Júne 16, 1906.)
Hon, MB. POLLOCK-What does it refer to? The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The floor of & house at Canton wharf to be used as a branch post office to facilitate the despatch of the Cauton correspondence.
Hon. De. Ho KAI-Do I understand that the Chinese post office in Hongkong will be done away with ?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-It is the inten| tion to deal with the Canton correspondence direct from the post office.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-Lertain_arrangements made with hongs have been acted on. Have the hongs been informed of the change?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-I presume the Postmaster General has informed them; I have not informed them. The new regulations have been in the Gazette.
Hon. DR. HO KAI-Has their attention been called to it? We have made certain arrrange- meats with the hongs and they may go on as before The Government Gazette is not read by them.
The ATTORNEY General-The new rules have been in force for some time.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-I think you may. take it that the Postmaster General will see that the arrangements affecting the hongs have been notified. The matter has been on since March.
Carried.
THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.
MISAPPREHENSIONS SET RIGHT.
Following is the telegram referred to in the leading article dated June 15th :-
LONDON, June 13th. Mr. A. H. Lee, M.P., asked the Colonial Secretary for information of the Kowloon. Canton Railway project, especially with regard to the section of the line passing through British territory.
He asked if it was a fact that for about six months rapid and substantial progress had been made with the construction of this British section by the Public Works Department of the Government of Boogkong; it Government, was in April relieved of further responsibility and if that work was now being continued by a spécial staff of engineers appointed by the Crown Agents under Colonial Office authority?
If these statements were true, he asked, would the Colonial Secretary tell the House what were the reasons for withdrawing the undertaking from the management of the Hongkong Government ?
Mr. Winston Churchill replied that negotin- tions were still proceeding with the Chinese Government for the construction and working of the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
The British section of the line had been from the first under the supervision of the Consulting Engineer. There had been no change of policy; everything so far done lind had the full coueur. rence of the Governor, Sir Matthew Nathan.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on June 12th at the Board Room. The Hon. Dr. F. Clark (president) presided, and there were also present-Dr. Pearse, M.O.H., | Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin, Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Dr. Macfarlane, Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, Lient.-Col. Sparkes, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. H. Humphreys, Mr. Lau Chu-psk. and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (secretary).
CONFIDENTIAL OR OTHERW188.
Mr. H&WETT-Before you proceed with the regular business of the meeting, I would like to ask, is there any particular reason why papers Nos. 3 and 4 should be treated as confidential
The PRESIDENT-Nos. 3 and 4 contain the advice of the law officers of the Crown.
Mr. HOOPER-Notwithstanding that, I think it is a matter of sach general interest that the public should be informed of the minutes and the discussion that may arise thereon. I don't know whether it is for the President or the Board to say what shall be confidential.
The PRESIDENT-It is simply an instruction from the Goverument some years ago that papers containing the opinion of the law officers of the Crown should not be made public. To the best of my recollection it was a0 instruction received some six or eight years ago. Mr. HOOPER-Do yon consider this instruc- tion binding on you?
The PRESIDENT. -
Yes. Mr. HOOPER Therefore you would rule out of order any notion that they be considered in public?
The PRESIDENT-The instructions are that the opinions of the law officers of the Crown are not to be published.
Mr. HOOPER-Would you rule a motion by me that the matter be discussed in public out of order on the gronuds you have stated
The PRESIDENT-—Yes, I should, pouding further instruc'ions from the Government.
Mr. HOOPER-I would like that recorded ou
|
431
that the Sanitary Board has no power to sompel stall-holders to sell at the prices quoted.
The PRESIDENT-I beg to move the adoption of the report, and in doing so I should like to take the opportunity of stating that I am satisfied that the misunderstanding which arOKS in reference to the non-sigasture of the list by- . the Inspector of Markets was due to an over- sight and was not in any way an intentional slight on the Board. The M.Ö.H., with whomTM I have discussed the matter, explained to inte mind- I verified his statement that in bis originàl✨- report to the Board he stated that he had provisionally instructed the Inspector of Markets to cease signing these lists. When the matter came before the Board the wording of the resolution was such perhaps that that instruction should have been withdrawn at once, but through a misunderstanding it was not withdrawn, and when a week or two later the matter was brought up again I thought that it would be better not to again commence signing these lists and then perhaps the Board decide they should not be signed. That would lead to an inconsistency which would be undesirable and it was thought better to leave it alone until the Board decided what coûTIS should be pursued in future. The committee recommend that the publication of the list, which was begun in 1867, should be continued.
am sure it is of considerable value to many. The committee therefore recom. mend that the list should be signed as hereto- fore by the Inspector of Markets. We have suggested certain methods which we hope will obviate mistakes, except perhaps printer's errors which no one can guard against.
The Hon. Mr. CHATHAM' seconded, and the motion was car:ied,
LIME-WASHING PROCEDURE,
Correspondence relative tov lime-washing procedare was submitted.
