PRESENT:―
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16TH JULY, 1900.
Ordinance No. 8 of 1900. As regards, however, Mr.
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR (Sir HENRY BLAKE, G.C.M.G.).
The Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Acting Colonial Secretary).
Hon. W. MEIGH GOODMAN (Attorney-General). Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works). Hon. BASIL TAYLOR (Acting Harbour Master). Hon. A. W. BREWIN.
Hon. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G.
Hon. Dr. HO KAI.
Hon. J. THURBURN.
Hon. R. M. GRAY.
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Councils). FINANCIAL.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minute No. 36 and moved that it be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was carried.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 12) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was carried.
THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK ORDINANCE.
On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY, a Bill providing for the again continuing in force for a further period the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Ordinance, 1899, was read a first time.
THE PROPOSED LAND COURT.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL proposed the second reading of a Bill entitled, An Ordinance to facilitate the hearing, determination, and settlement of land claims in the New Territories, to establish a Land Court, and for other purposes. He said that this Bill as brought before the Council was nothing more nor less than the Bill which was passed in March last. When this Bill was sent home for the approval of the Secretary of State and had been duly comsidered, two or three slight amendments in minor details were suggested by the Secretary of State, and rather than have two Bills they thought it better to have the Bill reenacted with the amendments. This course would meet any objections of a technical kind as regards procedure with respect to
Whitehead's protest that the Ordinance No. 8 of 1900 was a violation of the Convention of 9th June, 1898, the Secretary of State has said he sees no reason for adopting the honourable member's view on that point. The "objects and reasons" of the Bill were as follow: ―"Ordinance 8 of 1900. providing for a Land Court for the purpose of hearing and determining claims in relation to land in the New Territories, was assented to by the Governor on 28th March, 1900. It was duly submitted for Her Majesty's directions, and the Ordinance, generally, was approved; but the following amendments, on minor points. were suggested by the Secretary of State as desirable:―
"(a.) The substitution. in section 18, of the words "by the Governor in Executive Council" for the words "by the Court," in relation to the fixing the rate of money rent on substitution of rent in produce. This is because the Court is not intended to be a permanent institution. (b.) Provision being made, in section 19, for allowing payment of an annual money rent as an alternative to the payment of a capital sum, in cases of the redemption of a produce rent payable in perpetuity. (c.) The addition of a section providing that the Court shall be brought to an end as soon as the work for which it is appointed has been performed.
"Ordinance 8 of 1900 is repealed by this Ordinance and re-enacted with the amendments mentioned. One other amendment has been made, at the suggestion of the Members of the Land Court. They thought it desirable that the value of disputed claims. which might be dealt with by one member of the Court, should be raised, with a view to expediting the business of the Court. The maximum has, accordingly, been raised from two hundred to five hundred dollars. Appointments made under Ordinance 8 of 1900 have been continued as valid, and, in order to prevent any confusion in citing Ordinance 8 of 1900 and the present Ordinance by their short titles, the short title to the present Ordinance has been changed to The New Territories Land Court Ordinance, 1900."
The Council then went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause, and on the Council resuming the Bill was read a third time and passed.
THE LIQUOR LICENSES ORDINANCE.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL proposed the second reading of An Ordinance to amend The Liquor Licenses Ordinance, 1898, and to repeal The Liquor Licenses Amendment Ordinance, 1899. The "objects and reasons" of this Bill were as follow:―
"Section 2 of this Bill, in effect, re-enacts section 3 of Ordinance No. 23 of 1899, except that the preposition "to" is inserted between the words "sold" and the words "or be drunk by." The Secretary of State has given instructions
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that this amendment should be made so as to prevent
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the
any difficulty which might, otherwise arise in the construction of the law.
"Section 3 effects increases in the following license fees, namely: (1.) Distillery License fees are increased from $150 to $200 per annum. (2.) The three different scales of Public-house License fees are increased as follows:―(a.) Where the annual valuation is under $1,000. the fee is increased from $300 to $450 (b.) Where the annual valuation is $1,000 or over, but under $4,200, the fee is increased from $360 to $600 (c.) Where such valuation is $4,200 or over, the fee is increased from $480 to $800. (3.) Wholesale License fees and also Grocer's License fees are increased from $240 to $500. (4.) Chinese Wine and Spirit Shop License fees are increased from $150 to $250.
"The increases of fees mentioned in 1, 2 and 3 are new, it being considered reasonable that such an increase should be levied. The increase of fees mentioned in 4 was included in Ordinance 23 of 1899, which is repealed by section 5 of this Bill.
"Section 4 provides for the coming into operation of the Ordinance, and for the application of the rates in the new Schedule to licenses granted on or after 1st November, 1900."
Continuing, the Attorney-General pointed out that there was no increase in the fee for an adjunct license. The difference between a public-house license and an adjunct license was that in the one case there a public bar was allowed and in the other a public bar was not allowed.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the motion was carried.
The Council then went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause, and on the Council resuming the Bill was read a third time and passed.
APPROPRIATION.
The COLONIAL TREASURER proposed the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to authorise the appropriation of a supplementary sum of four hundred and eighty-one thousand three hundred and thirty-five dollars and thirty-five cents, to defray the charges of the year 1899. He said honourable members would find all the detailed figures set forth in the Bill, and he should be glad to give any explanation when the Bill came to be considered in committee.
motion was carried.
The Council then adjourned until Monday next.
MEETING OF THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE.
Immediately after the Council meeting a meeting of the Finance Committee was held, the Acting Colonial Secretary presiding.
It was agreed to vote a sum of $129 for the salary of a temporary assistant junk inspector from July 9th to Dec. 31st inclusive.
The supplementary Appropriation Bill was also considered and agreed to. There is only one clause in the Bill and it reads as follows:―
A sum of Four hundred and Eighty-one thousand Three hundred and Thirty-five Dollars and Thirty-five Cents is hereby charged upon the revenue and other funds of the Colony for the service of the year 1899, the said sum so charged being expended as hereinafter specified; that is to say:―
Pensions ---------------------------------------------$ 8,646.26 Governor and Legislature-------------------------- 6,586.22 Colonial Secretary's Department ----------------- 1,260.34 Public Works Department ----------------------------919.77 Post Office -------------------------------------------- 1,335.76 Registrar General's Department------------------- 1,277.22 Botanical and Afforestation Department-----------190.37 Legal Departments ---------------------------------10,249.52 Medical Departments------------------------------- 1,054.19 Magistracy -------------------------------------------- 1,765.58 Police--------------------------------------------------32,008.97 Sanitary Department -------------------------------- 9,598.05 Transport ---------------------------------------------- 6,636.96 Miscellaneous Services-------------------------- 336,697.54 Military Expenditure-------------------------------27,444.23 Public Works Recurrent---------------------------13,923.49
Ordinary Expenditure---------------$459,594.47 Extraordinary Public Works----------21,740.88
Total $481,335.35
This was all the business.