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OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
Meeting of 7th January, 1959.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (PRESIDENT)
SIR ROBERT BROWN BLACK, K.C.M.G., O.B.E.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR EDRIC MONTAGUE BASTYAN, K.B.E., C.B. THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. CLAUDE BRAMALL BURGESS, C.M.G., O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR. ARTHUR RIDEHALGH. Q.C.
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
MR. JOHN CRICHTON MCDOUALL.
THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR. ARTHUR GRENFELL CLARKE. C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE ALLAN INGLIS
(Director of Public Works).
DR. THE HONOURABLE DAVID JAMES MASTERTON MACKENZIE, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Director of Medical and Health Services).
THE HONOURABLE COLIN GEORGE MERVYN MORRISON
(Director of Urban Services).
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE CHARLES EDWARD MICHAEL TERRY, O.B.E. THE HONOURABLE LO MAN WAL, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE NGAN SHING-KWAN, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE KWOK CHAN, O.B.E.
DR. THE HONOURABLE ALBERTO MARIA RODRIGUES, M.B.E., E.D. THE HONOURABLE JOHN DOUGLAS CLAGUE, C.B.E., M.C., T.D.
THE HONOURABLE HUGH DAVID MACEWEN BARTON, M.B.E.
MR. MAURICE DEREK SARGANT (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:
THE HONOURABLE PATRICK CARDINALL MASON SEDGWICK
(Commissioner of Labour).
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MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 17th December, 1958 were confirmed.
ANNOUNCEMENT.
COLONIAL SECRETARY: —I rise to announce the appointment of the Standing Law Committee for 1959. The following members have been appointed and have agreed to serve: —
The Honourable Attorney General (Chairman)
The Honourable Lo Man Wai
Dr. the Honourable A. M. Rodrigues
The Honourable J. D. Clague
The Honourable H. D. M. Barton
PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers: —
Subject. G.N. No.
Sessional Paper, 1959: —
No. 1—Annual Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement for the year 1957/58.
Report of the Brewin Trust Fund Committee for the year ending 30th June, 1958.
Pilots Ordinance.
Pilots (Amendment) Regulations, 1958 ........................................ A. 81. Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) Act, 1945.
Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) (Colonies, etc.) Order in Council, 1946.
Defence Regulations (Revocation) Order, 1958 ........................... A. 82.
Importation and Exportation Ordinance.
Importation and Exportation (Reserved Commodities)
(Amendment) Regulations, 1958 .......................................... A. 83.
HONG KONG AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE BILL, 1959.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the First reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to provide for the establishment and regulation of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force."
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He said: As honourable Members are aware, the Hong Kong Police Reserve and the Special Constabulary have been amalgamated into a single body for rather over a year, and the Bill now before Council gives legal effect to this union. The enactments under which the Police Reserve and the Special Constabulary were previously constituted will be repealed and replaced by a single Ordinance based upon the provisions of the previous enactments. As the legislation is largely of a consolidatory nature and as the Bill is accompanied by a comparative table, it is not necessary for me to deal in detail with the provisions incorporated in it.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a First time.
Objects and Reasons.
The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows: —
The purpose of this Bill is to make provision for the amalgamation into one Force of the Police Reserve and the Special Constabulary. At present both of these forces are controlled on similar lines, the former under the Police Reserve Ordinance and the latter under the Emergency (Special Constabulary) Regulations, 1950. The effect of this Bill will be to repeal that Ordinance and rescind those regulations and replace them by one Ordinance based upon the existing legislation but omitting the duplications and removing the anomalies inherent in the operation of two similar forces under separate legislation.
2. A detailed Comparative Table is annexed to these Objects and Reasons.
COMMISSIONERS POWERS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1959.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the First reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Commissioners Powers Ordinance, Chapter 86".
He said: Sir, this is a short and very simple Bill. The purpose of it is sufficiently explained I think in the statement of Objects and Reasons to which I have nothing to add and I therefore beg to move.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a First time.
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Objects and Reasons.
The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows: —
The purpose of this amending Bill is to remove doubt as to the power of the Governor in Council to fix a quorum when appointing commissioners under the Commissioners Powers Ordinance (Chapter 86).
ESTATE DUTY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1959.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the Third reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Estate Duty Ordinance, Chapter 111."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed.
ADJOURNMENT.
H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —Gentlemen, that concludes the business for today. When is it your pleasure that we should meet again?
ATTORNEY GENERAL: —May I suggest this day two weeks, Sir? H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —Council stands adjourned to this day two weeks.