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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
TURE.
The following Commission issued by H.E. the Governor in Council is published in the Gazette
tion witness had to pay: That was in 1889,|| HARBOUR DUES AND EXPENDI- and the amount was over $300. He paid these debts by borrowing other money. His total debts were now $5,852,59, which was practically all borrowed money. He had also borrowed $300 from the Naval Yard compradore, to whom he gave a promissory note for 3600. Of this there was owing $480. Money lending was not allowed in the Naval Yard, and it was done without the knowledge of the authorities.
His Lordship said the authorities would know of the practice now.
Continuing, witness said he had borrowed $1,235 from Mr. Guedes to pay off his Indian oreditors, who charged $120 to $180 per cent. per annum.
The examination was closed. น
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on Thursday afternoon. Dr. J. M. Atkinson (Acting Colonial Surgeon) presided and there were also present-Hon. F. H. May (Captain Superintendent of Police), Hon. W. Chatham (Acting Director of Public Works), Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. N. J. Ede, and Mr. H. McCallum (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed
PLAQUE IN BOMBAY,
From the 22nd April to 4th May, inclusive, there were 383 cases of plague in Bombay and
suburbs and 311 deaths.
PLAGUE IN AMOY,
The Colonial Secretary forwarded the follow- ing telegram which be had received from the British Consul at Amoy.—“Bubonic plague broken out at Amoy.-Gardner."
The following minutes were appended.
Mr. EDE" Vessels coming from Amoy should certainly all be inspected immediately. But is it necessary to proclaim it an infected port in order to do this ?”
The Medical Officer Health-"Recommend the Governor in Council to proclaim the port of Amoy as a place infected with plague. Medical inspection will then follow."
The Captain Superintendent of Police and the Acting Director of Public Works agreed with these minutes.
In answer to the PRESIDENT the SECRETARY said there was no letter from the Government giving particulars of the outbreak.
The PRESIDENT thought it would be well to ascertain the extent of the outbreak before taking steps. The Port Medical Officer in the meantime could be instructed to keep a close look out on ships coming from Amoy.
The suggestion was agreed to.
THE REMOVAL OF INFECTED PERSONS. The Medical Officer of Health
wrote
WILLIAM ROBINSON,
Governor.
Whereas it is expedient that a Commission be appointed to enquire generally into the charges levied by the Government on Shipping frequenting the waters of the Colony, and the items of expenditure or other charges on the Revenue of the Colony incurred by the Govern ment in the interests or on behalf of the said Shipping and with special reference to the fol- lowing questions :—
1. What sources of Revenue as detailed in the Estimates come under the heading of "Charges on Shipping"?
2. What items of Expenditure as detailed in the Estimates are incurred on behalf of Ship- ping?
3. Whether the original expenditure on build- ings connected with
(a) The Harbour Department; (b) The Water Police;
(c) The Observatory;
And
was incurred on behalf of shipping? whether interest on such original cost and a Sinking Fund to repay the same within a fixed rm of years is or is not a legitimate aunnalt charge on Shipping? And, if it is, what rale of interest shult be charged, what term of years fixed, and what annual sum appropriated to a Sinking band?
4 Whether the original expenditure con- nected with:
(a) building and furnishing with apparatus the various lighthouses, including the Gap Rock lighthouse.
(b) Furnishing the apparatus at the Ob.
servatory.
(c) Constructing the launches and boats belonging to the Harbour Depart- ment, the Water Police and other Government Departments.
(d) Constructing the Causeway Bay Har-
bour of Refuge,
And
was incurred on behalf of shipping? whether interest on such capital sums thus expended and a Sing ng Fund to repay the same within fixed terms of years, is or is not a legitimate annual charge on shipping? And if it is, what rate of interest should be charged, what terms of years fixed and what annual sum appropriated to a Sinking Fund P
5. Whether the original expenditure on the Harbour Dredger and the Hospital Hulk Hygeia was incurred on behalf of Shipping and whether interest on such original cost and a Sinking Fund to repay the same within a fixed term of years together with the annual ex- penditure in connection therewith is or is not a legitimate annual charge on Shipping? and if it is, what rate of interest should be charged, what terms of years fixed and what annual sum appropriated to Sinking Fund and annual expenditure?
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suggesting that, in accordance with by-law 18 of the new by-laws made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894. the Sanitary Board should appoint the Civil Hospital and the Kennedytown Hospital as places to which officers of the Board may remove persons suffer-
6. What proportion, if any, of the ex-- ing from either bubonic plague, cholera, small-penditure incurred by the colony on behalf of pox, or such other epidemic, endemic, or con- tagious disease as may be from time to time the Military Contribution, and of "Barracks Services " contribution should be assigned to duly notified in the Government Gazette.
