од
278.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held the luth inst. in the Council Chamber. HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINI- TERING THE GOVERNMENT, Major-General Sir W. GASCOIGNE. K.C.M.G (Commanding the Troops).
Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. A. G. WISE, K.C. (Acting Attorney- General).
Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). · Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hou. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General). Hou. T. H. WHITEHEAD.
Hon. J. THURBURN.
Hon. J. J. BELL-IRVING.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI.
Hon. WEI A YUK.,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ment thwarted the efforts and wishes of the
¡ April 12, 1902.
that committee unanimously recommended that | fo.th-in fact, that in` its present form the new P.st Office should be erected on the it WOS Dob final. The Executive Conn. marine frontage. For years, sir, the Govern- cil unanimously agreed therefore to post- pone action until the measure suggested by these two high experts. should be absolutely final. (Applause) We are all agreed, I think, that a measure of reform is required, but I was very auxious that everybody whose interests were affected should not only have every pos- sible reasonable opportunity to look into the matter, but also thint the bill as laid before you should have that reasonable prospect of finality that such a bill should be expected to have, and I can promise you that when it is laid be fore you the bil will have that finality, and we can then discuss the measure and pass it on its merits. (Applause.)
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elected members of this Conncil on the question of the site, but I am rejoiced now to find that they hare seen the error of their ways and have come to a wise decision now, namely, to put the new Post Office on the marine fr. ntage.
In this paper which has been laid on the table to-day, inițialed hy M. J. D." in the first paragraph thereof there is a reference to the resolution passed by the Logis lative Council on 28th February, 1898. The memorandum states that "it was unanimously resolved;' that, sir, is not the case. The elected memors of the community on this Council both voted against that resolution-- the Senior Unofficial Member and myself, and we all along and throughout have been of opinion that the new Post Office should be built on the marine frontage, aud I am very lad indeed to find that this is -now to be the case, and I trust that the construc. tion of the building will not be further delayed. The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir. I think it is only right I should explain that, sǝ far from this Government having thwarted the The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table views of the Unofficial Members of the Conneil, the Report of the Public Works Commission, as has been suggested by the hon. muber the Report of the Committee on Education, a opposito. 1 may say that as the result of Memorindam on Plagne Prevention by Profes-dise-sion by this Council it was decided Bor Simpson and a Report thereon by Mr. O. by a majority, including the Unofficial Mem Chadwick, and papers regarding the new Fo-t brs, to have the new Post Office erected Office.
on the site of the pre:aut Supreme Court. I think it only right that there should be an understanding on this matter, becaure, from what the hon. member opposite has said, it might be thought that the Government had ridden rough-shod over the views of the Un- official Members. I am glad to learn that the hon, member thinks the Government has come to a satisfactory decision in this matter. With reference to the initials M. J. D.," these are the initials of Mr. M. J. Drayson, the chief cl rk recently appointed to the Colonial Secretary's office.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of"} Councils).
PAPERS.
FINANCIAL,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minutes (Ncs. 10, 11, and 12), and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was adopted.
The Co:ONIAL SECRETARY submitted the report of the Finance Committee (No. 3), and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to. -
THE NEW POST OFFICE.
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Hon. T. II. WHITEHEAD-Sir, I wished— The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The hon. mem-
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I wished to point out that the paper is incorrect as it stands
The resolution was then put to the Council and carried unanimously.
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The Council adjourned sine die.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the Colonial Secretary presiding,
MOUNTAIN LODGE GROUNDH.
The CHAIRMAN-Gentlemen, I have thre rotes to bring before the Committee, in the first of which the Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote & sum of $1.586.20. being a sum equal to the unex- pended portion of the vote for 1901 for laying out Mountain Lodge ground. A rote was taken last ear for laying out these grounds, but part of the mouey voted was n t expended. The vote now brought forward is for the anexpended portion of the sum.
Tho vote was agreed to.
PRIVATE TETTER BOXE'. The CHAIRMAN - In The next vote the Officer Administering the Government re- commends the Conseil to vote a sum of $1.400, being a sum equal to the unexpendel vote for 1901 for the construction of locked private lotter boxes for the use of the General Post Office. The same remarks apply to this rote, which is the unexpended vote for 1901. This is to practically re-vote that suni.
The vote was agreed to.
