༢*MWFRivqh€
July 21, 1900.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,"
Wilson, 3932 Private Stead, 5404 Private | erally, was approved; but the following amend-
Cartwright.
Date sent 13th July. Received 15th July.
NO OFFICIAL, CONFIRMATION ABOUT PEKING.
With reference to the report that Com- missioner Sheng has received serious news concerning the legations from Peking, we were informed on the 10th instthat H.E. thie Governor telegraphed to H. B. M. Consul at Shanghai to ascertain if the report was true, and received a reply that Sheng had received no such news and that the bad news was therefore not official.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
On Monday afternoon, 16th inst., 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.).
The Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Acting Colonial Secretary).
Hon, W. MEIGH GOODMAN (Attorney-Gene.
ral).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer), Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works).
Hon. BASIL TAYLOR (Acting Harbour Master).
Hon. A. W. BREWIN
Hon. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI.
Hon. J. THURBUEN.
Hon. R. M. GRAY.
Hon. WEI A YUK,
FINANCIAL.
ments, on minor points, were suggested by the Becretary of State as desirable:-
1
"(a.) The substitution, in section 18, of the words "by the Governor in Executive Council for the words "by the Court," in relation to the fixing the rate of money rent on substitution of rent in produce. This is because the (ourt is not intended to be a permanent institution. (b.) Provision being made, in section 19, for allowing payment of an annual money rent as an alternative to the payment of a capital sum, in cases of the redemption of a produce rent payable in perpetuity. (c.) The addition of a section providing that the Court shall be brought to an end as soon as the work for which it is appointed has been performed.
**
Ordinance 8 of 1900 is repealed by this Ordinance and re-enacted with the amendments mentioned. One other amendment has been made, at the suggestion of the Members of the Land Court. They thought it desirable that the value of disputed claims, which might be dealt with by one member of the Court, should be raised, with a view to expediting the business of the Court. The maximum has, accordingly, been raised from two hundred to five hundred dollars. Appointments made under Ordinance 8 of 1900 have been continued as valid, and, in order to prevent any confusion in citing Or. dinance 8 of 1900 and the present Ordinance by their short titles, the short title to the present Ordinance has been changed to The New Ter-
ritories Land Court Ordinance, 1900."
The Council then went into committee to con- sider the Bill clause by clause, and on the Coun- cil resuming the Bill was read a third time and passed.
THE LIQUOR LICENSES ORDINANCE.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL proposed the second reading of An Ordinance to amend The Liquor Licenses Ordinance, 1898, and to repeal The Liquor Licenses Amendment Ordinance, 1899. The "objects and reasons" of this Bill were as follow :-
"Section 2 of this Bill, in effect, re-enacts
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Coun- section 3 of Ordinance No. 23 of 1899, except cils).
that the preposition "to" is inserted between the words "sold" and the words "or be drunk by." The Secretary of State has given in- structions that this amendment should bo made so as to prevent any difficulty which might, otherwise, arise in the construction of the law.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minute No. 36 and moved that it be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was carried.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 12) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion as carried..
THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK ORDINANCE.
On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY, a Bill providing for the again continuing in force for a further period the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Ordinance, 1899, was read a first time.
THE PROPOSED LAND COURT. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL proposed the se- cond reading of a Bill entitled, An Ordinance to facilitate the hearing, determination, and settlement of land claims in the New Terri- tories, to establish a Land Court, and for other purposes.
He said that this Bill as brought before the Council was nothing more nor less than the Bill which was passed in March last. When this Bill was sent home for
Section 3 effects increases in the follow- ing license fees, namely: (1.) Distillery License fees are increased from $150 to $200 per annum. (2.) The three different scales of Public-house License fees are increased as follows:-(a.) Where the annual valuation is under $1,000, the fee is increased from $300 to $450 (b.) Where the annual valuation is $1,000 or over, but under $4,200, the fea is increased from $360 to $600 (c.) Where such valuation is $4,200 or over, the fee is increased from $480 to $800. (3.) Wholesale License fees and also Grocer's License fees are increased from $240 to $500. (4.) Chinese Wine and Spirit Shop License fees are increased from $150 to $250.
"The increases of fees mentioned in 1, 2 and 3 are new, it being considered reasonable that such an increase should be levied. The increase of fees mentioned in 4 was included
in Ordinance 23 of 1899, which is repealed by section 5 of this Bill.
