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癫
derstaud, notes issued by the Chinese banks are not bank notes at all; if anything they are bank post billa. Bink notes are notes issued by the ordinary incorporated banks. Noue of
the Chinese binks are incorporated. Hon. Ho KAI-No; that is 80. The ACTING ATTORNEY-G&N&UAL-They do not isana bank notes in #1: ordinary aco-ptation of the ferm.
Hon. Ho Kat-I only wanted to be quite laar upón the point.
Bill passed through Committee without dis ezusion
Council resumed.
Bill road a third time and pissed.
THE POSSESSION OF FIRE ABI3.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[March 28 1895,
TO
́ (7).—As an alternative to the powers granted The COLONIAL SECRETARY, having taken the under Section 19 of the present Ordinance the oath, said-I have to thank your Excellency for Governor in Council should be further empowered the kind words in which you have referred to during the continuance of any proclamation my appointment as Colonial Secretary, and issued under the Peace Preservation Ordinance | the members of the Council for the manner in to order the closing of all arms shops, and the which your remarss have ben received. I can suspension of the sale of arms during that period. only say that my one desire in the future will be The penalty for the breach of the law in this as it has been in the past-to perform my respect should be the same as that provided by duties to the best of my ability and to do every- thing in my power to further the interests and suction 20 of the present Ordinance." These recommendations, I think, have been promote the welfare of this colony, in which the given full effect to in the Bill now before the whole of my official career has been spent, and Council. 1 do not think I need datain the which has been kind to me in many ways, and to Council in going into details, because members which I am very firmly attached. (Applause).
THE STRIKE—“ WEAK AND CRIMINAL will have an opportunity of making any sugges-
ABANDON PROCEEDINGS. tions when the Council is in Committee. Ia
His EXCELLENCY-The only item on regard to section 5. it seems to me that it requires The ACTING ATTORNBY-GENERAL-[a moy. Fonusideration. That section provides that "no the order of the day is the first reading ing the second reading of the Bill out tled “An person who has not a licence from the Governor of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Ordinance to amend and ons ›lidate the law re- for the purpose shall oarry any arms or have Public Health Ordinance, 1837, in relation The Acting Isting: to the carriage and possession of deadly any arms in his possession in this colony." Then to Commou Lodging Houses. weapons" I would like to call attention very follow certain exemptions. Now, sir. I think Attorney-General will presently explain to you briefly to what has given rise to the proposed there are one or two matters in connection with the raison d'être of this" Bill and the necessity Consolidation Or.linance. Most of the Ordin. that section which require very considerable wich exists for pa ising it through its various ance in entirely old matter, but there are only cara. "In the first place there is no exemption | stiges this afternoon. Before he does so I will, cortsin portions of it which aro new matiu respect to steamers in the harbour, and with your permission, say a few words w
to the existing state of affairs, tr. Early last March a serious disturbance nearly all of them have a osrtain quantity of reference took place in the City of Victoria. There arms on board for their own protection. In the it is somewhat serious. I must express my stronger term-my Wera plan fights, I think I am correct in second place there are steamers carrying armsarprise-not to use saying of men from the Tang Kun and as bona fide cargo in transit through the disgust at the obstinacy, stupidity and ignor. 8 Yap districts, and during the period of dis- harbour. The wording of the old Ordinance also ance of the Chinese labourers now on strike, must either have been wilfully turbidos it was necessary to bring into force by seems defective in regard to trading and fishing They proclamation of the Governor certain provisions (jank The Harbour Master informs me that misled by the lodging house keepers na to of the Peso Preservation Ordinanca. Arms, there are four classes of junks; there are licensed the registration of Common Lodging Houses or revolvers, fighting irons, were found in the trading juuks, licensed fishing junka, unlicensed they themselves have wilfully misunderstood possession of Chinese by the polios, and persons junks, and unlicensed fishing boats. There is the object of the regulations passed by this As you know per- were assaulted with swords, some were killed only oue class which is required to give security Council at its last meeting.
At the featly well, the object of these regulations or injured by shots in the streets, and people and that is the licensed fishing junks.
to pave the way for a poll tax rare shot at from the roofs of houses. Ŭwing|last moment there has been a further objection was not to the vigilance of the polic, and the sative to this Bill. It is said that it deals harshly with or any other tax against the Chinese. The ob- Mr. Dennys, who re-ject of the regulations was to improve, if pos masuras taken by them and also in some degre» | Chinese dealers in arms. to the salutary application of the Bauishment presents them, indicated this fact to me about sible, the condition of the labouring population, Ordinance, everything was in time quieted down. | half-an-hour ago, and I believe he also indicated and to make their houses and surroundings more. Shortly after this disturbanos took place, the it to my hon. friend on my left (Hon. J. J. Ks healthy and comfortable than they are, and to Captain Superintendent of Pulics presented a wick). In view of these objections to the Bill protect the general community from any recur. report detailing very ably all the circumstances I do not propose to ask the Council to go into rence of the bubonic plague or any invasion of of the affair. The result was that at the end of Committee on this Bill to-day. I beg to move the colony by any epidemic whatever. The Go- vernment has taken up its position and it does May last year a strong Committee was appointed the second resting of the Bill. to enquire into the means of preventing a re-
not intend to abandon it. I consider it would be weak and criminal to do so, and I am glad to petition of such rinting. The Committee com-
hear from all sides that the mercantile commu- prised the Registrar General, the Captain
nity intends to support the Government in this Buperintendent of Polios, and others, whe certainly rond-rəd very good services to the
matter through thick and thin. (Applause), No doubt you will remember that in my despatob 151 Committee. The raport of the Committee was présented in Ostobər list yoır. aod I will very
of 20th June, which was laid on this table, I re- briefy refer to that portion of the report which
forred to the measures to be taken to pre- done with the proposed amendments in this Or-
vent a possible recurrence of the plague. I alangos, and it is as follows:-
said these measures would be drastic. I said they might possibly lead to an increase in the rents, to an increase in the the cost of living, and perhaps cause a general rise of wages. If these regula- tions or this Ordinance we propose to pass to-day will cause any increase in rents, doubtless an ap- plication from the labouring classes will be re- oeived for a general increase of wages, and I be- lieve that is a matter which is very easily ad❤. justed. But it is a matter purely between. employers of labour and the labourers themselves, and does not interfere with or affect the regula
We are of opinion that the Arms Consolida sion Ordinanca 1891 should be amended in the following resprots.
