".
318
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ed by assumptions that, however strongly held, | afford no sound basis upon which measures should be adopted-involving probably very large expense to the colony.
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[October 14, 1899.
somewhat modified his views as to the military inexpediency of the road in deference to strong public feeling in its favour, I think it probable that the construction of that section may be authorized, as the objection that prevented my authority being given was entirely military. If those new and important works be under. taken it appears to me that the Public Works Department will have as much work on ita hands as can be satisfactorily managed without considerable additions to the present staff.
ecutive functions. Unhappily, the interval was taken advantage of by agitators who disturbed the minds of the people by statements that their lands would be forcibly taken from them and their most cherished customs forbidden. The first I am happy to be able to congratulate you symptoms of hostility were shown on the 81st upon the general state of the commerce of March when the building of a mat-shed at Tai- the colony. I have it on most excellent author. pohu was prevented, and the men engaged in ity that business was never in a sounder condi- areating boundary posts were stopped from tion and the commercial energy of the com- working. I saw the Viceroy on the 2nd April | munity was never more apparent. At the same at Canton and pointed out that if protection time trade has suffered and is suffering from was not afforded to working parties and survey. the disturbed state of the Southern provinces The only other item that calls for especial ing parties I could not adhere to my undertak. and the prevalence of piracy on the West River. notice is the increase of the vote for the ing not to take over the Territory until the The attention of Her Majesty's Government expense of the Volunteers from $12,000 to 17th. The necessary protection was promised, has been called to the great injury done to the $30,000. This increase is due mainly to an in. and surveying parties were not molested, nor trade of this Colony, and His Excellency the crease in the number of the Corps from 185 to was the rebuilding of the mat-shed prevented. Admiral Commanding on this Station has des- 304. The Corps now forms a valuable addition What took place on the 15th of April and patched a gunboat up the West River to protest to the effective armed forces of the colony. In following days has already been laid before British interests, but I am convinced that the April last the regiment gave timely and valu. you. The resistance having been overcome I best protection to the interests of the commerce able assistance, and its patriotic spirit has lately have endeavoured to satisfy the people that they of this Colony would be the faithful oarrying been shown by an offer to the Imperial Go- may safely depend upon British justice, and that out by the Chinese Government of the Agree-vernment of two officers and fifty men for active no man's property will be confiscated, and I have ment made with Her Majesty's Minister at service in South Africa should unhappily bas- no doubt that the people will soon recognize this. Peking for the opening of the West River tilities be forced upon us While the military Apart from the question of resistance to our under the Inland Steam Navigation Regula. authorities have not been able to accept their occupation, it was found that the inhabitants tions as first proposed and agreed upon. I have services I have been requested to convey to suffered from frequent attacks by armed bands bad great pleasure in forwarding the letters of the Hongkong Volunteers the high apprecia- of robbers against whom the village watchmen the Chamber of Commerce on this most impor- tion by Her Majesty's Government of the were powerless, and there was a general indica-tant subject to the Secretary of the State for loyal patriotism that prompted the offer-an tion of lawlessness not uncommon in South the Colonies. Notwithstanding the disabilities appreciation that will, I feel certain, be shared China This necessitated a reconsideration of under which trade is hampered on the West by every member of the community. (Applause.) the Police Force necessary to secure that pro
River, the returns show a satisfactory increase The following Bills will be submitted to you: tection that we are bound to afford. The both in foreign and junk-borne traffle, the num-
--An Ordinance to apply a sum not exceeding original estimate has been largely increased, bar of foreign built vessels entering and clearing Two million Six hundred and Eighty-one thons. and stations have been established at important being 7,982 with 10,155.993 tons as compared and Six hundred and Fifty-one dollars to the points of sufficient strength to repel armed with 8,831 ships with 9,948,242 tons in 1898, Public Service of the year 1900. An Ordinance attack and furnish the necessary patrols. I am and of 55,882 junks with 3,373,210 tons as con. to make further provision for the sanitation of glad to say that the efforts of the Police have pared with 49,517 junks with 2,933,714 tons in the colony and to repeal certain enactments of so far shewn satisfactory results, for of the 1898.
the Closed Houses and Insanitary Dwellings twenty-seven cases of armed robbery reported
ordinance, 1894 An Ordinance for the Na- from the New Territory twenty-two persons
turalization of Sin Hip Pan, alías Sin Shü Fan, have been convicted and are suffering long
alias Sin Shiu Kin, alisa Sin Ping Kim. An terms of imprisonment.
Ordinance for the Naturalization of Kwok I hope to see a salutary change of conditions within a short
Yung Kam alias Kwok To Kai alias Kwok time and to be in a position to reduce the
Ying. An Ordinance for the Naturalization of strength of the various police stations.
Ho Shun T'ò, alias Ho Kwan Yuk, alias Ho Ping Un, aliaa Ho Taoi. An Ordinance for the Naturalization of Hu Choo, alias Hu Shun Ts'un, alias Hu Ping Fong, alias Ha Nai Kwai, An Ordinance for the Naturalization of Lò Kún Ting, alias Lò Fo, alias Lò Ching Chiu, alias Lò Tin Fui. An Ordinance to amend the Vagrancy Ordinance, 1897. An Ordinance to amend the Rating Ordinance, 1883. An Or. dinance to amend the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance, 1889. An Ordinance to amend "The Protection of Women and Girls Ordin- ance, 1897." I commend them to your most careful consideration Again, I congratulate you on the abounding prosperity of the Colony, and I earnestly hope that your deliberations may tend to the welfare and progress of the community.
