October 12, 1901.] ↑
am sure all members of this Council will be glad to hear that Sir John Carrington, whose official connection with this Colony is, I regret to say, likely to be soon severed, much to the loss of the Colony, has kindly consented to take up the work of revising the Statutes of the Colony. I am certain all hon. members of Council will trust he will be restored to health, and that he will be enabled to bring this great task to a satisfactory finish.
The motion was carried, and the Council thereafter went into committee on the Bill, when the various amendments proposed by the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL were agreed to. The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL then moved that the Standing Orders of the Council be suspended.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-For what purpose?
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-For the purposes of this Bill,
There having been material alterations in the Bill, the third reading was held over.
MERCHANT SHIPPING.
The next item in the orders of the day was that the Council should go into Committee on the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Ordinance, 1899 (Ordinance 36 of 1899), but as no reply had been received from the Chamber of Com- merce, to permit of suggestions from which body the passing of the Bill had been deferred, the ACTING ÅTTORNEY-General said he did not propose to proceed with the item.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Sanitary Department Charitable Allowances
Miscellaneous Services Colonial Defences--
should like to point out that some time ago | Medical Department several of the heads of Departments were Magistracy awarded an increase of salary, and when the Police Unofficial Members of Council voted that in- | crease I think there was a distinct promise or undertaking given that subordinate officers' Transport salaries would be dealt with forthwith. I have| not a copy of the Hansard with me, and have | not been able to find the newspaper containing the acount of the Council proceedings, but I have a recollection that such a promise was given — that the increase in the salaries of subordinate officers would be dealt with forthwith. Now I learn that the increase is not to become due till next year.
The CHAIRMAN-That is 80. If the hon. member had refreshed his memory by reading the correspondence on the subject, he would bave seen that H.E. the Governor, in accordance with the recommendations of the committee appointed to enquire into the question of the salaries of subordinate officers, recommended to the Secretary of State that the increase should date from the beginning of this year.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I have read the correspondence carefully, but I am referring to the promise made in the Council..
The CHAIRMAN-I am just pointing out that the Governor recommended to the Secretary of State that the increase should begin from the 1st of January this year, but the Secretary of State did not approve that
course.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-The promise I speak of was made about April last year, I Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Sir, I wrote to think, and in virtue of that promise, when the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce several of the heads of Departments were this morning to ascertain whether the sub-awarded an increase in their salaries-I think | committee composed of shipping experts ap- including the Governor himself— pointed by the Chamber has yet been able to
The CHAIRMAN-
-Yes. frame a report, and received a reply that the report could not be completed in time for to- day's meeting of Council. They hope, however, to send it in the course of a day or two, and trust that the Bill will be held over until next meeting of Council
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-The salaries of subordinate offices were to be dealt with forth-
with, and that increase to subordinates would come into operation about the same time as that to the heads of Departments.
The CHAIRMAN-I have no recollection of the exact wording of what was said, I presume
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENEEL moved the you mean, by H.E. the Governor. third reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend An Ordinance entitled The Weights and Measures Ordinance, 1885 (No. 8 of 1885.)
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was carried, the Bill, being then read a third time and passed.
NEW TERRITORIES.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the New Territories Land Court Ordinance, 1900 (No. 18 of 1900)
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was carried, the Bill being then read a third time and passed.
Council then adjourned till Thursday.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the COLONIAL SECRETARY în the chair.
On the proposal of the CHAIRMAN it was agreed to dispense in fature with the reading of the minutes of the Finance Committee, as they are already previously confirmed by the Council.
The CHAIRMAN-Before we proceed to con- sider the Supply Bill, I have one minute to lay before the Committee, in which the Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of $2,630 in aid of the following votes :-
VICTORIA GAUL,
Bent of Quarters for Warders.......
Provisions for Prisoners
+
Fuel and Soap
Total,
|
my
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I think it was. The CHAIRMAN-However, we are not now dealing with that matter, but if the hon. mem- ber desires I shall be very glad to look it up and inform the hon. member what the result of researches has been. At the same time, I don't think that is the question before us now.
Hon. T. II. WHITEHEAD-It is before us inasmuch as the increase is not to take place before next year. I don't think justice has been done to subordinates, and I for one would not have voted for the increase to the heads if the subordinates were to be left out in the cold, Hon. HARBOUR MASTER-This is very interesting, but I don't think it is a matter that should be discussed just now.
