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market value. I think these are all the points brought out by the Hon. Members to which it is necessary for me to reply.
Hon Mr. SиaWAN-May I be allowed to make one explanation, The instance of stimula ting industry to which I referred did not occur under the rule of my hon. friend opposite, Mr. Chatham.
On the question being put, one "No" was heard and His EXCELLENCY declared that the **ayes" had it.
Judas
The COLUNIAL SECRETARY The Bill having been read a second time, I move that it be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-I second it. The motion was agreed to.
NEW TERRITORIES LAND ORDINANCE. The ATTORNEY GENERAL-I beg leave to move that the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the New Territories Land Ordinance, 1905, be read a second time. The reasons which lead to the introduction of this Bill are fully set out in the memorandum attached to the Bill, copies of which have been in the hands of Hon. Members for some time. As clearly stated in that memorandum, there are a large number of errors in the schedule attached to the leases of land in the New Territory which it is essential to correct. These errors have arisen from the illiteracy of the Crown lessees who are in large part, but not altogether, peasants. These errors are due in great part to the habit among these people of giving as the name of the lesses the name of some remote ancestor, so that the real name of the living man frequently does not appear on the schedule as it ought to be. Also there has been an omission from the schedule of subsidiary dealings, which have not been recorded by the Land Court owing to lack of information. The object of the Bill is to enable such corrections and additions to be made to the Crown schedules as may be necessary. I move that the Bill be read a second time.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-I second that, The motion was agreed to, and the Council went into committee to consider the Bill in detail.
On the Council resuming,
His EXCELLENCY-I have to report that that Bill passed through committee with one amendment.
MERCHANT SHIPPING ORDINANCE.
TheATTORNEY GENERAL-I proposethat the / Bill entitled An Ordinance further to amend the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1809, and for other purposes be read a third time.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-1 second that. The motion was agreed to. His EXCELLENCY. I move that the Bill entitled An Ordinance further to amend the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899. and for other purposes do pass and become law.
There was no dissent to the proposition which was declared carried.
PROTECTION OF WOMEN.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL-I move that the Bill entitled An Ordinance further to amend the Protection of Women and Girls Ordinance, 1807, be now read a third time.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. The motion was agreed to.
SUMMARY OFFENCES.-
The ATTORNEY GENERAL-I move that the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Sum-
mary Offences Ordinance, 1845, be read a third
time.
'The COLONIAL SecretARY seconded.
The motion was agreed to.
MAINTENANCE OF MARRIED WOMEN.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL-I move that the Council resolve itself into Committee to consider the Bill entitled An Ordinance relating to the Summary Jurisdiction of Magistrates in referencs to married women,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to..
On the Council resuming",
HIS EXCELLENCY-I have to report to the Conncil that the Bill entitled An Ordinance relating to the Summary Jurisdiò'ion of Idagistrates in reference to Married Women has passed through committee with amend-
HIS EXCELLENCY—The Council stands al- journed till Thursday, 28th September, at 2.30.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
|
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the Colonial Secretary presiding. The following votes were pissed.
BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION
DEPARTMENT. -.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of three hundred and thirty-six dollars ($336) in aid of the vote, Botanical and Afforestation department, other charges, maintenance of gardens and grounds, for cost of repairing the damages done by the recent typhoons and rainstorms.
MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES.
The Governor recommended the Council to, vote a sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) in aid of the vote. 22 mis- cellaneous services, for the following items:-
Other miscellaneous services ...8 500 Refunds of revenue
7,000
Total... $7,500
PUBLIC WORKS EXTRAORDINARY,
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of one hundred and fifty dollara ($150) in aid of the vote, Pub io Works Extra- ordinary, for the following:--
Miscellaneous Works- Converting a room in the Stanley Police
Station into a drying room and fitting up a drying store in the room
...$ 30 Erecting a small matshed on the ground in
front of the Station
Total...
120
$150
SANITARY EXPENSES, The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) in aid of the vote, Sanitary Department other charges, incidental expenses, for printing 125 copies of the new edition of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903.
EDUCATIONAL CHARGES.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of sixty-nine dollars and twenty seven cents ($60.27) in aid of the vole, Education-other charges, Victoria. British School, Furniture.
R
September 23, 1905.
HONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was hold on the 19th September at the Board Room. Hon. Dr. F. Clark (President) presided, and thers were also present: Major Josling, Dr. W. W, Pearse, M.O.H., Mr. E. Irving, Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C., and Mr. A. Rumjahn.
t of
of
the
KOWLOON ODOURS. The Government's reply to the Board's recom mendations with regard to this question was follows:-With reference to the recommendat tions of the Sanitary Board relating to the mitigation of certain nuisances in Kowloon, and submitted by the President în a minute dated the 6th instant, the reclamation of part Hanghom Bay is under the consideration o the Government, and in the meantime extension of the sewer out-falls will be put in band as soon as funds can be made available. The reconstruction of the street gullies iu Kowloon will be undertaken as soon as those in Victoria have been replaced by gullies of the new typ. With regard to the report of insufficient latrine and urinal accommodation near Tsimoḥatsoi Point, urinal is in course of construction there; aud the Board is asked to suggest a site for a latrine which would te convenient and at the same time not likely to cause offence, and so result in a petition for its removal as soon as it commences to be used. The Board should communicate with the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, who employ a very large proportion of the coolies working at Tsimchatsoi Point, with regard to the provision of ample urinal and latrine accommodation for these coolies within their premises, and as far as possible from the public thoroughfares. His Excellency has noted the first resolution passed by the Board at their meeting held on the 22nd August re manuring of gardens near public highways, and will be glad to receive a raport at the end of the year as to how far the instructions issued to the Board's officers bavê proved effectual in mitigating the offensive odours arising from these gardens.
the Board should recommend a site for a latrine The PRESIDENT-The Government asks that
at Tsimshatsoi Point. I move that the matter THE ESTIMates for 1906.
be referred to the M.O.E. to report on, and The Committee then considered the Bill | recommend a site. referred to them by the Council.
On the treasury vote,
The Hon. Mr. SHEWAN moved that the sum of $3,000 in connection with the W.dows and
Orphans Fund be deleted. That item ought to be left out un'il the provision of the Widow and Orphans Fund had been passed.
The ATTORNEY GENEBAL-You need not press that, because if the proposed Bill is not passed by this Council the vote fal's.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY.-It does not follow the money will be spent.
Hon. Mr, SHEWAN-No bat we might be told afterwards that we had pass›d it.
The motion was pat and the CHAIRMAN declared that the "ayes" had it.
Hon. Mr. SHEWAN challenged a division, Sven roted against the amendment and six in its favour.
The original motion was then carried.
WATER SUPPLY.
The Hon. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS answered the questions put by the Hon. Mr. Gershom Stewart. With regard to No. 1, he said there was a constant supply of water during 313 days in 1899, 352 in 1930, 365 in 1951, 160 in 1902, 228 in 1903, and 18) in 1904. The next question was what progress has been made with rider mains and what saving it is estimated will ensue. The answer is: The rider mains have been laid in about half of the intended districts and it is estimated that the saying will be not less than a million gallons per year. The third question referred to the water for flushing tanks. It is impossible to say what quantity will be used but it is intended to supply the tanks from the streams that the hon. gentleman said he was so sorry to see running to waste down the hillside, and the tanks will be filled according to the state of the tide. There will be abundance of fresh water for the purpose.
The enacting clause of the Finance Bill was approved, and the Committee was adjourned.
Mr. Pollock seconded the motion, to which the members present agreed.
KOWLOON CONSERVANCY CONTRACT.
Kowloon for 1936-1907 was considered in The scavenging anil conservancy contract for committee, when several amendments were made
On the Board resuming, the PRESIDENT moved that the conditions of the contract as amended in committee be adopted and forwarded to the Governor for his approval.
Mr. POLLOCK seconded and the motion was arried.
!
WATER ANALYSIS,
Mr. Frank Brown, Government analyst, reported that the result of his analysis proved that the water was of excellent quality.
+
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
The percentage of deaths for the week ending 26th August, death rate per 1,000 per annum, was 29.5 as against 17.8 for the corresponding week of last year. This percentage was of the British, foreign and Chinese community, excluding the navy and army.
LIMEWASHING,
For the fortnight ending 12th September 4,412 houses were limewashed in the eastern and 3,534 in the central district.
EAT RETURN.
For the week ending 9th reptember 516 rats infected. 2 out of the 584 rats caught for the were caught, of which 26 were found to be week ending 18th i stant were infected.
Referring to our recent comments on the appreciated value of property belonging to public companies in Hongkong, the Japan -- Chronicle says:-Our contemporary might have also adduced the case of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, which for years has pursued the policy of writing down its property account. While this is in one way a laudable policy, yet it certainly has the defect of concealing rather than disclosing the actual position of a public company.