November 27, 1895.] operation, gentlemen, I can safely look forward some additional measure of success during the term of government that still remains to me.. Hon. C. P. CHATER-Sir, I feel sure I am only echoing the feelings of my colleagues when I say that we have listened with the greatest interest to the very lucid and exhaus- Live statement just delivered by your Excel- lency. This is hardly the occasion on which to raise points of debate, but I can assure your Excellency that the questions brought forward by you will receive our most careful and serious consideration. One thing I can say now, and that is that our financial position appear to be most satisfactory, a proof I trust that our pros- perity is based on a solid foundation.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
His EXCELLENCY-In accordance with the standing orders I have appointed the following
Committees
Finance Committee---The Colonial Secre- tary, Chairman; all the Members of Council, except the Governor.
Law Committee The Attorney-General, Chairman; the Registrar-General, Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving, Hon. Ho Kai, Hon. E. R. Belilios. Public Works Committee The Director of Public Works, Chairman; the Colonial Treasurer, Hon. C. P. Chater, Hon. E. R. Belilios, Hon. T. H. Whitehead.
FIRST READING OF BILLS.
The following Bills were read the first time:- A Bill entited an Ordinance to apply a sum not exceeding two millions four hundred and seventy-nine thousand and sixty-two dollars to the Public Service of the year 1896.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Widows and Orphans' Pensions Ordinances of 1890 and 1891 (Ño. 30 of 1890 and 18 of 1891). A. Bill entitled an Ordinance to further amend the Police Force Consolidation Ordinance, No. 14 of 1887.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to authorize in certain cases judicial investigations into the causes of fire.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide for the recognition in the colony of probates and letters of administration granted in British possessions.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to further amend "The Bankruptcy Ordinance, 1891.”
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to further amend "The Cattle Diseases, Slaughter-Houses, and Markets Ordinance, 1887."
ADJOURNMENT.
His EXCELLENCY-The Council now stands adjourned until Thursday week, the 5th De- cember.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held. The COLONIAL SECRETARY presided.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
ADOPTION OF FINANCIAL MINUTES.
recom.
The following votes which were mended by the Governor were approved.
No. 14-A sum of $2,400 in aid of the vote for Incidental Expenses in the Sanitary Depart- ment. The above sum is the estimated expendi- ture on the work of the general inspection of house drains in the colony, which is being defrayed from the above vote.
No. 15.-A sum of $10,000 in aid of the vote "Repairs of Buildings."
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No. 16. A sum of $1,500 in aid of the vote for "Maintenance of Sewers (Public Works Annually Recurrent). Note-Increased cost of maintenance due to additions to the sewerage system, which is nearing completion.
No. 17.-A sum of $3,000 in aid of the vote for "Miscellaneous Works," being approximately the cost of re-building the retaining wall, Sey- mour Road, which has been charged thereto.
No. 18.-A sum of $4,460.50, for repairs, &c., to the Hospital hulk Hygeia, being differencé between the amount spent ($5,260.50) and the amount voted in the estimates ($800). Note Excess due to cost of repairing the extensive damage sustained during & typhoon in October; 1894.
19.-A sum of $680, being salary drawn by Dr. Bel-from 8th June to 15th August, 1895, while acting Assistant Surgeon in the Government Civil Hospitar during Dr. Atkin- son's absence on sick leave,
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
No. 20.-A sum of $4,600 to meet the follow- ing expenses in the Police Department:-For passages and bonuses, $3,000. For incidental expenses, $1,600.
No. 21.-A sum of $5,000 for carrying out certain works in connection with the Taiping. shan improvement scheme.
No. 22.-A sum of $200 in aid of the vote for Government Marine Surveyor, Other Charges, coal, oil, and water for steam- launch." Note.-Excess in expenditure due to a rise (of some 33 per cent) in the price of coal since the estimates were completed.
No. 23.-A sum of $2,500, for " Maintenance of Waterworks." The above expenditure has been necessitated by the failure of the hydraulic machinery on account of the prolonged drought, and the enforced use of steam power for pump- ing water to the Hill District. It is charge-
able against Water Account.
No. 24-A sum of $12,000 in connection with Water and Drainage Works at Kowloon. Note,-It has been deemed advisable to take ad- rantage of the recent favourable weather and to proceed with these works as quickly as possible. The projects have been approved by the Public Works' Committee, and the cost is chargeable against the Loan.
No. 25.-A sum of $1,020 to meet the fol- lowing expenses in the Sanitary Department:- (1) Uniform for Staff, 8520; (2) Cost of Street Watering, $400; (3) Market Incidental Expenses, $100. Note (1) Excess over estimated expendi. ture due to increase of staff in connection with the opening of the Central Market and Sheep and Swine depôts. (2) Excess due to prolonged drought. (3) Excess due to the opening of the New Central Market and Sheep and Swins depôts, which necessitated the purchase of a number of small articles for the sanitary main- tenance of those establishments.
