October 14, 1899.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
last moment to be abandoned.
consfield affair, comparatively unimportant | which the Government refused clearance to the as it is in regard to the amount of money steamship Tarter on 15th September last and involved, exhibits the evils of uncontrolled granted clearance to the said steamship on 14th beaurocratic government, and one of its idem without her having added in any way in most disagreeable features has been the Hongkong to her life-saving appliances.
(6.)-How was it that the Government was not the difficulty experienced in getting at the
sooner informed of the presence in and around facts. As set out in the petition of the Taipohu of two to there thousand armed Chin. Hongkong ratepayers to the House of Com- ese with guns entrenched and in position; and mons in 1894, notwithstanding that the what precautions, if any, were taken to find out whole interests of the ratepayers are in the actual condition of the Chinese on the extricably and permanently bound up in the borders of and in the New Territory between good administration of the colony, in the luncheon for a large number of invited guests, Mirs Bay and Deep Bay before ordering efficiency of its executive, and the sound-effecting insurance on the steamer Hankow for ness of its finance, the said ratepayers the trip to Mirs Bay which did not take place, are not permitted to have any really and making elaborate arrangements for the effective voice in the management of its opening ceremony at which it was proposed to affairs. In the Transvaal Great Britain is hoist the British flag at Taipohu on 17th April on the point of going to war to secure votes last, all which arrangements, after considerable for the litlanders, a large proportion of expenditure was incurred thereon, had at the whom are foreigners, while in the British
The followingâre the questions one to four- colony of Hongkong British subjects are de (1.)With reference to the Honourable The barred from the exercise of the most elemen- Colonial Secretary's reprort, dated 8th October, tary political privileges and in this respect 1898, on the extension of the Colony, which are placed on a lower footing than the Chi- under Expenditure reads:-"The cost of ad- nese inhabitants of our newly-acquired ter- ministering the New Territory is estimated at ritory, who are allowed to manage their own
$125,000. The chief items are :— -Police $33,223, local affairs through District and Sub-Dis-Surveyors $14,400, Miscellaneous $24,657, total trict Committees. The official view is that completed such a large staff of surveyors will $72,280. When the work of survey has been the unofficial European residents have nei- be unnecessary, but it is important, as has been ther the competence nor the time to take part pointed out, that the land under cultivation in the management of public affairs. The should be surveyed as quickly as possible. Mis- officials on their side may not be short of cellaneous expenditure has been estimated at a time, but judging from the Beaconsfield high figure, as unforeseen expenses are sure to muddle their com petence is considerably will the Honourable Member inform the Council be large when the territory is first. taken over." below that which would be expected in
how and upon what baris the said estimate was popularly elected representatives of the arrived at, and state whether the Honourable public. The Hou. T. H. WHITEHEAD is The Captain Superintendent of Police was going to pay a visit to England next year. satisfied that the said estimate of $33,223 per While he is there the hon. gentleman may
annum would be adequate to efficiently police be able to do something at headquarters the New Territory, seeing that in the statement towards advancing the realisation of Hong- Territory for 1898 laid upon the table to-day of expenditure in connection with the New kong's political aspirations.
the grand total of expenditure amounts to no less than $346.629.17, of which the police ex- penditure, actual and estimated, for April to December, 1898, is $88,972.10?
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
On Wednesday afternoon a meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held in the Council. Chamber at the Government Offices, there being present:
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR (Sir Henry Blake, G.C.M.G.).
His EXCELLENCY Major-General GASCOIGNE C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
The Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. H. E. POLLOCK (Acting Attorney- General).
Hon. R. MURRAY RUMSEY (Harbour Master). Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Captain Super- intendent of Police.)
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer.) Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works.)
Hon. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G.
Hon. WEIA YUK.
Hon. J. J. KESWICK.
|
(2.)-Will the Honourable the Colonial Sec- retary lay upon the table a statement showing the expenditure incurred by the Colonial Gov- ernment in consequence of the rebellious dístur- bances and the armed Chinese opposition to British occupation of the Territory leased by by the Imperial Chinese Goverment per the June Convention of last year?
(3.)--With reference to Financial Minute No. 12 in which the Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of $91,500 to cover the cost of three steam launches required by the Police in the waters of the New Territory, will the Honourable The Harbour Master inform the Council:-(1.)-Whother tenders for the construction of the launches have been invited from the various shipbuilding institutions in the Colony? (2.)--If so, has any tender heen accepted and if accepted what will bo the cost of the respective launches? (3.)--What are the sizes of the hulls and the engines? (4.)-Will they be composite built or will the frames be of hard wood (5.)—If of the latter will the curved frames be natural or cut from straight
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Coun- | timber? (6.)-Whether launches with frames of cils.)
