218
Hon. C. McI. MESSER (Acting Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Captain Su- perintendent of Police)
Hon.BASIL TAYLOR (Acting Harbour Master). Hon. C. P. Chater, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho Kai. Hon. J. THURBURN.
Hon. R. M. GRAY. Hon. J. J. KEBWICK, Hon. WEI A YUK.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Coun- cile)
THE PROPOSED REMOVAL OF CAPE D'AGUILAB
LIGHT.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
houses clean. In fact I think this lime-washing would make the houses look more uncleanly, more dirty, and would caus, a good deal of trouble and expense to the inmates The Honour able Director of Public Works said the cost of lime-washing would be very small. The Gov- ernment may get the work done at a certain price, but, so far as my experience goes, to white wash a Chinese house some two-stor-ys high in Victoria costs from $5 to $10, and I am certain that in the villages the cost would not be less than from $2 to 84, and to entail this cost on the poor villagers twice a year would be a great hardship. If it is absolutely necessary to have lime-wash- | ing in these villages a bye-law might easily have The COLONIAL SECRETARY-I have the hoa-boen introduced providing for the doing of the our to lay on the tablo correspondence respecting the proposed removal of the Cape d'Aguilar | Light to Green Island. It will be within the memory of honourable members of this Council that some time ago one of the honourable mem- beis asked the question as to what the Govern ment proposed to do in this matter. Ia reply it was stated that the Government had referred. the matter home in order to obtain the opinion of Messrs. Chance Brothers, of Birming| am, who were the original makers of the light. The reply of the Secretary of State has been received giving the opinion of Messrs. Chance Brothers on the matter. It is now the intention of the Government to call npon the honourable Harbour Master and the Honourable Director of Public Works to frame an estimate of the cost of the proposed work, and when that estimate has been obtained it is the intention of the Government to ask for a vote so that this very necessary work may be taken in hand without any further delay.
THE VILLAGES AND THE LIME-WASHING
BYE-LAW.
|
work by the Government. If such a bye-law had been proposed I would have supported it.
The Hon. J. THUBBURN-I have pleasure in supporting the honourable member in his opposi- tion to this bye-law. I do not think lime-washing has been proved to be a preventative against plague, and in the case of these small villages I think it is unnecessary, and would only be harrassing to the poor people who occupy them. The Hon. WEI A YUK—I quite agree with what the Hon. Dr. Ho Kai has just said. I think that the application of the bye-law as to lime-washing to the villages is not only un. necessary, but would be an expense and a hard- ship to the villagers.
On the mitter being put to the vote the Council decided unanimously not to approve of the bye-law.
DISCIPLINE IN THE CIVIL MEDICAL
DEPARTMENT.
{
[March 16, 1901.
referred to the Law Committee, which had several sittings upon it and went through with a great deal of care. They were not at the end of their consultations able to agree of certain points, and when I gave in my 9 four points upor previous certificate there were which the Committee were not quite agreed These four points were :-(1) the definition
New Building" proposed to be inserted by the Chairman in section 2-(2) section 2
(55 ((d) subsections 9 and 10; (3) sections
allowed fo (b) and (e) as regards the width bridges or covered ways; (4), section 74 regards the words" with not less than tw inches of cement concrete." I am happy say that after a further meeting and a grea deal of careful consideration, the Standing Lat Committee were unanimous in recommendin the Bill as amended. These amendments ar included in the reprint of the Bill dated 12t March, 1901, which is placed before honourab members for their convenience. In these cil cumstances it is for the Committee of th Council to say whether they have any furth amendments to propose. If not, I am qui willing that the Bill should be read a thi tim to-day or at the next meeting of Counc whichever course is most agreeable to honourab members.
It was agreed that the Council should forms ly go into committee on the Bill, and oa t Council resuming the Bill was read a thi time and passed.
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR observ that the Attorney-General had spent a gr deal of time and trouble on this Bill. He w to be congratulated on the way in which had consolidated these Ordinances.
The Council then adjourned sine die.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBE
OF COMMERCE.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL proposed the second reading of the Bill entitled “An Ordin ance to provide for the better enforcement of discipline among the subordinato staff in the His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR said that Civil Medical Department." He said:-I can- at the previous meeting of the Council the not put the matter more briefly than to call Director of Public Works proposed that the honourable mombers' attention to the objects Bye-law made by the Sanitary Board under and reasons, which are as follows:-" For some sub-section 4 of section 13 of Ordinance No. years past it has been found very difficult to 24 of 1887 be approved. The motion was not maintain proper discipline among the numerous The annual general meeting of the memb seconded. The bye-law was as follows:-"Any members of the Chinese subordinate medical of the Hongkong General Chamber of Co house, or part of a house, in the villages of staff, such as clerks, attendants, ward boys, 'merce was held at the Chambor Room, City H Quarry Bay, Shaukiwan, Stanley, Aberdeen coolies and others at the Government (ivil on Monday afternoon, 11th inst. The Hon. and Aplichau, which is occupied by members of Hospital. They number over a hundred. Mere, M. Gray presided, and there were also pres more than one family, shall (unless specially verbal faultfinding is of little use, while Sir Thomas Jackson, the Hon. J. J. Kesw exempted by the Sanitary Board) be cleansed dismissal means having to train a successor, the Hon. J. Ti urburn, Messrs. A. Hai and lime-washed throughout by the owner, to usually of a similar kind. The knowledge, N. A. Siebs, C. S. Sharp, R. L. Richard the satisfaction of the said Board, not less than however, that negligence and carelessness may D. R. Law (retiring committee), R. twice in every year, namely, during the months possibly involve a small pecuniary penalty! Wilcox (Secretary), H. M. Mehta, F. M
G. of May and June and of November and Decem-would, in many cases, prevent the necessity of land, A. Finke, Henry Birkett, ber."
