1
1
July 13, 1903.]
Act (No. 1 of 1889) Chinese Emigration Con solidation Ordinance is now out of print and cannot be supplied f
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-At the present time an ample number of Ordinances is printed.
LAND CLAIMS IN THE NEW TERRITORY. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill entitled an Urdinance to amend Ordinance No. 18 of 1900 entitled an Ordinance to facilitate the hearing, determination, and settlement of land claims in the New Territories, to establish a Land Court, and for other purposes. The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
SUPPLEMENTARY VOTE. The COLONIAL TREASURER moved the first | reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to authorise the Appropriation of & Supple. mentary Sum of One million eight hundred thousand two hundred and one Dollars and forty Cents, to defray the Charges of the Year 1902.
The COLONIAI. £ECRETARY Secorded, and the motion was agreed to.
RENT RECOVERY IN THE NEW
ITORY.
The ATTORNEY-GENEBAL moj e second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordine to repeal The New Territories Rent Recovery Ordinance, The object of this Ordinance is to provide fr the hearing and determining of claims to rent in the New Territories. By Ordinance 14 of 1902, it was provided that such claims should be heard and determined by the Land Court established under Ordinance 18 of 1900. That
Court however was intended when it was constituted to be a Court for settling claims to land in the New Territories and for establishing titles to land therein and for no other purpose. It was not intended, and it is not desired, that the Land Court shall continue to exist after it has done its work of settling titles to land. The Land Court, in short, is a Lands Titles Court and that alone; and will be dissolved as soon as its work of settling titles is done, This Ordinance there- fore repeals Ordinance 14 of 1902, which declares that all claims to rent in respect of land in the New Territories shall be heard and determined by the Land Court, and provides in lieu thereof that rent in the New Territories is to be recovered before the Supreme Court when the rent claimed exceeds $200 and before a Magistrate when the sum claimed does not exceed that amount. After consideration and from the experience of the past the Government have come to the con- clusion that in the case of claims over $200 the parties should be admitted to the privilege of a hearing in the Supreme Court in its Original or Summary Jardisdiction according to the amount involved, where the advantage of legal assistance can readily be obtained. In proceed- ing before a Magistrate in the New Territories the parties will also be at liberty if they please to retain legal assistang), but as the amount involved in any such case will be necessarily small there will not be the same need for legal assistance.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded the motion, and the Bill was read a second time.
MARRIAGES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
|
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to give effect to an Order in Council made by His Majesty the King on the 12th day of March, 1903, relating to the Marriages of British Subjects in Foreign Countries. He said-The objects and reasons of this Ordinance are to give effect to an Order made by His Majesty the King in Council on the 12th March, 1903, modifying the requirements of the Foreign Marriage Act, 1892, as to residence and no ice in cases when one only of the parties has dwelt within the district of the Marriage Officer and the other has dwelt in this Colony. The effect of this Bill will be to bring this Colony into line with other parts of the Empire.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The Council resolved itself into Committee and considered the Bill clause by clause.
On the Council resuming, the Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to
C
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
authorise and regulate the establishment and use of installations for the purpose of Wireless Telegraphy. He said-I think it will be obvious to the Council that in view the possibilities, the potentialities, of wireless tele- graphy, it were wise to have legislative power to place an installation her, and this Bill, shortly, is to enable the Governor to issue licences for the installation of wireless telegraphy, wherever he deems it expedient, subject to such conditions as may from time to time be found desirable, in the public interest.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was'read a second time.
The Council then went into Committee on the Bill, which, on the Council resuming, was read & third time and passed.
CRIMINAL FUGITIVES TO MALAY STATES. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend The Malay States (Fugitive Criminals) Surrender Ordinance, 19 3. He said-The object of this Bill is to effect certain amend- ments which appear necessary in the Malay States (Fugitive Criminals) Surrender Ordin- ance, 19.3. In the latter Ordinance the meaning of the term "British Resident" was not sufficiently defined. It was now defined to mean any person for the time being lawfully discharging the duties of the office of British Resident. It appeared also that a British Resident was stationed at Negri Sembilan and Pahang, so it was necessary to add these names to those of the other places mentioned.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY Seconded and the motion was agreed to.
The Council went into Committee on the Bill and considered it clause by clause.
On the Council resuming, the Bill was read a third time and passed on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL,
by the
COLONIAL SECRETARY.
seconded
FRINTING OF ORDINANCES.
Hon. R. SHEWAN-If I am in order, sir, I would beg to move the adjournment of the debate in order to call the attention of the Council to the reply of the Colonial Secretary to my last question.
HIS EXCELLENCY - You are in order.
