18 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 28TH FEBRUARY, 1922.
PRESENT:―
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR REGINALD EDWARD STUBBS, K.C.M.G.
HON. MR. CLAUD SEVERN, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary).
HON. MR. J. H. KEMP, K.C., C.B.E. (Attorney General).
HON. MR. C. MCI MESSER, O.B.E. (Colonial Treasurer).
HON. MR. E. R. HALLIFAX, O.B.E. (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).
HON. MR. E. A. IRVING (Director of Education).
HON. MR. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.
HON. MR. LAU CHU-PAK.
HON. MR. E. V. D. PARR.
HON. MR. A. G. STEPHEN.
HON. MR. A. O. LANG.
HON. MR. CHOW SHOU-SON.
MR. A. G. M. FLETCHER, C.B.E. (Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:―
H.F. MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JOHN FOWLER, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O. (General Officer Commanding the Troops in China).
HON. MR. T. L. PERKINS (Director of Public Works).
Strike Legislation
H.E. THE GOVERNOR said―The Council has been called to-day for a special purpose, which is to pass a Bill to confer upon the Governor in Council power to make regulations in cases of emergency or public danger. The necessity for passing this legislation at this time is that the result of the seamen's strike has been to unsettle generally popular feeling here and in Canton, and efforts have been and are still being made to bring out other classes of labour who are not concerned in the matter which originated the ―that is if the reasons given for the seamen's strike are correct ― a matter on
which there may be two opinions. At all events it is essential for the safety of the Colony that steps should be taken, as early as possible, to confer upon the Executive the most drastic powers for dealing with a situation which may at any moment result in disorder owing to the misguided efforts of persons who are under the influence of Bolshevist doctrine.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of the Bill saying: You have stated, Sir, the reasons for the introduction of this Bill and I do not think I need add anything to what you have said.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the first reading of the Bill was agreed to
H.E. THE GOVERNOR―Under standing rule No. 48 it is provided that in cases of emergency if the Governor declare. that such emergency exists, and the grounds therefor, and that in his opinion it is necessary or desirable in the public interest that any of the standing rules relative to the ordinary procedure i,s respect to Bills be suspended, it may be moved that the said rules be suspended, and if the motion be adopted by a majority of the votes of the members present the Bill may be carried through its remaining stages at one sitting. I now declare that an emergency justifying the suspension of the Standing Orders exists and the grounds of my statement are those I have given to-day. I move that the Standing Orders be suspended to such an extent as is necessary to enable the remaining stages of this Bill to be taken at this sitting of the Council.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The Bill passed its second reading and the Council went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. It passed through Committee without amendment, and when Council resumed the Bill was read a third time and passed into law accordingly.
The Council then adjourned.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 19
THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE
(Extract from the Hongkong Government Gazette No. 16 of the 10th. March, 1922) ———
HON. MR. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C., has given notice of the following questions:―
1. ― Is it the fact that the Hongkong Government received any, and if so what, instructions from His Majesty's Government that the Seamen's strike must be settled?
2.―Is it the fact that the terms of the settlement of the dispute between the shipowners and the seamen were due to pressure brought to bear upon the shipowners by the Hongkong Government?
to which the following are the replies:―
1.―No instructions of any kind were received from His Majesty's Government.
2. ― The Government has throughout remained entirely neutral so far as the commercial aspects of the strike were concerned, merely tendering its good offices with a view to settlement. Its efforts were confined to taking steps for the preservation of peace and order and for securing the maintenance of food supplies and essential services.
A. G. M. FLETCHER,
Clerk of Councils.
COUNCIL CHAMBER,
9th March, 1922.
———————