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HOD. R. SHEWAN-I leave it to you-I leave it to all sensible men to say whether that is a record; it is absolutely no record at all, and it is perfectly ridiculons to say it is. As I have already said, I believe the Government are perfectly sincere in the answers they give to these questions, and why should not the replies be given in full so that people outside may te given the opportunity of seeing them? As matters stand at present, you cannot comment on it--
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-You may make a motion on it.
Hon, R. SHEWAN-But you cannot comment on it.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL-The proper way to comment on it is by way of a motion.
Hon. R. SHEWAN-You cannot elucidate what the Government said in reply to a ques- tion, and besides, we unofficial members are not allowed to stand up and ask what is meant, nor can we refer to any record to see what the reply
was.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL- In courts of law, and in this I think the Senior Unofficial Member will bear me out, the minutes prepared by the registrar are the bare record of what has occurred. For instance, a motion is made, and a record of the fact is set out shortly; the court delivers judgment, refusing the application. and here again this fact is recorded, but the reasons for that judgment are not stated.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY The hon. member seems to forget that there is a reporter here specially paid for recording the proceed- ings of this Council, and that the proceedings appear in the public Press and are also recorded in the Hansard.
Hon. R. SHEWAN-The only official record of the proceedings of this Council, I under- stand, appears in the Government Gazette.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-No. The HARBOUR MASTER-They are recorded in the Hansard, and do not appear in the
Government Gazette at all.
Hon. R. SHEWAN-If the Government are bound by the Hansard.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-They are.
HIS EXCELLENCY-Does the hou, memler wish me to take a vote.
Hon. R. SHEWAN-I do.
The motion was then put to the Council sud lost.
THE KING'S MESSAGE TO HONGKONG,
F HIS EXCELLENCY- Gentlemen, before pro- ceeding with the ordinary business of the meeting, I should like to read to you a telegram I received this morning from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to H.E. the Officer Administering the Government, dated 12th August, 1962:-" His Majesty the King cordially thanks the Executive and Legislative Councils and people of Hongkong for their loyal congratulations to him and Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of their Coronation." (Applause.)
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minute (No. 8) and moved that it be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the Report of the Finance, Committee (No. 10) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
QUESTIONS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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Hon. R. SHEWAN-I rise, sir, to put the questions of which I gave notice at last meeting.
The questions were as follows:- How is the Widows and Orphans' Pension
Fund formed?
What does the fund amount to at present? Do all Civil servants subscribe to it? If not, why not?
What proportion of their salaries is sub- scribed by those who belong to the Fund?
Do the Government assist this Fund in any way already?
If so, how?
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What is the difference between the rate of 3/- per dollar and the rate taken at by 1/9 estimated to amount to per annum?
The difference between 1/6 the rate paid by Ceylon and the rate of the day, say 1/4, is only twopence per rupee, or say 124 per cent., but at Hongkong the difference will be about 1/3 per
dollar, or over 70 per cent. Why is the Hong- kong contribution so much more liberal?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY said- The answers to the questions are as follows:-
a. The Fund is regulated by Ordinance No. 15 of 1900 as cmetded by Ordit: 1 ce 28 of 1900 and 12 of 1902.
b. On 31st December last the amount af credit was $109,266, as stated in the annual report laid before Council in the beginning of the year.
c. All Civil servants with salaries of $240 or more per annum contribute to the Fund, with the exception of a few officers who joined the service before 1st January 1891, that being the date of the initation of the Fund.
d. 4 per cent.
e. Yes, by guaranteeing 6 per cent. interest on the capital of the Fund.
f. Only an experienced actuary could, after great labour, answer this question. As already explained in Finance Committee, a rough estimate would put the cost to Government at a few hundred dollars uext year, rising annually to a maximum of $12,000 in about thirty years and then rapidly declining till extinction. Officers appointed after last year, whose widows would be likely to draw pension in England, are now contributing on a sterling basis, and therefore the vote affects only those officers appointed before the end of 1901.
g. The reason probably is that Ceylon is practically a gold Colony with the rupee at is. 4d. and there is no necessity for that Govern- ment to put up more than 2d. the rupee to make an adequate sterling pension in England. There is nothing more on the subject than the Secretary of State's despatch already laid before Conncil.
COLLAPSES OF HOUSES.
Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIE-Sir, I rise to give notice of the following question which I shall ask at next meeting of Council: "To ask the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, with reference to the recent collapses of newly erected houses in both Hongkong and Kowloon, and consequent deplorable loss of life, what steps have the Government faken to fix the res- ponsibility? There being no coroner's jury,-
The COLONIAL TREASUKER-I rise to order, sir. It is debatable matter.
