonial Secretary, by command of His Excellency, lays on the Table a Memorandum (which had been previously sent round to Members) for the formation of a Finance Committee, similar to that which exists to Mauritius, to deal with Expenditure not authorized by the Estimates; and after explaining the grounds which had induced His Excellency to adopt such a course, states that the appointment of the proposed Committee has met with the concurrence of Honorable Members.
The Acting Colonial Secretary then reads Draught Rules for the guidance of the Committee, which he proposes should be submitted to the Council for approval at its next Meeting.
His Excellency lays on the Table a Statement of certain Items of Expenditure in excess of the Estimates for 1872, requiring the sanction of the Council; and the same having been explained by the Honorable the Acting Colonial Secretary, the following Sums are voted, and ordered to be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for 1872:—
Colonial Secretary's Establishment.
Increase of Salary to Mr. TONNOCHY, as Government Interpreter, in accordance with the Regulations of the Regulations of the Secretary of State, —to date from this 1st June, 1872, ................................................. $240.
Surveyor General's Department.
(1.) Allowance to Mr. KYDD, Overseer of the Reservoir Works at Pokfoolum, in accordance with the terms of his agreement, ..................... $300. (2.) Refund to the said Mr. KYDD for the outlay on his Quarters at Pokfoolum, ................................................................................................ $100. (3.) Increase of Pay to the Watchman at the Pokfoolum, Reservoir, at the rate of $5 per mensem, ................................................................................ $30. (4.) Additional Allowance to the Overseer of Roads and Telegraph, for keep of a Horse, at the rate of $4 per mensem, ........................................... $24.
Police Magistrates' Department.
Additional Vote for Office Contingencies, .......................................... $50. Government Gardens' Department.
Additional Salary to Mr. FORD, Superintendent of the Government Gardens, pursuant to terms of his agreement, ............................................. $28.
Government House.
Purchase of Table-Cutlery, Linen, and other articles of Furniture, .............................................................................................................. $961.74.
Works and Buildings.
(1.) Government Gardens:
(a.) Erection of a Tool House and additional Quarters, for the Gardeners, ............................................................................................... $1,200. (b.) Erection of a low rough Wall round the Nursery, ............. $160. (2.) Repairs to the Civil Hospital, .................................................. $1,135. (3.) Ventilation to the Central School, ........................................... $530. (4.) Gas fittings, Forms, Tables, &c., for the Police School at the Magistracy, ............................................................................................ $411.50. (5.) Sundry alterations, and construction of Ventilators to the Lock Hospital, ............................................................................................... $284.32. (6.) Laying on Gas services at Government House, .................... $119.65. (7.) Building a Medical Examination Room in Victoria Gaol, .... $562.35. (8.) Building a Magazine at the Central Police Station, .............. $81.41. (9.) Erection of a Latrine, &c., at the Western Slaughter House, $73.01.
His Excellency then moves that there be also placed on the Supplementary Estimates for 1872, the following Sums in aid of the City Hall Library:— (1.) For printing 500 copies of the Catalogue of the Library, ...... $360. (2.) For binding Books, ................................................................ $200. (3.) For lighting the Library which Gas for 6 months, ................ $210.
Question put and carried.
His Excellency lays on the Table a Bill to authorize the Appropriation of a Supplementary Sum not exceeding Ninety-nine thousand Dollars to defray the charges for the Year 1871.
The Honorable the Acting Colonial Secretary, by His Excellency's Command, explains that the Bill comprises sums which have already
received the assent of the Council, save certain additions under the heads of “Land and Houses purchased,” which appear in the detailed Estimates.
The Bill is then read a first time.
The Acting Colonial Secretary lays on the Table a Statement of the Special Fund Account, and says that the same will be printed in due course for the information of Honorable Members.
At this stage of the Proceedings, the Honorable PHINEAS RYRIE, leaving being obtained, gives notice that at the next Meeting of the Council he would ask if there was any objection to lay before Council the Instructions of the Secretary of State regarding the disposal of the Special Fund. He would further request, that a Statement be laid on the Table showing that Sums expended from the Fund, besides those which had appeared in Documents already published.
The following Bills are read a first time, and, by direction of His Excellency, they are explained seriatim by the Honorable the Acting Attorney General; namely:—
(1.) A Bill for registering Births and Deaths in Hongkong.
(2.) A Bill to further amend the Law relating to Criminal Procedure.
(3.) A Bill for the Prevention of the Carriage of dangerous Goods on board Foreign Ships without due Notice.
(4.) A Bill to regulate the Manufacture, Importation and Storage of Explosive Substances.
(5.) A Bill for the Licensing and better Regulation of the Business of Brokers.
His Excellency adjourns the Council at 35 minutes past 4 o'clock, till Tuesday, the 23rd July, at 3 P.M.
A E. KENNEDY,
Governor.
Read and confirmed, this 23rd Day of July, 1872.
L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO,
Clerk of Councils.