June 25, 1906.J
no bullding costing more than $2,500 should be started without the special sanction of this Council; consequently I propose to transfer this sum of $5,700 to the special vote I sin asking for to-day, and the Director of Public Works has noted that I expect a saving of $5,000 to be made on these Miscellaneous Works item.
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table report of the Finance Committee No. 5, and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREABURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
WORKMEN'S CARS,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-Sir, I beg leave to move the resolutions standing in my name.
The resolutions were:-
#1. Resolved that the resolution regarding the running of workmen's cars by the Hong kong Tramway Electric Company, Limited, parsed by the Legislative Council on the 15th September, 1904, be rescinded as from to-day.
2. Resolved that until further notice. the Hongkong Tramway Electric Company, Limited, shall provide the following number of cars every morning and evening, at such hours not being later than 7 a.m. nor earlier than 5.30 pm, as the Company shall think most convenient. for artisans, mechanics and daily labourers, at fares not exceeding 2 cents for the singls journey and 3 cents for the return journey :-
MORNING.
From Kennedy Town to Arsenal Street, 2
cars.
From North Point to the junction of Wing Lok Street and Connaught Road, 4 cars."
EVENING.
From Arsenal Street to Kennedy Town, 2
ears.
From the junction of Wing Lok Street and Connaught Road to North Point, 4 cars.
These resolutions have reference to the running of workmen's cars by the Hongkong Tramway Electric Company. The present resolution which compels the Company to run certain cars at certain times has been found to work hardly upon the Company, the workmen for whom the cars are running not taking advantage of them. The Company, neverthe less, have been obliged to run these cars. The matter has been under the consideration of a small committee upon which sat, I under stand, the senior unofficial member, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, and my friend, the Hon. Mr. Brewin. They will be able to give to the Council any further information they desire as to the reason why the resolutions which I now move should be passed in place of that passed by the Council on the 15th September, 1904. I now move the resolution be passed to the effect that the Company shall ran the specified number of cars every morning and evening at such' hours not being later than 7 a.m. nor earlier thau 530 p.m. as the Company may find most convenient, for artisaus, mechanics and daily labourers, at fares not exceeding two cents for the single journey and three cents for the return journey.
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The REGISTRAR GENERAL-I beg to second the motion. As the Attorney-General said, these resolution and the outcome of certain remarks by the senior unofficial member on the last occasion that a resolution on the subject was brought before Council. The consideration of that resolution was, postponed pending an inquiry into the whole question by the small committee which your Excellency appointed.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
from the west in the morning should not as heretofore stop at the Central Market but should go as far as Arsenal Street, and that workmen's cars coming from the east in the morning should not as heretofora stop at No. 2 Police Station but should go on to the junction of Winglok Street with Connaught Road That is to say that workmen having their business in | the west of the town may still come from east of it and find tramcars convenient, and workmen having their business in the east of the town may utilise the workmen's cars from the west.
'The motion was agreed to.
MINING LICENCES,
The ATTORNEY GENERAL Moved the first reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to empower the Governor to grant licences to search for and prove minerals and to grant licences and leases of land for the purpo e of working mines and minerals.
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The COLONIAL Secretary seconded, His EXCELLENCY-The origin of the Bill now being introduced is an application which was received in July of last year from the Hon. Sir Paul Chater for a licence for himself and his employees with respect to minerals in the New Territory. As hon. members will be aware attempts that were made to get minerals from what are now the New Territories at a time before these Territories came under British jurisdiction failed. The gentlemen who have taken up the undertaking again are, however, confident that they are likely to meet with more success in the future than has been met with in the past. Certainly if they do meet with success their operations will greatly assist the develop- ment of that part of the Colony. It is therefore necessary that the Government should give them every reasonable assistance. I was advised by the Law Officers of the Crown that I had no power as matters stood to grant the permission to mine in the Colony which was asked for. Article 12 of the Letters Patent of 19th January, 1888, constituting the office of Gover nor and the Commander-in-Chief of Hong. kong and its dependencies, sets forth the power of the Governor as regards grants. (Quotes.) No instructions have been addressed to the Governor of Hongkong with regard to the disposition of land for mining purposes and as there are no laws or regulations in force on the subject the Attorney-General advises that the simplest way of dealing with it is for the Council to pass a short bill giving the Governor in Council the necessary authority to grant prospecting and mining licences and mining leases. That is the object of the Bill now introduced.
The motion was agreed to.
