VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.
No. 5 OF 1875.
TUESDAY, 29th JUNE, 1875.
PRESENT:
His Excellency the Administrator (JOHN GARDINER AUSTIN).
The Honorable the Chief Justice (SIR JOHN SMALE).
The Honorable the Acting Colonial Secretary (CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH). The Honorable the Attorney General (JOHN BRAMSTON).
The Honorable the Acting Colonial Treasurer (CHARLES MAY).
The Honorable PHINEAS RYRIE.
The Honorable WILLIAM HASTINGS ALEXANDER.
The Honorable HENRY LOCWCOCK.
ABSENT:
The Honorable JAMES WHITTALL.
The Council meets this day at 2.30 P.M., by Special Summons.
The Minutes of the Council held on the 8th April, 1875, are read and confirmed.
His Excellency informs the Council that the Secretary of State has been pleased, on reconsideration, to sanction a grant of £400 to the children of the late Mr. DOUGLAS.
Read a first time a Bill to authorize the Appropriation of a Supplementary Sum not exceeding One hundred and Fifty thousand Dollars to defray the Charges of the year 1874.
Read a first time a Bill to provide for Public and Bank Holidays.
The Honorable the Attorney General states that this Bill is adopted from the Bank Holidays' Act, 1871, and from a similar Ordinance in force in the Mauritius, and that its object is to regulate by Law and give legal sanction to the closing of the Banks in the Colony on certain days in the year.
Read a first time a Bill to license Small Passenger Steamers, and for other purposes. The Attorney General explains the objects of the measure.
Read a first time a Bill for the more effectual Protection of Her Majesty's Naval Stores, and for the Regulation of Pawnbroker' Licences.
The Attorney General explains that owing to certain alterations which have been made at Home in the law for the regulation of the state of Naval Stores, it has been deemed advisable to amend the local laws on the same subject, and to assimilate them to those in force at home.
Read a first time a Bill to provide for the Devolution of the Site of Saint Paul's College, and to provide Means for altering the Statutes of the said College.
The Attorney General explains the objects of the Bill which had become
necessary by the revocation of the Letters Patent under which the Bishopric of Victoria was constituted.
The Acting Colonial Secretary moves that a sum of $9,000 be voted for the repair of damages occasioned by the storm on the night of the 31st May.
Amount voted.
The Acting Colonial Secretary moves that a sum of $3,400 be voted for the dredging of Bowrington Canal, and for the reclamation of a portion of land off the Praya East near the Wanchai Main Drains.
Discussion ensues, and eventually the amount is voted. The following Votes passed at a meeting of the Finance Committee on the 6th May, 1875, are laid before the Council pro formâ.
"ACCOUNT 1874.
"WORKS and Buildings.
"Excess of Crown Agents' Accounts over Original Estimate for Public Gardens, $454.00
"Miscellaneous Services.
"Typhoon Casualties – Amount disbursed by the Police Department, viz. :-
"To BROWN JONES & CO., for removing and
burying Dead Bodies, .......................................... $244.50
" " FOOK CHEONG, Petty Expenses for
removing Rubbish, &c.,....................................... 79.32
" " Hongkong Dispensary, ................................. 0.50
" " Gratuities to 5 Turnkeys and I Gaol Guard
for extra work, ..................................................... 16.50
" " Gratuity to Inspector BURNS for Services
rendered in Typhoon, ........................................... 100.00
"$440.82"
"ACCOUNT 1875.
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"Colonial Secretary's Department.
"Salary to Temporary Clerk, at $112 per mensem, from 10th
December, 1874, to 28th February, 1875, ......................... $ 303.48 "Chinese Teacher's Allowance, from February, 1875, at $10
per mensem, (Mr. TRAVERS), ............................................ 100.00
"Surveyor General's Department.
"House Rent to Inspector of Buildings and Chair Allowance, .... $ 360.00
"Registrar General's Department.
"Chinese Teacher's Allowance for Mr. BALL, for February and
March , at $10 per mensem, ............................................. $ 20.00 "Chinese Teacher's Allowance to Second Clerk, at $10 per
mensem, from February, (Mr. NORTHCOTE), ................... 100.00 "Salaries of 5 Extra Market Scavengers, at $5 per month each, 300.00 "1 Coolie and 2 Water Carriers for the New Market at
Wanchai, ........................................................................... 143.00
"Police Magistrates' Department.
"Chinese Teacher's Allowance, from February, 1875, at $10
per mensem, (Mr. PARKER), ............................................. $ 100.00 "Chinese Teacher's Allowance, from April, 1875, at $10 per
mensem, (Mr. BALL), ....................................................... 80.00
"Police Department.
"5 Extra Coolies at $5 per month, to clean Police Barracks,
from 7th April, 1875,………………… $ 200.00
"Fire Brigade Department.
"Additional Salary of $9 per month to Sergeant WASSENIUS
for Fire Brigade duties,…………… $ 108.00
"Works and Buildings.
"Re-vote for Shanghai Post Office,……………………… $ 2,290.00 "Note : Original Vote 1874, ............................. $ 16,000.00 "Actual Cost, .......................................... 15,853.55 "Spent in 1874, ....................................... 13,564.00 "Balance, ......................... $ 2,289.55
"Erection of small Lunatic Ward, ............................................... $ 95.00 "Conversion of Chapel at Stone Cutters' Island into Small Pox
Ward, ................................................................................ 150.00 "Erection of Astronomical Station at Kowloon, ......................... 480.00 "Erection of Boat House at Stanley, ........................................... 160.00
His Excellency adjourns the Meeting at 3.10 P.M. until 2.30 P.M. on Wednesday, the 7th July, 1875.
J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Administrator.
Read and confirmed, this 7th Day of July, 1875.
H. ERNEST WODEHOUSE, Clerk of Councils.