FINANCIAL
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table
financial returns accompanying the draft Esti- mates for 1900 and also financial minutes Nos. 16 to 18 and moved that the financial minutes be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was carried,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee No 5 and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was carried,
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. The Hon. C. P. CHATER-Your Excellency, in the absence of my honourable friend Mr. Whitehead, I beg on bis behalf to ask the questions one to four, and to substitute for Nos. 5 and 6 the following
(5.)-Will the honourable the Harbour Master inform the Council of the circumstances under
wood are more costly than those with steel frames ?
(4.)-Will His Excellency the Governor ap- point a day for the election, by such Ratepayers as are included in the Special and Common Jury Lists and also by such Ratepayers as are exempted from serving on Juries on account of their professional avocations, of two Members to fill the vacancies in the Sanitary Board in accordance with Sections 4 and 5 of the Public Health Ordinance No. 24 of 1887, and will His Excellency the Governor appoint one European and two Chinese Members to the Sanitary Board in accordance with section 4 of the Public
Health Ordinance No. 24 of 1887 P
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The answer to the first question is that the estimate was based on the assumption that the territory to be taken over was peaceable and law abiding, and that village constables, as pointed out in my report, would aid in the policing of the ex- tended area. Events since this territory has
317
been taken over show that a larger regular force is necessary. The estimate was made by me, and the Captain Superintendent of Police is not responsible for it. In answer to the second question I beg to refer the honourable member to the statement of expenditure an account of the New Territory which was laid on the table at the last meeting of Council.
to
The HARBOUR MASTER-In reply to the third question, I beg to state as follows:- (1) Yes. Tenders were invited from three local Firms. (2.) Yes. The total cost of the three contractors it is not proposed vessels will be $91,100. In the interests of the spective cost of each vessel. (3.) The sizes of
give the re the halls and engines are as follows:-(1.) Hull 120 ft. x 20 ft. x 10 ft. Engines of sufficient size to obtain the guaranteed speed. (2.) Hull 83ft. x 14ft. x 9ft. Engines: Cylinders 11 in. and 22 in., Stroke 14 in. (3.) Hull, 75 ft. x 13 ft. x 8 ft. Engines: Cylinders 11 in. and 22 in. Stroke 12 in. (4.) The frames will be hard wood. (5.) The frames will be out partly from natural crooks and partly from straight timber. (6.) As the Government does not intend build ing composite vessels it is not in possession of the information necessary for replying to the question.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The answer to the fourth question is, Not at present, His Ex- ter, cellency the Governor is considering the mat-
The HARBOUR MASTER-In reply to the fifth question beg to state as follows:-The passenger certificate allowed for 741 passengers and the number given as being on board was in OXCO88 of this. The Harbour Master was, When he was informed later that the necessary therefore, obliged by law to refuse clearance.
life-saving apparatus for the larger number was on board, be at once granted clearance.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The answer to the sixth question is-The answer to the first part of the question is, because they were not there before the 15th. The answer to the latter ing the attitude of the inhabitants towards part is that the precaution was taken of observ-
workmen at Taipohu and survey parties, which was apparently quite friendly, in addition to which nine elders of the district waited upon the Governor on the 12th April and expressed on behalf of the people in general their regret for what had occurred on the 1st April and declared that the false reports having been refuted the people had become more settled.
THE ESTIMATES-SPEECH BY
THE GOVERNOR.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE Governor-I have the honour to submit for your consideration the Estimates for the coming year, and in doing so I venture after the usual custom to make a few
first, I take this earliest public opportunity that observations on the position of the colony. Bat has presented itself to express my acknowledg meuls for the cordial manner in which Lady Blake and I have been received by the com- manity of this important colony. The ten months that have elapsed since my assumption of the government have been months fraught with exceptional anxiety and responsibility. Under the Convention between Her Majesty the Queen and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, the area of twenty-nine square miles that has hitherto been the extent of the colony was increased by a lease for ninety- nine years of an area of four hundred square miles, with an estimated population of 100,000. It was assumed that the knowledge of the just treatment of the Chinese inhabitants of Hong- kong and British Kowloon would induce the population of the leased area to accept the jurisdiction of Great Britain with equanimity, if not with pleasure. Had it been possible to take over the possession immediately this assump. tion might have been verified. But there were unavoidable delays. The question of delimita- tion had to be settled, and wheu a tentative arrangement had been arrived at it was found that there was an unfortunate misconception on the part of the Chinese Government as to the effect of the Convention upon the position of the Chinese Imperial Customs anthorities who had hitherto exercised jurisdiction within the leased area. At the earnest request of Her Majesty's Minister in Peking I deferred the taking over of the Territory until the 17th April, completing in the meantime the neces sary arrangements for the carrying out of