No. 26.-A sum of $217, being travelling allowances to certain Inspectors of Nuisances and Overseers of the Sanitary Department for the Sanitary Department for the current year. No. 27.-A sum of $5,000, to cover the cost of lighting the New Central Market during the current year.
No. 28.-A sum of $29,000, for expenses in- curred in connection with preventive measures against a recurrende of the plague.
No. 29.-A sum of $1,580 to cover the salary and allowances of the newly appointed Medical Officer of Health from 2nd August to 31st December, 1895.
No. 30.-A sum of $650, in aid of the vote "Harbour Department, Steam Launches, Other Charges, coals, repairs, etc." Note-The above sum is required owing to the increased price of coal this year (33 per cent.)
No. 31.-A sum of $3,500 in connection with
the construction of a road in Kowloon to be called Salisbury Road. Note.-The construc- tion of this road is binding on the Government, and as buildings are about to be erected in the neighbourhood, it has been considered advisable to begin blasting operations before their erec- tion.
In reference to minute No. 15, Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked, Which build- ings?
The CHAIRMAN-Government buildings. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD--More particularly which buildings?
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Govern ment House, Queen's College, and the Hospital, more particularly.
Hon. T..H. WHITEHEAD-Not the Supreme Court?
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-There is nothing very exceptional the matter with the Supreme Court.
Ôn moving minute No. 17 the CHAIRMAN said that there was a hope that the $3,000 would be ultimately recovered from the owner of the property.
In answer to Hor. E. R. BELILIOS the DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. said that the cost of the scheme mentioned in minute No. 21 would not exceed $5,000.
Hon. Ho KAI-Has any part of the money been spent?
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKs-Some- thing like $20 has been spent up to date. The contract has been entered into and the Govern-
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ment does not think it would be wise to postpone the carrying out of the scheme, which has been approved by the Council.
On minute No. 28 being proposed,
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked Has the
money been expended already?
The CHAIRMAN-Certainly; we could not wait until now to spend the money; it was necessary to take measures at once.
ADJOURNMENT. The Committee then adjourned until Thurg- day, 5th December.
THE FIRE INQUIRIES BILL.
At the meeting of the Legislative Council on Monday the new Fire Inquiries Bill was read a first-time. It repeals the existing Ordinance and re-enacts its provisions with certain altera- tions. The statement of reasons and objects is as follows:-
"As Ordinance No. 23 of 1888 required two separate Magistrates to carry out its provisions and there is, at present, only one Magistrate, it, became necessary to modify the Ordinance. In the circumstances it was considered belter to re-draft it, and in so doing to effect certain other amendments.
"In Ordinance No. 23 of 1888, section 6 prevented any use being made of the evidence on the enquiry against any accused person on the subsequent proceedings. It said nothing to forbid such use in favour of such accused person, and the wording of the section was somewhat ambiguous. This section has accordingly been omitted and some other slight alterations have been made.”
THE BANKRUPTCY LAW.
At the meeting of the Legislative Council on Monday a short Bill was introduced amending the bankruptcy law. It consists of two sections only. Section 1 refers merely to a matter of official routine. The reasons for section 2 are stated as follows :-
"Section 2 seeks to remedy a hardship under the Bankruptcy Ordinance of 1891.
**In this colony cases often arise of Chinese traders in difficulties commencing to remove their goods for the purpose of putting them beyond the reach of their creditors.
"Proceedings taken at considerable expense by a creditor who gets an order of the Court for seizure of the goods may, in the event of a bank- ruptcy petition being filed, simply result in the preservation of those goods for the general body of creditors at the cost of that particular cre-
ditor.
"It seems only just that, in such cases, the Court should have power in its discretion to allow a priority to the costs of the legal pro- ceedings of the creditor whose exertions have thus benefitted the estate, similar to that at present accorded to the costs of the bankruptcy petitioner."
A 'short time ago a policeman (of the military police) at Canton was wounded by & kidnapper, and died from his injuries on the 14th inst. All the shops in the ward to which he belonged, the ward consisting of seven streets, contributed to- wards the cost of his funeral, which was on a grand scale for a man of his social standing, and each shop sent a man to join the procession fol- lowing the coffin, which was carried several times round the streets of the ward. The father of the dead man, the girl he rescued, and the mother of the girl attended in mourning. The mother of the deceased received a present of $400 from the ward all the shops contributing. The circumstances of this case are altogether unusual. Two policeman attacked four armed The action of the kidnappers, and the deceased, though mortally wounded, secured his man. residents of the ward also deserves mention. The representative of the ward insisted on the arrested kidnapper being photographed to make sure that he did not succeed in purchasing his release and the substitution of some other man at the execution, as is often done.