October 14, 1899,].
year, and that it is not proposed to proceed further with that Bill.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the
motion was carried.
NATURALIZATION.
The following Bills passed their second and third readings:—
Bill entitled An Ordinance for the Natura- lisation of Sin Hip Pan, alias Sin Shu Fan, alias Sin Shin Kin, alias Sin Ping Kim.
Bill entitled An Ordinance for the Naturali. zation of Kwok Yung Kam alias Kwok To Kai alias Kwok Ying.
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Bill entitled An Ordinance for the Naturali. | sation of Ho Shun T'o, alias Ho Kwan Yuk, | aliss Ho Ping Un, alias Ho Tsoi.
Bill entitled An Ordinance for the Naturali- sation of Hu Choo, alias Hu Shun Ta'un, alias
Hu Ping Fong, alias Hu Nai Kwai.
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Bill entitled An Ordinance for the Naturali- sation of Lo Kun Ting, alias Lo Fo, alias Lo Ching Chin. alias Lo Tin Fui.
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the
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THE VAGRANCY ORDINANCE. The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I beg to move the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Vagrancy Ordin- | ance, 1897. As honourable members will see from the "objects and reasons attached to the Bill. This Bill has been framed in accord- ance with instructions which have been received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies in consequence of certain representations which were made to him by the Board of Trade. Clause 2 of this Bill affects rather au important amendment to Ordinance 25 of 1897 by sub- stituting a new clause for clause C of section 21 of that Bill. As clanse C of that Bill stands the shipowner would be liable for the mainten- ance of any person who is discharged from a ship in this colony for a period of six months from the date of such person's arrival in the colony, altogether irrespective of the fact whe- ther the shipowner had properly discharged the man with the sanction of the Superintendent of the Mercantile Marine Office or his Deputy. and also altogether irrespective of fast whether the shipowner made reasonable provision for the subsistence of that person who was discharged from his ship. I think it is not unreasonably considered by the ship- owners that that is rather hardship upon the owners of ships and accordingly the Board of Trade approached the Secretary of State in this matter with the result that it is proposed now, with the sanction of the Secre- tary of State, to introduce a new clause C to section 21, the new clause being 2 of this Bill. Honourable members will see that an amend- ment is made in the term "sailor," " seamau being substituted. The object of that is to include any person employed or engaged in any capacity on board ship (except masters, pilots, and apprentices) and not merely persons enga ged in the navigation of the ship. The amend ments made to clause 3 of the Bill are purely verbal amendments, and I do not think I need trouble the Council with any remarks them.
upon The second amendment made by clause 3 is of some importance, because it does not hold the ship. master responsible for the solvency of his passengers during a period of six months after he has landed them. As Ordinance 25 of 1897 now stands it holds the shipowners respon. sible for a period of six months, and that period has been struck out. With these observations, air, I beg to move the second reading of the Bill. The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was carried.
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The Bill having been considered clause by olanse in Committee it was read a third time and passed.
THE RATING ORDINANCE.
The ACTING Attorney GenerAL-1 beg, sir, to move the second reading of the Bill en titled an Ordinance to amend the Rating Or- dinance, 1888.
The COLONIAL TREASURER, in seconding, said--The Bill was introduced at my suggestion on account of a recent decision of the Puisne Judge in the Supreme Court with regard to lifts. The Paisne Judge held that a lift was machinery within the meaning of the Ordinance, and that as such it was not ratable, nor were the improvements arising from the use of that lift. We thought it was rather hard that building should be rated for very much less than its proper value, and that is the object of the Bill.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Carried.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-(who having looked through the Bill thought the wording required further consideration)-I pro- pose we go into commiteee on this Bill at the next meeting of the Council,
CROWN LANDS RESUMPTION ORDINANCE,
The ACTING ATTONEY-GENERALI beg to move the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Crown Landa Resumption Ordinance, 1889. Honour- able members will see from the "objects and reasona" attached to the Bill that the object of clause 2 of this Bill is to amend the preamble to Ordinauce 23 of 1889 in such a way as to make it clear that the acquisition or resumption of land or buildings may be effected for any "public purpose" as defined by clause 3 of this Bill. The object of the amendment introduced by sub-section (i.) of clause 3 of this Bill is to make it clear that the expression "land" includes buildings, and also to clear up any possible am. biguity as to Ordinance 23 of 1889 being capable of application to the New Territories. The object of sub-section (ii.) of clause 3 of this Bill is—(a.) to make it clear that resumption includes acquisition, aud (b.) to define what is meant by a "public purpose." Clause 4 of this Bill intro- duces a small amendment in the language of
■ection 3 of Ordinance 23 of 1889 which is required for the purpose of bringing the word- ing of that section into line with section 14. Clause 5 of the Bill introduces a small ɛmend. ment in section 14 of Ordinance 23 of 1889 with the object of bringing that section into line with the definition contained in clause 3 of this Bill.
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The COLONIAL SECENTARY seconded, and the motion was carried.
The Bill having been considered in committee clanse by clause was read a third time aud passed.
THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. The ACTING ATTORNEY GENREAL-Your
Conncil the Bill entitled an Ordinance to ameud Excellency, since the last meating of the
the Protection of Women and Girls Ordinance, 1897, has been reprinted with all the amend ments made in Committee and circulated to honourable members. Unless it is the desire of any honourable member that the Bill should be further considered, 1 propose to move the third reading of the Bill. third reading as it stands. I bag to
propose
the
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of sewers in all parts of the city had rapidly gone ahead, and that in the early part of the year 159 broken gulley traps were replaced by new ones at a cost of $1,000. There had also been a great deal of trouble owing to the roots of trees going into the sewers, and partionlar - attention had been given to the sewers during the epidemic of plague.
This was all the business. -
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
At the monthly meeting of the General Com- mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, held at 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday, the 3rd October, 1899,-Present: Messrs R. M. Gray (Chairman), A. McConachie (Vice-Chairman), A. Haupt, Sir Thomas Jackson, Hon. J. J. Keswick, Messrs. W. Poate, H. A. Ritchie, N. A. Siebs, Hon. T. H. Whitehead, and Mr. R. C. Wilcox (Secretary),—
MINUTES,
The minutes of the last monthly meeting (held 12th Sept.) were read and confirmed.
QUARANTINE RESTRICTIONS IN STRAITS
SETTLEMENTS.
In accordance with the decision come to at last meeting, a letter was, on the 13th Sept., ad- dressed to the Colonial Secretary, asking that the Straits Settlements Government be com- municated with on the subject of quarantine, either by wire or by letter, and asked to modify the restrictions and withdraw the prohibition on immigration from Hongkong.
Read reply, dated 20th September, stating that a telegram had been sent to the Straits Government on the subject of removing res- trictions on shipping from Hongkong, and that a copy of the Chamber's letter had also been forwarded to Singapore.
The Secretary stated that no reply had yet been received by the Government from the Straits Authorities.
Surprise was expressed by the Committee at the delay shown by the Straits Government
telegraphed to. in replying, more especially as they had been
[A letter was received on the 4th inst. from the Colonial Secretary, enclosing copy of reply
of the Straits Settlements Government to tele- gram sent on the 18th ult. in which they de clined to relax precautionary measures against The COLONIAL SECRETARY secouded and the importation of plague from Hongkong, the motion was carried.
without more information.]
THE ADJOURNMENT.
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR-I adjourn the Council natil this day fortnight so that mem- bers will have an opportunity of considering the Estimates in the meantime. If at the end of farther time for consideration I shall be very that time honourable members require any
glad to meet their views. But I hope that by consider the Estimates. the end of that time you will have had time to
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held, the Colonial Secretary presiding. The following recommendations of His Excel- lency the Governor wore agreed to:--
To vote a sum of one thousand and three hundred dollars in aid of the vote "Steam- launches, other charges."
The CHAIRMAN explained that the Harbour Master reported an increased expenditure of coal this year necessitating an increase in the rote.
To vote a sum of one hundred and fifty-five thousand five hundred and twenty-nine dolları to cover expenses incurred in the New Territory for the current year.
The CHAIRMAN explained that honourable members would remember that at the last meet- of the Council but one, a statement of expendi- ture actual and estimated for the year 1899 in connection with the new Territory was laid on the table, and that such estimate amounted to $346,629,17. Of that sum $100,000 for general expenditure and $91,100 for launches making a total of 191,100 had already been voted by the Council and the object of the the vote of to-day was to supply the balance.
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PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A BOARD
OF CONSERVANCY AT SHANGHAI The Secretary reported that the circular letter from the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce on the above subject was duly acknowledged, in Sept., and that Chamber was asked to indicate terms decided upon at last meeting, on the 14th any particular line of action in promoting the object it was thought the Hongkong Chamber could assist in taking.
CABLE RATES BETWEEN THE FAR EAST
AND EUROPE.
On the proposition of the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, the following resolutions dealing with the tariff of rates charged for telegrams between the Far East and Europe were unanimously adopted:—
1-This Committee, having carefully con- sidered the cost of telegraphy and the rates charged between the Far East and Europe, are strongly of opinion that the existing Tariff is needlessly high and tends to prevent that expan- sion of business which, with greater facilities of communication, would inevitably take place.
2. The rate charged between London and Hongkong is relatively much higher than that raling for many other countries, as the follow- ing figures will show :---
Country.
South Australia Hongkong Cyprus Malta
Tariff.
Distance
(miles)
8, d.
12,000.
49
9,800
5 6
61
16.
3,000... 2,280... 6,000
San Francisco... This list does not exhaust the comparisons, but those given will suffice to indicate the very great differences existing. Thus, while South Aus tralia is more than two thousand miles further · distant from London than Hongkong, the rate The CHAIRMAN observed that the engineerthither is 9d. per word less, while Cyprus, which in charge of sonë stated that the extension ́ ́ is nearly one third the distance from England,
To vote a sum of two thousand dollars in aid of the vote "Maintenance of Sewers."