Shipping? The PRESIDENT proposed that the sugges tion be adopted.
The resolution was carried.
MORTALITY STATÍSTICS, For the week ended 22nd May the death rate was 17.5, against 27.5 for the corresponding week of last year, and for the week ended 29th May the death rate was 18.5 as against 22.9 for the corresponding period of last year,
ADJOURNMENT
The Board adjourned until next Thursday week, after considering in private the estimates for 1898.
DR May
The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co., Limited, advises us that he has received the following telegram from the Mines giving the result of the May clean-up-“The mill ran 20 days crushing 500 tons yielding 266 shed ozs. of smelted gold, 2,000 tons of headings yielding 169 ozs.; yield from pockets 76 ozs. Fifty tons of concentrates calcined yielding 50 ozs, of gold."
t;
7. What proportion, if any, of the loss re- sulting to the colony from the absence of Crown Rents and Assessed Taxes on Lands in the colony under Naval and Military occupa- tion, should be assigned to Shipping P
8. How the expenditure of the colony con- nected with the Shipping frequenting Hong kong in future be met?
|
[Jane 9, 1897
3.-The Honourable Dr. Ho Kai, a member
of the Legislative Council; 4.—John Thurburn, Esq., Manager of the
Mercantile Bank of India; 5.-Herbert Smith, Esq., of the firm of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, Merchant, to be a Commission for the purpose of institut. ing, making and conducting such enquiry. And I do hereby appoint you, Sir John Worrell Car. rington, to be the Chairman of such Com. mission. And I do hereby appoint Mr. John Gerald Thomas Buckle to be the Sec-
such Commission. retary to do hereby order and direct that the said Commission shall, for the purpose of making the said enquiry, have all such powers as are vested in the Supreme Court of the colony or in any Judge thereof on the occasion any suit or action in respect of the following matters, viz.
of
And I
The enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on oath, affirma- tion, or otherwise;
The compelling, the production of docu-
ments;
The punishing persons guilty of contempt; The ordering the inspection of any pro- perty with power also, for the purpose of this Commission, to enter and view any premises.
And I do hereby further direct that every ex- amination of witnesses shall be held in private. And 1 do further require you to report to me evidence and your opinion thereon. And. I hereby charge all persons in the Public Service to assist you herein.
Given under my hand and the public seal of the colony in Executive Council, this 5th day of June, One thousand Eight hundred and ́ Ninety-seven.-By Command,
J. G. T. BUCKLE, Clerk of Councils, Council Chamber, Hongkong, 5th June, 1897,
THE OPENING OF THE WEST RIVER.
We have received from the Colonial Seore- tary's Office a copy of the following telegram which has been received from Her Majesty's Minister at Peking regarding the opening of the West River.—
Chinese Government opening West River and Ports June 3rd. Until Consular Officers! are appointed at New Ports, Consul Brenan is in charge of West River question- MACDONALD."
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 7th Jane.”: The Steamboat Company's steamer Lungshan returned safely to Canton last evening after:: making the voyage to Wuchow and being the first British vessel to enter and clear that port. She arrived there the day the port was declared open and left the following day with a hulk in two for Samshui, where she arrived safely and moored the hulk on the morning of the 6th. Capt. Clarke, who was in command and has been looking after and making arrangements for the traffic of the combination Companies, says the trip was very interesting, as "every even to clear the vessel with passengers at the facility was rendered him by all the officials, port of Samshui on Sunday.
The population at Wuchow are very peaceable, but I doubt if
a change has any of them understand what come over their place. The lekin officials are the only people who thoroughly
understand this.
At both Wuchow and Samshui all the high Chinese officials visited the Commissioners of Customs on the opening day. No Consuls have as yet arrived at these places, which seems a great pity.
The scenery on the river is perfectly lovely, but the weather at this time of year is rather
Warm.
Now therefore I, Sir William Robinson, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Go- vernor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies and Vice- Admiral of the same, in Executive Council as- sembled, do herby under the powers vested in me by Ordinance 27 of 1886 entitled The Commis-morning. sioners Powers Ordinance, 1886, appoint you :-
1.-Sir John Worrell Carrington, Knight,
C.M.G., Chief Justice of Hongkong; 2.-The Honourable Thomas Sercombe Smith, Colonial Treasurer, a member of the Executive and Legislative Coun. cils d
The Wing Tong, from Hongkong and ports of call, arrived and left Samsbui yesterday
The Lung Kiang leaves here this morning for Wuchow.
Mr. W. Robinson, the musical conductor of Pollard's Opera Co., was thrown from his 'ricsha at Shanghai and sustained a fracture of the collar-bone.
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