"Section 4 provides for the coming into operation of the Ordinance, and for the ap- plication of the rates in the new Schedule to licenses granted on or after 1st November, 1900, "
Continuing, the Attorney-General pointed
out that there was no increase in the fee for an The difference between a
adjunct license.
lowed and in the other a public bar was not al- that in the one case there a public bar was al-
lowed.
the approval of the Secretary of State and had been duly comsidered two or three slight amend ments minor details were suggested by the Secretary of State, and rather than have two Bills they thought it better to have the Bill re- enacted with the amendments. This course would meet any objections of a technical kind as regards procedure with respect to Ordin-public-house license and an adjunct license was ance No. 8 of 1900. As regards, however, Mr. Whitehead's protest that the Ordinance No. 8 of 1900 was a violation of the Convention of 9th June, 1898, the Secretary of State has said he sees no reason for adopting the honourable member's view on that point. The “objects and reasons" of the Bill were as follow: Ordinance 8 of 1900, providing for a Land Court for the purpose of hearing and determin- ing claims in relation to land in the New Ter- ritories, was assented to by the Governor on 28th March, 1900. It was duly submitted for Her Majesty's directions, and the Ordinance, gen
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the motion was carried.
The Council then went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause, and on the Council resuming the Bill was read a third time and passed.
:
APPROPRIATION.
The COLONIAL TREASURER proposed the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to authorise the appropriation of a supplemen-
tary sum of four hundred and eighty-one thou sand thres hundred and thirty-five dollars and thirty-five cents, to defray the charges of the year 1899. He said honourable members would find all the detailed figures set forth in the Bill, and he should be glad to give any explana- tion when the Bill came to be considered in com mittee.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded
and the motion was carried.
The Council then adjourned until Monday next,
MEETING OF THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE.
1
Immediately after the Council meeting meeting of the Finance ommittee was held, the Acting Colonial Secretary presiding.
It was agreed to vote a sum of $129 for the salary of a temporary assistant junk inspector from July 9th to Dec. 31st inclusive.
The supplementary Appropriation Bill was also considered and agreed to. There is only one clause in the Bill and it reads as follows:-
A sum of Four hundred and Eighty-one thousand Three hundred and Thirty-five Dol. lars and Thirty-five Cents is hereby charged upon the revenue and other funds of the Colony for the service of the year 1899, the said sum so charged being expended as hereinafter specified; that is to say: Pensions
Governor and Legislature
olonial Secretary's Department Public Works Department Post Office
Registrar General's Department Botanical and Afforestation Depart-
ment
Legal Departments Medical Depatments Magistracy Police, Sanitary Department Transport
Military Expenditure Miscellaneous Services
Public Works Recurrent
$ 8,646.26 6,586.22
1,260.34
919.77
!
1,335.76
1,277.22
190.37
归家求
10,249.52
1,054.19
1,765.58
32,008.97
9,598.05
6,636.96
336,697.54
27,444.23
13.923.49
$459,594.47
21,740.88
$481,335.35
Ordinary Expenditure.. Extraordinary, Public Works
Total.
This was all the business.
SUPREME COURT.
17th July.
IN APPELLATE JURISDICTION.
(BEFORE HIS HONOUR SIR JOHN W. Cár- BINGTON, C.M.G. (CHIEF JUSTICE) AND HIS HONOUR T. SERCOMBE SMITH (AOTING PUISNE JUDGE.)
800 SUM AND ANOTHER V. THE HUMPHREYS ESTATE AND FINANCE COMPANY, LIMITED. This was an appeal from the Judgment of the Chief Justice, sitting in Summary Juris diction, and delivered on the 15th June, 1900,
Mr. M. W. Slade (instructed by Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist) appeared for the Plaintiffs (Appellants) and Mr. E. H. Sharp (instructed by Messrs. Deacon and Hastings) for the De- fendants (Respondents).
The appeal being on a question of law, the following case was stated for the opinion of the Court:
1. By a contract dated 25th March, 1898, the Plaintiff Soo Sam and one Pang Yam, who is also Plaintiff in this suit by the Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, agreed with the defendants to build seven houses upon Kowloon Inland Lot and the Defendants agreed to pay to the plain- No. 540 at and for the price therein stipulated
tiffs from time to time such sums as should be certified as due by the architects employed by the Defendants to superintend the erection of
the said houses.
•
2. Soo Sum and Pang Yam were partners for the purpose only of carrying out the said contract and as such partners assumed and used the name of the "Sing Kee contractors firm.”
3. On the 3rd February, 1890, one Chan Yig