fanitfinding at all, and would at least have a Medhurst, A. Meurer, D. M. Moses, wholesome effect on the staff. On enquiry I Bergenduhl, Geo. L. Tomlin, Edward Robin find that a similar Ordinance in relation to the R. Shewan, A. J. Raymond, G. W. F. Play Post Office subordinate officers (No. 19 of 896) L. Berindoague, G. de Champeaux, M. Ster has worked very smoothly and with most satis. A. Shelton Hooper, J. A. Mackay, T factory results." When this was first pro- Hongh, and E. W. Rutter.
i The SECRTAEY read the notice convening posed to
rather against the idea of allowing a heat of a department meeting. to fine a subordinate, but I have been converted to the view that it is necessary in certain cases to give such power. A ward boy requires a good deal of training. A boy is no use at all as a ward boy until he has been trained, and it really is much more merciful to him to fine him
The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen: Conf than to dismiss him. I have had a long talk with the Postmaster-General as to the working ably with our usual custom, I propose, of the system, at the Post Office. The fines your permission, to take the committee's r there are very small indeed, and they are rarely inflicted. The system has a very good effect and there is really no complaint as to any injustice. The COLONIAL SECRETARY Seconded, and the motion was carried.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-As I under- stand that some of the members of the Council have some suggestions to offer with regard to this Bill, and in order that the matter may be discussed I beg to second the resolution.
The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-I rise to move an amendment in the following terns: “That this Sanitary bye-law be not approved by the Council."
H18 EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR-It is not necessary to move an amendment: if the Council do not approve of it, they can simply negative it.
ще
Was
The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI--Then I beg to "ppose the extension of this bye-law to the villages named This bye-law was made by the Sanitary Board for the purpose of compelling the villages to comply with the bye-law made as regards the cleansing and lime-washing of premises in the city of Victoria. I oppose the extension because I believe that the application of the bye-low to the villages is unnecessary, and because it would be expensive and troublesome both to the Government and to the poor villagers. At the meeting of the Sanitary Board the bye-law was passed by the very narrow majority of one, the Captain Superintendent of Police and the Acting Principal Civil ↑ edical Officer being in the minority. Lime-washing is considered one means of getting a house clan. No doubt it is when it is well done, and done according to a certain method, a method which I doubt very much whether the villagers would adopt. It is THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE PUBLIC not merely cleaning the houses. If a bye-law to compel the villagers to clean their houses twice a year were introduced I would support it, but I oppose their be ing asked to clean their houses either by lime-washing or using disinfectants of any kind, because I do not believe lime-washing is abso lutely necessary to enable people to keep their
The Conucil then went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No altera- tiors were made, and on the Council resuming the Bill was read a third time and passed.
D. THE NATURALISATION ORDINANCES.
The Bill entitled An Ordinance to repeal all Ordinances for the Naturalisation of Persons as British Subjects within this Colony and to make provision for the Preservation of the aRights of such Persons was read a third time
pa sed.
and
HEALTH LAWS.
- The next item on the agenda was Com- mittee on the Bill entitled An Ordinance consolidate and amend the laws relating Public Health in the Colony of Hongkong.”
‚ 1 · ‛, "
The CHAIRMAN--Before proceeding to 1 ness I will first, with your permission, cor the minutes of the last annual meeting and special meeting of the same day, and also o special general meeting of the 18th June 1
This was accordingly done.
A
and secretary's accounts for the year 19 read. Before proceeding to remark upo business matters which have occupied th tention of the Chamber during that ye must dwell for a moment on the loes has been sustained not only by the whole ish nation, but also by all those whose int
bound up with Great Br are in any way in the death of our beloved Queen, who fluence for good has been a blessing t nation for 64 years. We have mourned he most sincerely and, feelinr confident that were giving expression to the unspoken the whole commercial community, your mittee made the suggestion to the Gover that the day fixed for Her Majesty's † should be observed as r day of general ning, all public offices being closed, and bu suspended. This was adopted, and the coi suspension of business and univer fitly marked the affection our late Queen was rep
The ATTORNEY-G▸neral said—I may say population. Our with regard to this Bill that it was read a first deals with many subjects, time in January. After being gasetted it was affecting the internal