22
SATOW's and Lord CURZONE meeting can be unconnected with the delimitation and trade questions, and we may hope for the evolution of a strong policy which will put the dealings between India and Tibet on a better and friendlier footing,
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on the afternoon of the 8th inst. in the. Council Chamber. Present:
―
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G
HIS EXCELLENCY Sir W GASCOIGNE, K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary) Hon. Sir HENRY SPENCER BERKELEY, KT. (Attorney-General).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colônial Treasurer). Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works), Hon. J. M. ATKINSON ||(Principal Ciril Medical Officer).
Hon. Sir C. P. CHATER, CM.G. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, C.M G
Hon. WEI YÜK.
Hon. C. W. DICKSON:
Hon. R. SHEWAN.
Hoa. GEESHom StewarT
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Council).
FINANCIAL
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minutes (Nos. 25 to 27) and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee, The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Report of the Finance Committee
4) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL, TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
BOUNDARIES.
THE HONGKong weeklY PRESS AND
The COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the fol lowing amendment to No. 5 of the Domestic Cleanliness and Ventilation Bye-laws contained in Schedule B of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, made under Se.tion 16 of the aforesaid Ordinance-The note to No.5 of the Domestic Cleanliness and Ventilation Bye-laws contained in Schedule B of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, is hereby repealed, and the following substituted therefore:-"The western boundary of the east- ern division of the City is Graham Street and Endicott Street; the western boundary of the central division of the City is Tank Lane and Cleverly Street; the westeru division of the City lies to the west of Tank Lane and Cleverly Street. Kowloon is divided into eastern and western divisions by Robinson Road and a straight line drawn from the north end thereof through the Yaumati service reservoir to the northern boundary of Kowloon." He said- The object of this amendment is to bring the limewashing districts into the same boundaries as those of the health districts,This will enable the inspectors to do their work more effectively. Hon. Dr. ATKINSON seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES, The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the Supplementary Colonial Estimates for 1902, of which the following is an extract :- Charges on Account of Public Debt, $18,234,54 Pensions, ...
Registrar-General's Department
[*Although the excess in the votes Publio Works Recurrent amounts to $190,293.41 and Public Works Extraordinary to $359,787.77, yel these Supplementary Votes are required," he cause saving on sums voted for any particular work cannot be appropriated to cover excess on other works, or new ifem not yet voted.]
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the Report on the Blue book, the Report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer, and the Report on the Hongkong Volunteer Corps, all for 19.12. QUESTIONS.
The Hon. G. STEWART gave notice of the following questions :—
-
1902.
Commission paid on→→
Stores Payment of Interest
on Loan
For
[July 13, 1903.
£278 18 5-$3,207.73
29 18 0
Subsidiary Coins 196 0 5
340.82 2,146.01
transacting
the
150 0
1,722.77
General Business of
the Colony
-£654 16 10 $7,417.33 (Sd) A. M. THOMSON.
3. (a) Yez. (b) Unuecessary to answer. 4. (a) The competitive system coupled with professional supervision and in: peoction. (b and (1) When were the plans for the new Law) No definite information is available on Courts finally passed?
(2) What is the cause of the delay in procs d. ing with the erection of the Courts?
(3) What was the cost of the site for the new Post Office, and when paid for?
(4) What were the number of designs received in the recent competition for the Post Office P
(5) Can the Government give the date approximately when they will be in a position to invite tenders and proceed actively with the work of the construction of the Post Office?
THE CROWN AGENT SYSTEM.
Hon. R. SHEWAN put the folk wing questions standing in his name:-Will the Honourable the Colonial Secretary be good enough to give the following information respecting the working of the Crown Agents system with regard to this Colouy-
1. (a) What method is adopted for paying the Crown Agents? (b) Do the Crown Agents receive a commission on orders executed in addition to regular salaries ? (c) Do they receive remuneration from other Crown Colonies in addition to this ?
2. What is the annual sum paid by the Colony to the Crown Agents during the past three years, giving salary and commissions separately, or what annual sum has been charged to the Colony for the services of the Crown Agents?