The CHAIRMAN-I don't think so. I may say that H.E. the Governor has the welfare of subordinate officers quite as much at heart as that of higher officials. I don't think there can be any doubt about that.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I quite under- stand that.
The CHAIRMAN—As long as there is no misunderstanding, then, there is no need to discuss the matter further. We will therefore proceed with the consideration of the Supply Bill.
THE SUPPLY RILL.
Expenses of the Volunteers Public Works, Recurrent Public Works, Chargeable to
Water Account
307
$148,666,00
24,908.00
539,021.00
190,083.00
5,260.00
3,000.00
271,781.00
63,196.00 268,000.00
48,500,00
$2,936,995.58
$50,000.00
40,000.00
10,000.00
12,000.00
10,000.00
,666.68
10,000,00
20,000.00
40,000.00
***
35,000.00
40,000.00
Public Works, Extraordinary, viz. :- | New Law Courts
Governor's Peak Residence No. 7 Police Station Public Latrines Public Urinals Praya Reclamation Praya Reclamation-Government
Piers
Táipó Road-16 miles in length Western Market Harbour Master's Office Survey of New Territory Additional Reservoirs
Tytam Drainage Area 60,000.00 City of Victoria and Hill
District Waterworks 26,000.00 Quarantine and Segrega- tion Camp at Lai-chi- kok
10,000.00
Kowloon Waterworks, Gravitation Scheme, Site 1
60,000.00 Praya East Reclamation 10,000.00 Volunteer Head Quar-
ters Police Station, Sheung
Shui
A
Police Station, Tai O Improvements in Light- ing Approaches to Har-
bour
30,000.00
8,000,00 8,000.00
7,000.00 Market at Kowloon Point 35,000.00 Two Temporary Markets,
one opposite Sailors' Home and one adjoin- ing new Harbour Office 3,000.00 Extension of Wanchai
Market
Slaughter House at Shau-
kiwan
Disinfecting Station in
Kowloon Quarters at do. for
Inspector
4,000.00
8,000.00
9,000.00
4,000.00
New Shed, &c., at the City
Disinfecting Station 8,000.00 Clock Tower
25,000.00 Bacteriological Institute 10,000.00 Extension of Central Police Station by add- ing another Storey 15,000.00
of Mount Extension
Gough Police Station 9,000.00 Resumption of Property Married to provide Quarters for the Indian Police
45,000.00 Covering in Yard of Goal 2,000.00 Altering Goal Windows
in order to prevent cases of suicide among the prisoners
3,150.00
The following is an abstract of the Esti- Married Quarters at Tism mates:--
Sha Tsui Police Station 10,000,00 Extension of Cattle In-
spector's Quarters at Kennedy Town
1,700.00
EXPENDITURE.
$2,000.00
180.00
450.00
Charge on account of Public Debt $157,415.00 Pensions Governor and Legislature
167,000.00
$2,630.00
Colonial Secretary's Department... Audit Department.. Treasury
10,540.00 Hospital
The vote was agreed to. The CHAIRMAN-Now we come to consider the Supply Bill for the year 1902, and I suppose that in considering the Bill the Committee will follow the procedure of former years—that is, to take each item of the Bill'as it stands, and if any hon. member has any question to ask with regard to any item, he will kindly ask it when we reach that particular item. I trust that procedure will be satisfactory.
i
THE SALARIES OF SUBORDINATE OFFICERS. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Before proceeding with the consideration of the Supply Bill, I
Public Works Department Post Office
Registrar-General's Department.. Harbour Master's Department Lighthouses Observatory
Botanical and Afforestation Depart-
ment
Legal Departments Land Court, New Territory Ecclesiastical Education
60,581.83 Widening Conduit Rand 8,000.00 67,203.13 Fence, round Plague
32,670.00 Electric Light Installa-
2,300.00
138,701.00 tion at Civil Hospital 9,000.00 285,294.00 Yard in Stone Nallah
3,900.00
23,497,00 Lane for Public Works 115,353.00 and Sanitary Depart-
30,780,00
ments 15,688.00 Resuming and Reclaim- ing Land at Starling 40,526.24 Inlet Police Station... 8,000.00 83,230.00 Minor Roads in New 47,584.00 Territory
5,000.00 2.200.00 Public Mortuary in Kow.
1оод 96,314.38
5,000.00