Do
Hen. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR--I am asking a question. (Proceeding )-There being coroner's jury, does not the onus rest with the Goverument-
The COLONIAL TREASURER-Not necessarily Hon. G. W. F.PLAYFAIR-But I am asking the question.
if
The COLONIAL TREASURER- It is debatable. Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR (coutiruing)-Does not the onus rest with the Government to seo that human life is not heedlessly sacrificed and that punishment is muted out to the As the plans were passed by the guilty? P. W. D. the fault presumably must be in
and scamped work,
this is so, will the Government not fake steps to punish the wrong-doers and in justice to license con- tractors under bond or otherwise, so as to have a hold over them in the event of wilful neglect to put in honest work? And finally, will the Government state what the regulations are as to public enquiries being held into accidents such as these ?"
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-It may be as well now to state, for the information of the hon, member, that the reason of there having been no coroner's enquiry so far is that it takes time to get the necessary reports to enable the
if coroner to judge upon which of these cases, any, an enquiry is necessary. When these collapses occurred, reports were called upon them from the police and from the Director of Public Works, and an enquiry will be held as soon as the coroner has had time to sift these reports.
Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR-I am much obliged.
THE WATER BILL.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide for and regulate the Supply of Water in the Colony of Hongkong and for the Main tenance and Repa'r of the Works in connection therewith.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was carried.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then moved that the Bill be passed.
[August 16, 1902.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, Hon. Dr. Ho KAI- Sir, I desire to ask that my dissent to the passing of the Bill and that of my colleague opposite be recorded.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-The only way to do that is to vote against it.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-Very well. HIS EXCELLENCY- Then I understand you oppose it?
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-I do.
The motion that the Bill be passed was then, put to the Council. On a division being taken len voted for the motion and two (Hon. Dr. Ho Kai and Hon. Wei A Yuk) against it.
The Bill was accordingly passed. The Council adjourned sine die.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the Col. onial Secretary (Hon. F. B. May, C.M.G.) presiding.
THE VOLUNTEER CONTINGENT.
There was only one minute before the com mittee, and it was a vote with reference to the payment of the Coronation Contingent.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-I should like to know, Mr. Chairman, whether those members of the Volunteer Contingent who are Govern- ment servants are supposed to draw their Government pay in fall and this pay in addi- tion?
The CHAIRMAN-I may explain that the attention of the Secretary of State was drawn to that point by telegraph, but an answer bas not been received yet.
Hon. C. S. SHARP-This expenditure was never contemplated when the Contingent was sent home?
The COLONIAL TREASURER-The stipula- tion was that they were to receive no pay whatever.
The CHAIRMAN— shall read to you the communication of the Secretary of State on the subject, and put you in possession of all the facts I have got.
The communication was read.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-The point I want to make clear in this matter is this. Had it been understood the men were to be paid, would the Colony have been better enabled to make a relection of the Volunteers to go home? (Laughter.) They were told that they would receive no pay when they went home, and they go home and are paid.
The CHAIRMAN-It appears that other Colonial troops were paid
The COLONIAL TREASURER-We know that beforehand. The Straits Settlements were not
going to give them pay, but they appear to have changed their mind.
Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR-Are there not a ot of these men not going to come back-men that were only there for the Coronation ?
The CHAIRMAN-I suppose they will get pay while they are in camp or taking part in the Coronation calebrations.
Hon. C. W. F. PLAYFAIR-I do not suppose a quarter of them were in camp from the 26th of Juue till the 9th of August, and they would be getting paid all the time.
to.
The vote was put to the meeting and agreed
This was all the business.
Mr. T. P. O'Connor writes in M A.P.:~ One of the most interesting of our Viceroys, home for the Coronation, is Sir Henry Blake, the Governor of Hongkong, Married to a daughter of Bernal Osborne-brother-in-law of the Duchess of St. Albans-and a man of great natural ability and much force of character, be has been an active and successful Governor in various parts of the world. He is an extremely able and close observer; indeed, I may say, learned move in just ten minutes' conversation with him about the Far East than I could have done in a year over books. Lady Blake, a tall, stately, handsome woman, has much of the
brilliant wit of her father. The flower of the flock is Miss Blake—one of the most beautiful Irish girls I have ever seen; very tall, very graceful, with strikingly handsome, well-shaped features, and eyes of combined weetness and intelligence."
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