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BENT OF "THE CLIFFS," The CHAIRMAN-In the last vote the Officer Administering the Government re- commends the Council to vote a sum of 8433 32 to meet the cost of the rent of The Cliffs" for the two fi.st months of the current year. The Cliffs," as you are aware, was the residence rented for the use of H.E. the Gover- nor, and this vote is nocessary to cover the ex- apenditure for the first two months of this year. I may mention that the Government has ceased to be the tenant of The Cliffs" now, in view of the almost complete state of H.E. the Governor's residence, Mountain Lodge, near the flag-staff.
The vote was agreed to. This was all the business,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, with refer- sure to the resolution standing in my name in theber is not-in order. orders of the day, it is unnecessary for me to enter into any detai's concerning this matter. The papers regarding the new Post Office which hare just been laid on the table were circula ed amongst the members of Council and also
THE BUILDING ORDINANCE OF 1902. furnished to the Press, so that these interested
HE, The CFFICER ADMINISTERING THE in the matter might have full opportunity of GOVERNMENT-Gentlemen, that is all the reading them and of knowing all the reasons business to-day, but I should like that which have induced the Government to take the you wil allow me to detain
you with step of purchasing the site in front of the very few words respecting the Building offices of Messrs. Jerd.ne, Matheson & Co. Ordinance, 1902, bronght forward the other The want of thoroughly up-to-date day—about a month ago. This Ordinance was Post Office is a very real one, and has brought forward perhaps hastily before you at teen recognised by the community in general that time for the reason that the then Attorney- for some time. Everybody who pays a visit to General, Dow Chief Justice, had given an the present Post Office will at once realise that
enormous amount of time and labour to the the want is a pressing one, and the steps now preparation of the bill. He was thoroughly being taken with a view to supply that pressing fagged ont; and the bill was brought forward want are steps which will facilitalo this matter in order that any matters requiring explanation considerably, because it will be possible Low to might be explained while he was still in office, take immediate steps with a view to acquiring as he understood them better than anybody else. the new Post Office, whereas under all previous However, after the bill was brought forward, arrangements unavoidable delay would have been it reached me that a number of intere ts were necessary. It has been estimated that the new largely affected by it, and I thought it was ouly Law Courts would not be ready at least right and reasonable that they should have time until 1905, so that it would not be pog- to consider the bill in all its bearings, aud sible to make a commencenient with the therefore I agreed to the postponement of the new Post Office until the new Law Courts bill for month. (Applause.) The month had had been erected and the Supreme Court practically lapsed, and the bill was ready to be removed from its present site. For these brought forward once more, when it reached reasons I feel sure the action of the Govern-
me again that there were A number of ment will be approved by this Council. As to people who fancied that the bill it the site which has been cho en for the new Post
was laid before you
was not final altoge Office, I do not think it requires any remarks ther, {ks{ it wou'd have to be alter. from me; I think vo. ybody will recogniseed, and that, if passed in its present form. that it is au ideal site for a Post Office. With shortly afterwards some other measure would these few remarks I beg to move that this have to be passed bringing forth greater re- Council approve of the expenditure of the sum forms. I felt that this was most objectionable, of $508,280 for the purchese of Marine Lots 99 for many reasons, and I therefore assembled the
·ážd 100.
two bigh experts fortunately present in the Colony, Professor Simpson and Mr. Chadwick, who had taken a great part in the drafting of the bill. I brought them before the Executive Council, and I asked them the point-blank" question whether the bill as laid before you embraced everything they wished to call atten- tion to, and the answer came that it did not embrace all the things they wanted to bring
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD Before your Excellency proceeds with the adoption of this resolution, I desire to say a few words. The site of the new Post Office has now be n under discussion for a very long period of years. The question was referred to a committee appointed by H.E. Sir William Robinson in 1894, and
as
THE NEW POST OFFICE.
The following-correspondence is sent to us by the Government for publication:-
On this date [18th March, 1898] and referring to previons correspondence, the Governor reported to the Secretary of State. (No. 78) the Legislative Council's unanimous resolution of 28th February, that the new Law Courts and accessory offices should be erected on reclamation plot 2 in front of the City Hall and that the site of present General Post Office and Supreme Court be reserved for erection of a new General Post Office which should also afford sccommodation for such other Government Offices as might be decided on. The Governor proposed:—
(a) Preparation of desigus for the new Law Courts and accessory offices by the Con- sulting Architects, and on their receipt to prep re estimates locally and incite tenders; and (b) That plans for the new G.P.O. be prepared
loca'ly.
He proceeded to refer to D. P. W.'s (Mr. which Ormsby's preliminary views as to officers could be accommodand with the G.P.O. He stated that an estimate for a three-storied building on the present G.P.O. and Supreme Court site was put at $130,000. The Governor then went into the question of the Colony's
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