“(1.) —Section 3. In addition to the 'carrying
arms the possession of arms generally (and
ise than is provide I against in the existing without due authority should be prohibited." "Arma Consolidation Ordinance dealt with carriage,only of arms except in certain in-
A The report goes on-
•
-(2.) - Due authority' should be a licence to possess arm › grantable in the same manner as a licence to carry' arms under Section 3 of the Arma Consolidation Ordinance as amended by Section 3 of Ordinance 4 of 1892. All licences granted as above should be issued for a limited period only, otherwise the restrictions on the sale of arms which we are recommending in the sub- sequent paragraph under this beading might be
vaded.
* (3) ~All owners of tra·ling junks or fishing junks exo-pted in Section 5 of the present Or- liuance should be required to hold a liosnos (similarly available for a given period) sigued by the Harbour Master,
•
•
"(4).-All licences to carry or posses arms should be made out in thẻ name of the Trantes and should not be transferable, and
should bear the number of the day of issue and
expiry.
1*:(5).--' The ssle of arms—this is a very im. portant matter—by dealers should be prohibited noless the intending purchaser is provided with, and presents at the time of purchase, a licence to Fitzy or possess arms,
(6).—Amregister should \b, kapt by all dealers in arms in whion should be entered the mame, occupation, and address of the purchaser, the amount and date of the purchase and the number sud date of the licence presented in
The ACTING Colonial Secretary-I bəg to second that.
Bill read a second time.
THE REPEALS ORDINANCR.
An
The ACTING Attorney-GeneRAL-I beg to move the second reading of a Bill entitled Ordinanca to declare the effect of Ordinaness repealing others." As I mentioned on the laat occasio this is a technical subject, and its object is to provide that class of legislation which has long been the law in England, and which, I believe, has been adopted by the Straits Settle- ments and other colonies.
The ACTING Colonial SecrETARY seconded the motion.
Bill read a second time, committed, and pissed.
ADJOURNMENT.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I propose that the Council do adjourn until Thursday week at 339,
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on the 26th March. Present:→
His Excellency the Governor, Sir WILLIAM ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.
Hon. J. H. Stewart LockhaRT, Colonial Secretary.
Hon. A. J. LEACH, Aoting Attorney-(eneral. Hon. A. M. THOMSON, Acting Colonial Tres
snrør.
Hon. F.A. COOPER, Director of Public Works. Hon. R. M. RUMSEY, Harbour Master. Hon. C. P. CHATER,
Hon. Ho KAI.
Hon. J. J KESWICK. Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G. Hon. A. MCCONACHIE.
Mr. A. SETH, Clerk of Councils,
APPOINTMENT OF CULONIAL SECRETARY.
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tions of the Government whio'f it is intended to enforce. I feel quite sure that these people on strike will be the immediate sufferers in any cRKE, Happily the Military, Naval and Civil authorities have combined, and can put from 2.000 to 3,000 labourers into the field; and it is within the mesat of merchants to telegraph to Swatow and Amoy for more labourers, who if they come here, will, deprive the existing men of all hope of employ ment here in the future, I should be very glad if Dr. Ho Kaj, who represents the Chinese, would takesa opportunity of interviewing the respect... able Chinese merchants and would ask them to endeavour to persuade these men to abandon the foolish and short-sighted policy which they have decided to adopt. They may rely upon the Go- vernment treating them fairly, and they may also rely upon the fact that the Government in- tends to carry into effect the sanitary measures included in these regulations, and which have been approved by the Executive Council and the Legislative Council also. I will now ask the Acting Attorney General to introduce the Bill.
His EXCELLENCY-I have much pleasure in informing you that in accordance with the recom- mendations of the Retrenchment Committee, and having regard to his valuable services to this co long, the Secretary of State has been pleased to appoint the Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart Colonial
THE NEW BILL PASSED. Secretary. Whilst we all regret the cause of
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL—In more the retirement of that very able officer, Sir George O'Brien, I am sure you will join with me ing the first reading of this Bill I should like first in congratulating Mr. Stewart Lockhart upea of all to very briefly review the circumstances his appointment, and in expressing the hope under which it has become necessary to alter the that he will fill the office to which he has been law. The Public Health Ordinance, amongst other promoted worthily and successfully. (Applause). \provisions, aimed at stopping overcrowding, and