Dr. MACFARLANE wrote that he visited certain premises and found the lime-washing not to his satisfaction. The bye-laws stated that it had only to be done to the satisfaction of the Board, and as he was not on the Mr. H&WETT---Would it not be possible to committee appointed by the Board for lime- ing the legal opinion public have the papers dealt with openly but not mak-washing he did not see how he could give
a decision for the Board,
the minutes
The PRESIDENT-It is impossible to discuss that without discussing the law officers' opinion.
After examination of the papers,
The PRESIDENT sail-I don't are any objection to these particular papers being dealt with in public
Mr. HOOPER-That will meet my case, The matter then dropped.
MARKET PRICES,
The SECRETARY, in reply, pointed out that the committee only dealt with applications for exemption.
Dr. MACFARLANE then asked if he was to understand that the “lime-washing to the satis- faction of the Board in the bye-laws meant, ia Kowloon, to lime-wash to his satisfaction. He would like to have that clear, as undoubtedly opinions varied as to what was or was not satisfactory lime-wasbing.
*
The committee apppointed to investigate certain complaints in regard to the publica- The SECRETARY-The question raised by the tiou of market price lists reported: We have A.M.O.H. has never, so far as I am aware, been investigated Dr. Pearse's complaint of April considered by the Board and I should like to 24th that the market list published by the have a ruling as to whether the present pro... South China Morning Post on the previous day cedure is satisfactory, The procedure is as did not correspond with the Inspector of follows:-(1) The notices from the owners Market's list, and we attach a statement which stating that the lime-washing has been done are shows the prices returned by the Inspector. passed to the District Inspectors for report. the prices published by the Morning Post of | (2) When the report shows that the lime-wash- Monday, April 23rd, and the prices published bying has not been dous satisfactorily a letter HONGKONG VOLUNTEER RESERVE | the Daily Press on Saturday, April 21st, from a is sent. (3) After a reasonable time has been similar list. From this statement it would | allowed for the work to be done the senior appear that in thirty-three items the Morning Post differs from the Inspector's list, while there are nine differences between the Inspec- press. tor's list and that published by the Daily We are satisfied that there was no intentional alteration of the figures by the newspapers, and that such discrepancies as exist have been the result of printer's errors. non-delivery of corrected lists, etc. We reommend that :-The publication of the list be continued, as wo believe that it serves a
ASSOCIATION.
on
His
Riflemen of the Reserve gathered eu inassa at the Kowloon range
the 9th June 10 Fitness H.E. the Governor present his 1905 -Cup to Mr. J. C. Gow, the winner. Excellency complimented Mr. Gow
on his excellent shooting, also Mr. J. H. Pidgeon who was second, and Sir Francis Piggott who was third on the list.
Sir Henry Berkeley also congratulated the gentlemen who headed the scoring list for the year, and in complimenting Sir Francis Piggott remarked that the law was, as usual, clear-sighted and accurate.
inspectors then report whether the lime-wash- ing has ben satisfactorily done. (4) - In Kowloon if the Senior Inspectors report that the work is still not satisfactorily. done, the premises are visited by the A M.O.H and if he is not satisfied a prosecution is instituted, Owing to the fact that there are 10 hésith districts in Hongkong as against two in Kowloon the M.Ö.H. cannot make this final inspection and consequently legal proceedings are instiinted when the lime-washing is not done useful purpose. It should be signed by the to the satisfaction of the Senior Inspectors. Inspector of Markets as heretofore, and with There are thus five standards of lime-washing in a view to avoiding mistakes in future we further Victoria, and in order to obtsin as far as possible recommend that the Inspector of Markets s uniformity of requirements as to lime-washing should be personally responsible for compiling in Victoria I would suggest that the Inspection The Japanese have obtained the contract for the list, and should not relegate the duty to a Committee be re-appointed and that the luspec the supply of rifles for the new Chinese company subordinate. The Inspector should send his tions take place every two months instead of as of volunteers at Shanghai. They will be list to the Secretary of the Board every formerly every three, and that a report on the furnished at the price of $15 each and will be Tuesday morning, and a сору of this lime-washing be embodied in the general report of the Murata pattern. The Echo de Chine | list should be sent to each English | of the committee. The Secretary concluded newspaper from the_Sanitary Board Office as ❘ with a suggested re-arrangement of the staff soon as possible, the Inspector's list being kept | in view of his suggestion being adopted. on file for three months. A statement should be added to the end of the list to the effect that the prices necessarily vary from day to day, and
5.
says that the greatest efforts will be made to induce young Chinese of the highest class to enrol themselves. The entry money is $3 and each' volunteer will pay a subscription per month.
The PRESIDENT stated that he understood the question of lime-washing would be dealt with by 'the Commission, and advised that things be
*