Hon. R. SHEWAN-I believe I am prevented from otherwise commenting upon the answers I received here to-day. The question I asked was Will the Government instruct the Government printers to print a large number of copies of Ordinances ?" The reply was, At the present time an ample number of Ordinances is printed," which I take to be & reply in the negative; and I now beg to move an adjournment of the debate in order to call attention to the great inconvenience which the mercantile community of the Colony suffer by not being able to obtain copies of Ordinances they require. The remark I made in addition to my question was that it appeared that the Passenger Acf, No. of 1889, is out of print. I said that because I had applied to the Govern- ment printers for a copy and was told I could not get one. The reply of the Government is that an ample number of Ordinances is printed. Does that mean that they are printed and in stock at the present time or that they were printed and are out of stock? It is not a full reply and I would be glad if the Colonial Zecretary would amplify it. I have not informed any of my unofficial colleagues of my intention to make this motion, but I have no doubt one of them will second it
in order that we may obtain fuller information.
Hon. Sir Paul Chater seconded.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY—At the present time 160 copies of the Ordinances passed by this Chamber are printed and that number should be amply sufficient to meet all require- ments. I do not know how many copies of Ordigances were printed in 1889, but it is perfectly true that this Ordinance is now out of print. That will be remedied shortly when the new edition of the Ordinances is issued and made available to the public.
Hon. Mr. SHEWAN-May I ask when that will be, sir?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-I cannot give the exact date.
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FINANCE COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the Colon al Secretary Hon. F. H. May, C.M G.) presiding.
PUBLIC MORTUARY,
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $12,000 to meet the cost of re- constructing the Public Mortuary during the current year nuder "Pablic Mortuary, Ex- tension and Re construction, Public Works Extraordinary."
The CHAIRMAN -The present mortuary has been found to be inconveniently small, and as no provision for it extension was made in the Estimates the Council is now asked to voto this sum.
The recommen lation was approved.
QUEEN'S COLLEGI,
414
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $230 in aid of the vote under "Other Charges,” Queen's College, Educa. tion" Allowance for Chinese Teachers, Incidental Expenses,
This vote was also agreed to.
DRONET
$130,00 $100.00
$230,00
GAOL EXPENSES. The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $3,078 in aid of the vote for Personal Emolumenta aud Other Charges,
Gael Department:-
Staff for the Temporary Prison (Belilios Reformatory) for 6 months ending 31st December, 1903 :-
Personal Emoluments:
1 Principal Warder at $1,140,...
8 570 Do., Exchange Compensation at 1/8d., 456 Warders at £96 per annum each at 1/8d., 1,152 Clark at $36) per annum,
4 Assistant Warders, at 82.6 per annum
each, ..
---
2 Cooks at $96 per annum each, 1 Coolie at $ 6 per annum,
:
Other Charges:-
Conveyance Allowance,...
Total,
180
96
$2,934
144
.$3,078
The CHAIRMAN-It has been found neces+.
sary to open Belilios Reformatory as a tem Porary prison owing to the overcrowded stats of Victoria Gaol, and the sum set out meets the expense of the additional staff required.
H.C. Sie W. J. GASCOIGNE-How many prisoners will the Reformatory accommodate P
The CHAIRMAN-It can accommodate a hundred.
The vote was passed. This was all the business.
HONGKONG'S ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
The following statement of the Colony's assets and liabilities on the 30th April,, 1903, appears in the Gazette:-
$ 6. Advances, &c. ........................................................................... Bank balance, Chartered Bank of India, &c. 150,1×0,00 ..... 65,328.27 Subsidiary coins
ASSETS.
$215,328.27 .1,116,478.80
Total assets. Balance...
Total
.$1,331,807.07.
$ 0. 462,767.35
LIABILITIES.
Deposits not available Money order remittances Crown agents' drafts
***********.......... 760,000.00 Balance overdrawn, bank...
13,274.43 Balance overdrawn, Crown agents............ 70,735.08 25,030,21
Total
..$1,331,807.07
Subsidiary coins in transit ..$350,000 Estimate of silver at mint... 813,089
Total....... Treasury, 26th June, 1903.
.$1,163,089
The U.S. warships engaged in manoeuvres in the Gulf of Pechili were the battleships Oregon and Kentucky, the cruiser New Orleans, the The ATTORNEY-GENERAL~Very shortly. gunboats Helena, Annapolis, Vicksburg, Wil- HIS EXCELLENCY-I have reason to think❘mington, and Don Juan de Austria, the Monterey that it will be ready in a short time. The Council adjourned sine die.
and Monadnock, and the torpedo-tender Wampa tuck, besides two navy transports.