VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.
NO. 1 OF 1878.
TUESDAY, 19TH FEBRUARY, 1878.
PRESENT:
His Excellency Governor J. POPE HENNESSY, C.M.G.
The Honourable the Chief Justice (Sir JOHN SMALE).
The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (JOHN GARDINER AUSTIN, C.M.G.). The Honourable the Colonial Treasurer (CECIL C. SMITH).
The Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE.
The Honourable HENRY LOWCOCK.
The Honourable JOHN MACNEILE PRICE.
The Honourable FRANCIS BULKELEY JOHNSON.
The Minutes of the last Meeting of Council are read and confirmed.
The draft Jury List for 1878 is taken into consideration, and, having been revised and amended, and the Special Jurors having been designated, is finally adopted.
On the motion of His Excellency the Governor, the Bill to relieve a certain class of Passenger Steamers from the Regulations of Schedule A of the 'Chinese Passenger Act, 1855,' and from the Regulations of Schedule E of the 'Chinese Emigration Consolidation Ordinance, 1874,' and to substitute other Regulations in regard thereto,
is read a second time.
His Excellency then moves the first reading of a Bill to provide for the Survey and Regulation of Steam-ships and Vessels propelled by steam, and states that the "Yesso" accident, which had occurred since the last meeting of Council, pointed to the necessity of immediate Legislation regarding the survey of steam-ships; the clauses in the general Merchant Shipping Consolidation Bill relating to the subject had been made into a separate Bill accordingly.
The Bill is read a first time.
On the motion of the Governor, the following votes, which had been already sanctioned by the Finance Committee, are passed:—
PAYMENTS AUTHORISED IN EXCESS OF THE ESTIMATES OF 1878, REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.
Colonial Secretary's Establishment.
Salary to Chinese Interpreter, at £500 per annum, .............................. $ 2,400.00 Allowance to WODEHOUSE for extra work in the translation of Chinese Petitions, $40 per month, .................................................. 480.00 Allowance for a Chinese Clerk, $10 per month, ................................. 120.00 $ 3,000.00
Registrar General's Establishment.
Increase of pay to Inspector of Markets (Mr. ORLEY), at $20 per month, ............................................................................................. $ 220.00
Educational,—Exclusive of Establishment.
Grants-in-Aid, additional vote, ........................................................... $ 500.00
Works and Buildings.
Erection of a Bungalow at the Peak for Government Officers, .......... $ 6,000.00 Repairing the Roof over Lecture Hall in Central School, ................... 800.00 $ 6,800.00
Roads, Streets, and Bridges.
Sanitary Improvements at Aberdeen, .................................................. $ 1,000.00
Miscellaneous Services.
Furniture for Government House, ....................................................... $ 5,000.00 Polishing and re-covering Chairs in Council Room, and one Table Cover, (re-vote), .............................................................................. 57.00 Compensation to Mr. TOMLIN, for losses sustained by being removed from the Acting Superintendency of Victoria Gaol, ........ 450.00 $ 5,507.00
His Excellency reads a Despatch from Her Majesty's Secretary of Sate for the Colonies sanctioning an increase to the vote for the Widow of the late Mr. ALEXANDER, of $580, thus raising it to $2,500.
The increase to the vote is passed.
On the vote for $2,400 as Salary to a Chinese Interpreter, His Excellency refers to the serious inconvenience which he experiences owing to the want of a qualified Chinese Interpreter, an inconvenience shared also by the Colonial Secretary, and he states that, with the sum asked for, he hoped to be able to secure the services of a thoroughly competent Interpreter, who would be attached to the Colonial Secretary's Department and interpret for His Excellency when occasion required.
Conversation on the generally defective state of interpretation in the public service of the Colony follows, and eventually the vote is agreed to for one year.
On the $500 for additional vote to Grants-in-aid of Schools, His Excellency refers to the correspondence regarding the Government Schools recently published in the Gazette, and states it to be his intention to convene a Conference consisting of two or three members of the Executive Council and the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council, together with Mr. STEWART and Dr. EITEL, with a view to arriving at some definite conclusion regarding the best means of promoting the study of English in the Government Schools.
His Excellency also informs Honourable Members that Dr. EITEL had consented to act as Head of the Educational Department and as Inspector of Schools during Mr.
STEWART'S absence, and that he proposed, at the next meeting of Council, to ask for a vote to be given to Dr. EITEL as an honorarium for acting for Mr. STEWART, and also for a vote to enable Mr. STEWART to go home on four months' vacation leave on full pay.
The Honourable H. LOWCOCK, on behalf of the Unofficial Members of Council, expresses his appreciation of His Excellency's intentions to encourage the study of English, and his gratification at hearing of Dr. EITEL'S appointment.
His Excellency then refers to the lamentable state of affairs prevailing in the North of China in consequence of the famine, as revealed in the correspondence published in the last issue of the Government Gazette. He proposes the Council concurring to request permission from Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies to give $10,000 of financial Fund, as assistance to the famine stricken sufferers.
The Honourable F. B. JOHNSON cordially concurs, he states that steps are being taken by the community to organize a relief fund with the same object in view.
This and the other votes are then agreed to.
His Excellency adjourns the Council at 5 P.M., sine die.
J. POPE HENNESSY,
Governor.
Read and confirmed, this 15th day of October, 1878.
H. E. WODEHOUSE,
Clerk of Councils.