HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 28TH FEBRUARY, 1907.
PRESENT:―
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR SIR MATTHEW NATHAN, K.C.M.G.
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary). Hon. Mr. H. H. J. GOMPERTZ (Attorney-General) Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General) Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Captain-Superintendent of Police).
Hon. Dr. HO KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G.
Hon. Mr. WEI YUK.
Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE.
Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETT.
Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils) MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 1 to 13, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The ATTORNEY -GENERAL seconded.
HIS EXCELLENCY―Financial Minute No. 1 should be for $2,515 instead of $2,200 as printed. It is necessitated by an outbreak of Hæmorrbagic Septicæmia which took place at the Dairy Farm at the commencement of the year. Under Section 54 the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance the Government was called upon to pay compensation for twenty-one diseased cows and one healthy cow that had to be slaughtered to stop the spread of the disease. Financial Minute No. 2 for $1,484 is required to resume some land adjoining the Police Station, Land Office and Officers' quarters at Taipo, to prevent its use for Chinese shops and dwellings which it is cousidered would be iusanitary to the surrounding buildings. Financial Minute No. 3 for £90 is necessitated by the fact that in the years 1904, 1905 and 1906, through an oversight, the amounts voted by the Colony in aid of the Cancer Research Fund were not paid to that fund. To obviate the need
of such a revote in future, the Crown Agents have been sent a list of the Colony's annual contributions to various funds, with instructions to pay them as they become due without further reference to the Colony. Financial Minute No. 4 for $2,000 is for repairs to the new fairway buoys that were laid last year. These repairs were necessitated by the heavy typhoons at the end of September, and the advice of the Elder Brethren of Trinity House was taken with regard to them. Financial Minute No. 5 for $1,000 is for repairs to existing rifles and for the provision of some additional rifles for the use of the Volunteer Reserve Association. The considerable use of the rifles made in the past has necessitated repairs, and the opening of the new Peak range, which will be used at the same time as the Kowloon range, requires the provision of additional rifles for the future. Financial Minute No. 6 consists of two main items: one of $53,000 for new work, and the other of $32,690 for revotes of amounts unexpended last year. The first item includes $41,000 on account of typhoon and rain storm damages. I foreshadowed the necessity for this vote when I last addressed the Council on the subject of the great typhoon. It was no use taking it last year, as the repairs could not then be carried out. The remainder of the $53,000 is an item of $12,000 for insanitary property resumption. This is in addition to the revote of part of the money voted last year. The total of $32,690 for revotes is on account of public works provided for in 1905 not having been completed that year. It compares favourably with the amount of revotes in the last two years. In 1906 it was $65,201; in 1905 it was $71,836; this year, as I have said, it is $32,690. Financial Minute No. 7 for $153.80 is on account of the destruction last September of the matshed in which Land Office records were kept at Taipo. This involved the occupation of a private house at Taipo, and the amount included in this financial minute is for the rent
of that private house. Financial Minute No. 8 for $3,263 is for an increased contribution to the Imperial Institute for the two years 1906-7 and 1907-8. The subscription is now £200 perannum. Before agreeing to this increased subscription I consulted the Executive Council who considered that the Colony would reap advantage from it. Financial Minute No. 9 for $1,050 is for payment of compensation for land taken up for the military rifle range at Kowloon. There was a vote of $20,000 for this purpose in the estimates for 1904, but against that vote $10,973 was expended and at the end of that year the account was closed. Owing to some dispute as to who were entitled to the compensation it has not been possible to pass the further amount of $1,050 until the present time. Financial Minute No. 10 for the small sum of $55 is to enable us to start a cottage hospital of six beds at Taipo. This was recommended by the Principal Civil Medical Officer after his last inspection in the New Territories. Financial Minute No. 11 for $9,334 is for raising the fire float which was sunk in the typhoon of September 18th, and for providing a new hull and fittings for it. Financial Minute No. 12 for $5,000 is mainly a revote of a sum already provided for the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance Commission. I have been assured by the Chairman of that Commission that very little further expenditure will be involved, and in my turn I have assured him that this Council will be much disappointed if the labours of the Commission do not result in a considerable reduction of the annual expenditure of the Sanitary Department. Financial Minute No. 13 for $6,209 is on account of expenditure incurred in connection with the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. With regard to that visit the Council will be interested to learn that I have received from His Royal Highness at Singapore, a telegram to the effect that the whole party much regretted that they were not able to spend a longer time than they did with us.