3. (u) Are all orders for material, etc., sent to Europe on behalf of the Colony, made through the Crown Agents? (b) If not, what system is adopted with regard to such orders which are not executed by the Crown Agents ? 4. (a) What system is adopted to ensure that all orders on behalf of the Colony are executed by the firm best able to carry out the work at the most reasonable price? (b) If orders are put up to tender only for those firms on the Crown Agents' lists, how are these firms selected? (c) Can any reputable firm on ap- plication be placed on the Crown Agents' lists, or do the Crown Agents exercise a right to refuse to place a firm on their list? (d) In the event of such a refusal, has the firm thus rejected any right of appeal, and, if so, to whom?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY replied as follows:-
1. (a) The Crown Agents and their employees are paid salaries out of the contributions of all the Colonies employing their services. (b) No. (c) Only the regular contributions paid to the fund for salaries and other expenses.
2. Crown Agent's Charges:-
1 per cent. commission on stores.
per cent.
commission on payment of interest on loan.
|
these points, but a reference to appendix 22 of the Report of the Public Works Commission shows that in 10 years the Crown Agents carried out 379 orders for the Public Works Department and that these orders were place l with 101 different firms. The field of selection is thereforo very wido. No objection is raised by the Agents if this Government asks that a particular order may be placed with a particular firm, and Government has every reason to be satisfied with the quality and price of the stores supplied to it. (d) Yes. To the Secretary of State for the Colonies. I would lay on the table Parlia mentary Paper C. 3,075 of 1881, relative to
the functions of the Crown Agents which has already boen Одсэ laid on this table in 1894.
DR. PEARSE'S MEMORANDUM.. Hon. R. SHEWAN also put the questions:-
1. Will the Gov ramont state whether they received a letter from the Secretary of the Sanitary Board sent by direction of the President, conveying the following resolution unanimously adopted at te meeting of property. owners at the Sanitary Board office on 18th May, convened by advertisements in European newspapers in the Colony, namely :-" That the permission of H. E. the Governor be obtained to have the report, which was read by Dr. Pearse at the meeting on the subject of overcrowding and its abatement, printed and circulated amongst the European land-owners in the Colony'?
2. If so, has any reply been sent thereto P If not, why not?
3. Is the Go-ernment aware that the Presi
deut of the Sanitary Board stated at the Board on the 19th instant that no answer had been receive to that letter, but that the report had been laid on the table and was accessible to the Press if they wanted it?
4. Does the Government propose to print and circulate Dr. Poarse's report in terms of the resolution ? Or is it true, as rumoured, that the report has been withdrawn from ciroulation and that the information which has been placed at the di-posal of the Chinese will not be avail. able for European land-owners ?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY replied as fol lows:-
1. The letter was duly received.
2. The Government intimated to the President of the Board for his information and guidance that Dr. Pearse's Memorandum might be brought before the Board. The position the Government has adopted is that the Memoran- dum in question involves assumption as to the effect of the law that may or may not be correct, but which can only be tested by a case decided in the law conrts. This decision can readily be obtained in the usual manner. ...£255 1 0 $2,512.82 Without it the Government would not accept the responsibility of publiching the memor- andum.
per cent, commission on subsidiary coins. £150 per annum for transacting the general business of the Colony.
1900. Commission paid on-
Stores Payment of Interest
on Loan
8,820.59 For transacting the
Subsidiary Coins
39 18 0 566 8 8
399,37 5,601.59
General Business of the Colony
150 0 0
1,500.11
39,654.80
11,164.25
4,791.64
26,124.12
733.33
990.30
14,165.39
2,806.41
...
4,142.62 24,737.20 15,763.66 657,930.55
Commission paid on-
Governor and Legislature,
Andit Department,
Treasury,
Post Office..
Observatory
Legal Departments
Medical Departments
Magistracy...
Sanitary Department
Transport
Miscellaneous Services
Public Works Recurrent
歌曲
Ordinary Expenditure
Public Works Extraordinary
*201,628.46
1,031,627.86
768,573,54
$1,800,201.40
For
3. Yes,
4. The Government do not propose to print and circulate the
for the memorandum reasons stated in answer to question 2. The Memorandum was read in English at the £1,011 7 8 810,043 89 | recont meeting of property-owners held at the 1901.
Sanitary Board offices and which was attended by Europeans as well as Chinese. It is acces- ...£222 3
sible to members of the Board, both European and Chinese, and there is no question of supply- ing to Chinese information which is withheld from Europeans.
Stores Payment of Interest
on Loan
***
Subsidiary Coins
transacting the General Business of the Colony
6
14 19 0 341 4 1
150 0 0
140
$2,290.71
161.71 3,526.14
В
PRINTING OF ORDINANCES, Hon. R. SHEWAN further asked:-Will 1,549.86 the Government instruct the Government Prin- ters to print a larger number of copies of £731 6 7 $7,528.42' Ordinances, as it appears that the Passenger