Simultaneously with the troubles that developed in the New Territory there arose a much more serious danger. In the beginning of April, the plague was again upon us, and notwithstanding the anwearied exertions of the Sanitary Board and its staff, it increased in intensity and viru- lence all through the summer, and has only ceased its ravages with the beginning of the present month. This year there have been 1,471 cases of which 1,413 have proved fatal, the percentage of deaths being the highest on record. Feeling the overwhelming import- ance to the community. of eradicating this scourge if possible, I have watched the opera- tions of the sanitary staff with the keenest anxiety. Before the disease appeared, as it was assumed that plague was primarily propagated by rats, a Committee was appointed consisting of the Captain Superintendent of Police, the Medical Officer of Health, and the Government Analyst to wage war upon the rats by poison or traps, or both, and the necessary funds were placed at their dispo-al. They ap- pealed to the Chinese for assistance and made every effort to destroy the rats, but I believe they were not very successful. When the epidemic was at its height I satisfied my- self by frequent personal inspection that the scavengers and the sanitary staff were doing their duty. The streets and lanes were per footly clean, and whole streets filled furniture while the houses were being limewashed and disinfected bore evidence to the activity of the sanitary staff. Yet nothing seemed to stay the onward progress of the plague, until at last it has died out in the usual course, having lingered here rather longer than in other cities of South China where no such precautions were taken. An Insanitary Dwellings Bill had already been presented to you. During the summer it has been carefully reconsidered, and in its amended form it will be again presented to you to-day. A return has been made of all the cases of plague during the present year with all the information available that possibly may throw light upon the causes of the disease. It we can decide upon the causes, no expenditure within the reach of the colony would be too great to secure the blessing of freedom from such a seoarge; but in considering the Bill it is well that you should be in possession of facts on which to form an opinion rather than be guid.
I regret to say that the Police statistics show a considerable increase in the number of serious crimes, the total number from the 1st January to the 31st August being 2,110 as against 1,920 for the same period last year. The returns show an especially large proportionate increase in the serious orimes of robbery and house-breaking, the increase in the former be- ing due to the cases in the New Territory to which I have already alluded. The Captain Superintendent of Police attributes the general increase of crime to the number of vacancies in the Police Force and the disturbed condition of the neighbouring provinces of China, On the other hand, there has been an entire absence of the gang robberies so frequent in the past in the City of Victoria. Every effort is being made to
obtain recruits from home for the Police Force
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APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES, His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR-It is my duty to appoint the following committees.—
Finance The Hon the Colonial Secretary (chairman) and the whole of the rest of the Council with the exception of the Governor.
The revenue for 1900 is estimated at $3,325,479 and the expenditure at $3,219,859, leaving an estimated balance of $105,620. In estimating the expenditure the dollar has been taken at 1/11. The Estimates have been prepared with caution, and with a rigid regard for economy. The various items of increased expenditure will be fully explained in Committee. The estimate of Public Works Extraordinary amounts to $331,100, or $163,000 less than the approved Estimate of last year, but it still remains $96,000 more than the amount actually expended in 1898. The works estimated for are those that I consider most pressing, and the amounts are as large as can prudently be placed upon estimate of expenditure based upon the revenue as shown in these Estimates; but, as the financial statement accompanying the Estimates will show, I hope to have at the end of the current year, including a balance, in
THE APPROPRIATION BILL. round figures, of $90,000 brought forward from last year, a surplus of about $400,000 over the The COLONIAL SECRETARY-I have the actual expenditure, which will justify me in honour to move the first reading of a Bill en- submitting to you votes for further expenditure titled An Ordinance to apply a sum not ex upon those works, that appear in the Es-ceeding Two million Six hundred and Eighty- timates, or for such other pressing works 真信 have
been approved by the Public
an
Works Committee. The most pressing public work at the present moment is the building for the New Law Courts, which blocks the way for the improvement of the Post Office, a building entirely insufficient and unsuited for the postal requirements of the Colony. The plans for the Law Courts were returned on January 21st to London with some suggestions for improve meats. I have written urging that they shall be sent out with the least possible delay. The question of the construction of the Jubilee Road round Mount Davis has been referred to the Secretary of State for Colonies, and as
His Excellency Major-Gene
Gascoigne has
Law The Hon Attorney-General (chair- man) and the Hon. J. J. Keswick, the Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, the Hon. E. R. Belilios, and the Hon. Wei A Yuk.
PUBLIC WORKS-The Hon. Director of Pub- lic Works (chairman), the Hon. Colonial Trea- surer, the Hon, C. P. Chater, the Hon. E, R Belilios, and the Hon. T. H. Whitehead.
one thousand Six hundred and Fifty-one Dollars to the Public Service of the year 1900. · ·In moving this first reading, I beg to lay on the table the papers which usually accompany this Bill.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was carried.
THE INSANITARY PROPERTIES BILL. The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I beg to move the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance to make further provision for the Sanitation of the Colony and to repeal certain enactments of the Closed Houses and Insanitary Dwellings Ordinance, 1894. I may mention, mir, that this Bill takes the places of a Bill which was read a first time in November lans