The motion was agreed to.
JURY LIST.
The Council afterwards sat in private for revision of the jury list.
Council then adjourned.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held ―the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding. The following votes were passed:―
COMPENSATION FOR CATTLE
SLAUGHTERED.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Two thousand five hundred and fifteen Dollars ($2,515) in aid of the vote Sanitary Department―other charges, compensation for infected cattle slaughtered.
RESUMPTION OF TAXLORD LOTS.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of One thousand four hundred and eighty-four Dollars ($1,484) in aid of the vote Miscellaneous
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Services, resumption of taxlord lots in the New Territories.
CANCER RESEARCH.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Ninety Pounds (£90) in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Services, cancer reserarch fund. HARBOUR EXPENDITURE.
The Governor recommended the Council to revote a sum of Two thousand Dollars ($2,000) in aid of the vote Harbour Master's Department, Harbour Office-special expenditure, purchase of 3 fairway lights and buoys.
VOLUNTEER EXPENDITURE.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of One thousand Dollars ($1,000) in aid of the vote Military Expenditure, B. Volunteers―other charges, purchase of 24 barrels and 13 rifles.
PUBLIC WORKS.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Fifty-three thousand Dollars ($53,000) and to revote a sum of Thirty two thousand six hundred and ninety Dollars ($32,690) in aid of the votes Public Works Recurrent and Public Works Extraordinary for the following items:―
Public Works Recurrent
Typhoon and rainstorm damages, .................. $4,000 Public Works Extraordinary.
Insanitary Property Resumption..................... 12,000 $53,000
Mortuary at Kowloon,..................................... $5,150 New Roads in Victoria―Extension East
and West of Conduit Road,........................ 5,290 Insanitary Property Resumption,.................... 12,060 Water Supply, Tai Po,....................................... 3,410 Time Ball Tower on Blackhead's Hill,
Kowloon,...................................................... 6,780 $32,690
MORE TYPHOON EXPENSES
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of One hundred and fifty-three dollars and eighty cents ($153.80) in aid of the vote Judicial and Legal Departments, Land Registry Office, New Territories― other charges, typhoon expenses.
GRANTS-IN-AID.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Three thousand two hundred and sixty-three dollars ($3,263 at/-=£326.6.0.) in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Services, grants-in-aid of other institutions:―Imperial Institute.
RESUMPTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of One thousand and fifty dollars ($1050) in aid of the vote Public Parks Extraordinary, resumption of private property for Rifle Range, Kowloon.
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TEMPORARY HOSPITAL.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Fifty-five dollars ($55) in aid of the vote Medical Departments, B.―Hospitals and Asylums, other charges, New Territories, rent of temporary hospital.
TYPHOON DAMAGES.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Nine thousand three hundred and thirty-four dollars ($9,334) in aid of the vote Police and Prison Departments, D. ― Fire Brigade, other charges, typhoon damages.
THE COMMISSION CHARGES.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Five thousand Dollars, $3,439.15 being a revote ($5,000) in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Service, Public Health and Buildings Ordinance Commission.
CONNAUGHT RECEPTION.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Six thousand two hundred and nine Dollars ($6,209) in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Services, Connaught Reception.
The Council resumed and on the motion of the Colonial Secretary seconded by the Attorney-General the votes which had been adopted by the Finance Committee were passed.