NAVAL AND MILITARY WORKS,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to authorize the construction and maintenance of certain naval and military works upon and over certain portions of the Crown foreshore and sea bed situate upon the harbour frontage of the City of
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Victoria, in this Colony. He said-The reason for the introduction of this Bill appears on the short memorandum which is attached to the Bill itself. Shortly it is to legalise the erection and maintenance of the works that may be necessary for the ffective working of the Army and Navy. is aware very extensive usval works are at the As everyone present moment in progress, The Ordinance legalises what bas been done in respect of any naval or military works and legalises whatever may be necessary in the future. The Bill is one that ought to pass shortly.
by a committee of the whole Council, it referred back to the Law Committee and brought up at the next meeting of the Council. The COLONIAL FECERTARY seconded, and this was agreed to.
ASYLUME B LL.
The Attorney-General moved the third reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance
for the detention, custody and care of persons to provide for the establishment of asylums
of unsound mind, and others,
The COLONIAL Srcretary seconded, and the Bill was passed.
His EXCELLENCY—I adjourn the Council to Thursday, 28th June.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Commiṭṭes was held afterwards-the Colonial Secretary pre- siding. The following votes were passed :-
The Governor recommended the Conncil to vote a sum of three thousand dullars ($3,000) in aid of the vote, Sanitary Department-Other Charges, Plague, for the following items :—
Compensation for damages by
disinfection,
$1,000 Plagne corpses, cost of burial, 2,000
Total,
$3,000
BONUS. The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of one hundred and seventy dollars ($170) in aid of the vot“. Judicial and Legal Departments, B.-Magistracy--Other Charger, Bonus to M. T. A. Hanmer.
KOWLOON POST OFFICE.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of five thousand seven hundred dollars ($5,700) in aid of the vote, Public Works Extraordinary, Buildings-Post Office. Kowicon.
HONGKONG'S NEW CONSUL.
AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE POPULAR.
Already, in the few weeks that he has had to make frieuds, Mr. Amos P. Wilder. American Consul-General at Hongkong, has attained the approval of his nationals, and the respect of all
others who have come in contact with him Mrs. Wilder is also well-liked. We learn from an American exchange that Consul Wilder was born at Calais, State of Mains, in 1862. He is a Yale mau. Like so many other of America's ablest men, he has had an intimate connection with journalism. He has, in fact. edited several papers in the United States. If he has a mental fad at all, it is his respect for early American traditions, and the "simple life' as Garfield understood it.
THE HANG-FIRE RAILWAY.
F
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CANTONESE "CROWN AGENTS."
states the position up-to-date of the Canton
The Canton correspondent of the Daily Press Hankow railway scheme to be somewhat as follows:
The Viceroy of the two Kiang provinces, who sent a deputy to investigate the attitude of the railway promoters, has declared for the people Viceroy of the two Kwang provinces toward the against his official colleague. He has sent a memorial to Peking, containing the report of his deputy, Yuen Shin fan, and adding that all the trouble arises from an argument between the officials and the gen'ry. The people had done indeed well to collect ten million dollars, but they could collect still more for the scheme if it were not for official meddling, He (Viceroy Cháu Fuk) begs the Throne to restore the titles. The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and and honoursofi si Kwai-pui, and theothers whom this was agreed to.
The COLONIAL-SECRETARY Seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved that Council go into Committee.
the
On the Council resuming, His EXCELLENCY reported that the Bill bad passed through committee without material
That committee came to the conclusion that the reason why the cars were not availed of so much as seemed reasonable was in great measure due the difficulty which the workmen had in understanding that the cars existed for their benefit, which resulted in their not taking advantage of them. The committee furnished the Government with a report, and it was in consequenos of that report that the present resolution was brought forward. It of course remains to be seen whether, after the recommen-amendment. dation of the committee is adopted, the workmen will avail themselves of these cars or not. It is the intention of the Government to invite the co-operation of the Chinese in making known as far as posible the benefits which the workmen will derive from moving to the suburbs, and laking advantage of this service of trams,,
His EXCELLENCY-The gist of this resolution is that the workmen's cars going
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THE DENTISTS' bill.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said-With respect to the third order of the day, since the last meeting of the Council when I stated that I would more the adoption of the report of the Law Committee on the Bill, I have had certain amendments suggested to me which I think are worthy of consideration. I would therefore propose that, instead of the Bill being considered
Viceroy Shum had denounced, degraded and imprisoned. This restitution was necessary to pacify the indignsat people. Until the public mind was put at ease, the line could not be proceeded with. The memorialist had heard that Viceroy Shum was again denouncing the popular representatives, aud that he had recom- mended the appointment of five rail way directors whom the Cantonese people objected to. This soriptions coming in. He would sand his was very bad; it would prevent further sub-
deputy to Peking to report personally, and to beg for an Ediot ordering the settlement of this affair. [Later news on p. 4551