PRESENT:―
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 99 31ST DECEMBER, 1926.
place.
Proclamation under the Merchant Shipping
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR CECIL CLEMENTI, K.C.M.G.).
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS (MAJOR-GENERAL C. C. LUARD, C.B., C.M.G.).
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY (HON. MR. W. T. SOUTHORN).
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (HON. MR. J. H. KEMP, K.C., C.B.E.).
THE COLONIAL TREASURER (HON. MR. C. MCI. MESSER, O.B.E.).
HON. MR. E. R. HALLIFAX, C.M.G., C.B.E. (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).
HON. MR. H. T. CREASY (Director of Public Works).
HON. MR. E. D. C. WOLFE (Captain Superintendent of Police).
HON. MR. A. O. LANG.
HON. MR. H. W. BIRD.
HON. DR. R. H. KOTEWALL, LL.D.
HON. MR. D. G. M. BERNARD.
Mr. D. W. TRATMAN (Clerk of Councils). Minutes
The Minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.
Papers
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:―
Regulations under section 2 of the Public Places Regulation Ordinance, 1870, on 5th November, 1926.
Order under section 3 of the Public Places Regulation Ordinance, 1870, on 10th November, 1926.
Order under section 11 of the Volunteer Ordinance, 1920, on 5th November, 1926.
Rescission of the Order of 26th July, 1926, proclaiming Shanghai to be an infected
Ordinance, 1899, Table L, Quarantine Regulations, on 18th November, 1926. Order under section 72 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, on 18th November, 1926.
Rescission of the Order of 21st May, 1926, proclaiming Hoihow to be an infected place.
Regulation under section 23 of the Waterworks Ordinance, 1903, on 25th November, 1926.
Amendment of Pension Minute, on 3rd December, 1926.
Order under section 2 of the Rating (Refunds) Ordinance, 1926, on 9th December, 1926.
Order under section 34 of the Telephone Ordinance, 1925, on 9th December, 1926.
Rescission of the Order of 16th September, 1926, proclaiming Amoy to be an infected place.
Report of the Registrar of the Supreme Court for the Year 1925.
Charges for Medical Treatment to 1st and 2nd Class Private Patients in Government Hospitals as from 1st January, 1927 (Sessional Paper No. 15 of 1926).
By-Laws
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Governor, laid upon the table by laws relating to the prevention and mitigation of epidemic, endemic, contagious or infectious disease, and moved that they be adopted.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.
Finance Committee
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Governor, laid upon the table reports of the Finance Committee Nos. 10, 11, 12 and 13 and moved that they be adopted.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.
100 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
Interpretation Ordinance
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, An Ordinance to amend the Interpretation Ordinance, 1911. He said―This Bill will make three amendments in the Interpretation Ordinance. The first is a technical one and is explained in the Objects and Reasons. It is not of very great interest or of any great importance. The second amendment is dealt with by clause 2 of the Bill. The effect of that amendment will be to enable the duties of the Clerk of the Executive Council and Clerk of the Legislative Council to be separated. The object is to relieve the Assistant Colonial Secretary of a certain amount of pressure on his time owing to the great pressure of work in that office. The intention is that he should continue to act as Clerk of the Executive Council and a deputy clerk be appointed to act as clerk to the Legislative Council. The third amendment outlined in clause 4 of the Bill deals with the definition of the limits of the harbour of Victoria. The present limits are rather artificial. On the east side, speaking roughly, the boundary is a line drawn from North Point to Kowloon City. On the West the harbour does not include that part of its area between Stonecutters' Island and the mainland. These limits may have been the natural limits at one time but the Colony and the harbour have grown and it seems clear now that the natural limit of the harbour on the East side should be Lyemun Pass. It also seems natural to include in the harbour that area of water between Stonecutters' Island and the mainland. In addition to this general reason for extending the harbour limits there is one very practical and particular reason. The Harbour Master in typhoon weather, and in preparation for a typhoon, has to give instruction to merchant ships in the harbour to do certain things such as raising steam so as to mitigate the risk of damage when the typhoon comes. These powers apply only to the harbour of Victoria. They apply, of course, to any port in the Colony but for this purpose they apply only to the harbour of Victoria which is one of the Ports. The Harbour Master has no power to give these instructions to ships lying outside the harbour boundaries, and such ships may, as far as the law is concerned, with impunity neglect necessary precautions and, as has happened, may drag their anchors and drift down to cause
serious damage to ships in harbour which have taken the precautions prescribed. If this section is passed the power of the Harbour Master in that respect will extend as far as Lyemun. It also gives him certain additional powers over junks, lighters, cargo boats and small craft. I would point out, moreover, that the amendment, as indicated in the Objects and Reasons will have two further general effects on shipping approaching the harbour. One is that when this Bill becomes law any ship approaching the harbour which is flying the Quarantine flag will not be allowed to enter Lyemun Pass between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. At present such ships can enter so long as they do not cross the line drawn from North Point to Kowloon City. In future they will have to anchor outside of Lyemun, arriving here between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The other general effect is that vessels entering the harbour through Lyemun Pass ― that is vessels exceeding 60 tons―will have to reduce their speed to nine knots on entering the Pass. These are the general effects which will flow from the extension of the harbour limits.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a first time.
Promissory Oaths Ordinance
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, An Ordinance to amend the Promissory Oaths Ordinance, 1869. He said―This Bill is a purely technical Bill. Clause 2 makes two technical amendments which are necessary owing to the fact that it is now proposed to appoint a Deputy Clerk of Councils. Clause 3 makes another technical amendment which is rendered necessary by the fact that the Magistrates Amendment Ordinance of this year provided for two marine magistrates instead of one as formerly.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a first time.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR―This is the last meeting of 1926 and I desire to thank all members of this Council very cordially for the valuable assistance they have given me throughout a difficult and anxious year. I wish all members of this Council and, through them, the whole Colony every happiness and prosperity in the New Year
Council then adjourned sine die.