September 21, 1907.)
Merchant will say, when (and if) he reads it, "Loss of prestige be-perdurably fined.' It entails loss of profit."
But he will not admit that mere journalists can teach him his trade, and (having retained a moiety of our original endowment of modesty) we do not feel over inclined to press him to do so.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on the 17th instant in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, BIR FREDERICK JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD, K.C.M.G., C.B.. D.8.0.
His Excellency Major General R. G. BROAD- WOOD, C.B., A. C. D., General Officer Command- ing the Troops.
Hou. Mr. F. H. MAY, (Colonial Secretary), Hon. Mr. W. REES DAVIES, (Attorney. General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON, (Colonial Tres surer).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G., (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN, (Registrar General).
Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETI. Hon. Mr. H. KESWICK, Hon. Commander BASIL R. H. TAYLOB, R.N., (Harbour Master).
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK,
Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE,
Mr. R. H. CROFTON, (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and confirmed.
NEW MEMBERS, Mr. W. Bees Davias and Commander Basil R. H. Taylor, R.N., took the oath and assumed their seats as members of the Council,
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Hon. Mr. OSBORNE―ir, I have much pleasure in seconding this resolution, and feel sure as far as the general public is concerned that the remarks which have fallen from the hon. member as proposer will be cordially endorsed, and the exɩra remuneration he asks for will be as cheerfully given as it has bee earned.
事
The COLONIAL Secretary-Sir, the ques- tion of remuneration to the gentlemen to whom reference has been made was carefully con- had full knowledge of the circumstances under sidered by your Exo-llenoy's predecessor who which they had done the special work which has been referred to. Sir Matthew Nathan ap- proved of grafts to the gentlemen concerned of the sums mentioned. He considered the sums sufficient, and he left instructions that the necessary vote should be taken to cover the grants. It is to be regretted, I admit, that the inancial Minute which comprised· the sum to be devoted to this remun, rs- tion did not s'ate in detail the items comprised within the vote. But, Sir, I
sub. mit that that circumstance does not in any way alter the case, for the unofficial members could not then, 88 they cannot
now, move the increase of the sum that had been approved by the Governor as this remunera- tion. In due course, Sir, the vote, but this time with the details in it specifically stated, was sent home to the Secretary of State, and it has received his sanction, and the sums stances, Sir, the Government does not see ita were accordingly disbursed. In these circum-
decided by your Excellency's predecessor. way to re-open the question which has besm
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE BEFORT. that special services had been rendered by these two gentlemen for which special remuneration
think that extra pay on the basis of half a month's salary is more or less the basis should be granted, I consequently put a series од which the remuneration should of questions to the Government at the meeting calculated. I can assure your Excellency that be held on June 27th, in BDSwer to which in the opinion of myself and of my late covering the ameant to be paid to these officers the unofficials will agree, the remuneration for it would appear then that this particular vote colleagues in the Commission, and I trust had been included in vote 16 which was put besuch work should be adequate, and $200 is not. fore the Council on the 16th May, this year. The only other point is I quite understand that if I considered it
the question of remuneration to a Chinese clerk. Personally advisable or necessary, these particular remarks I have no knowledge of the exact amount should bave been made when the vote was put of work he carried before the Finance Committee, but I can tell
out, but I believe it was considerable, and would say that if his your Excellency that on that occasion the remuneration of $50 is based on the same scale committee was asked to vote 8 of $800, and the explanation given by the acting along with the others. I trust your Excellency as the $200, I think it also should be reconsidered Colonial Secretary was that this sum was will agree with my remarks. expended in connection with printing. As I personally knew something about the work of the Commission, and that the estimat bad been largely exceeded, it never occurred to me then to suppose that in the $800, $650 had been included as special remuneration to Govern- ment servants. Unfortunately I Was not able to be present at the meeting of the Legislative Council which followed the re- ply to my questions, therefore it remains for me at this date to make these re- marks. The reply to my questions was that Mr. Bowen Rowlands, the acting secretary to the Commission, was to receive a sum of $200, and Mr. Dyer Ball a like sum for having acted as interpreter, also Mr. Chapman who succeeded Mr. Rowlands as secretary. Mr. Bowen Row. lands also held the position of assistant secre. tary to the Sanitary Board, and for some six | or seven weeks after his appointment as secretary to the Commission he did double work, This came to my knowledge from inquiries personally m de, and as it was not possible for the secretary of the Commission to carry out his work if he had other duties to attend to, at my personal request the Governor seconded Mr. Rowlands; that was because the work was so onerous that it required the whole of a man's time. Later on it was necessary to obtain the services
of a
competent and thoroughly reliable interpreter, and I personally spoke to Sir Matthew Nathan and asked for the services of Mr. Dyer Ball. He was consequently appointed as interpreter to the Commission, and for the greater part of the time while so acting he held the important post of Assistant Registrar-eneral, and no one can know batter than I the amount of work the Commission entailed upon him in addition to his other work. Mr. Ball held the post of inter- preter to the Commission for seven months, six months of which he spent in Hongkong, and 85 I can testify, and as Government Officials are well aware, he had to work ex- tremely hard and attended on an average two meetings a week which lasted from four to five hours, and had other work to do outside. All this is set forward in the concluding paragraphs of the Commission's report. Mr. Chapman, on Mr. Bowen Rowlands being invalided home, con- tinued his appointment for five months, and it just bappened that those months were the busiest in Mr. Chapman's department, so that The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, by com-
his whole time Was taken up.
I would mand of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the point out that the Government having, ad table the report of the Public Works Committed the principle that these officers deserved mittee, No. 2, and the amendment of Cemeteries special pay for special work done, on general byelaws under section 16 of the Public Health principles they should admit that if a man is and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, and moved called upon, not in the course of his ordinary their adoption.
business to do extra work, he is entitled to extra pay. That, I think, is the axiom which pertains in Government as well as in private business. Here we have two officers whose special qualifications were such that it was necessary for their services to be employed in a piece of Government work, and the Government recognised that their services should be specially paid for. That work they were practically ordered to undertake by the Government, and had no chance of refusing. It appears to me that the sum of $200 suggested to be paid to Mr. Bowen Bowlands is sufficient, because after all he had only five or six weeks been doing double work, bat as regards Mr. Dyer Ball and Mr. Chapman, I consider, your Excellency, that their services should be recognised in a much fuller manner. The question was not properly put before the Finance Committee, and I would ask your Excellency to allow it to be referred back because the sum is ridiculously inadequate to the services rendered, and Ï'
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 36 to 41 and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee. The COLONIAL TREASUREE seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
FINANCIAL
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee, No. 7, and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
PAPERS.
The CLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table financial statements in connection with the estimates for 1908; and an abstract ehowing difference between the estimates of expenditure for 1907-1908.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to,
COMMISSION REMUNERATION.
The Hon. Mr. HEWETT moved "That the question of the amount of remuneration to be paid to Mr. J. Dyer Ball and Mr. A. Chapman, V.D., far special services rendered to the Public Health and Building Ordinance Commission be re-considered." In doing to be said:- In order to explain this to your Excellency I would state that it came to my knowledge quite accidentally some few months ago that a sum of money was proposed to be paid to Mr. Dyer Ball and to Mr. Chapman for special services rendered in connection with the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance Commission, which to my mind, and I may tell your Excellency in the opinion of my colleagues, appeared to be entirely inadequate to the services rendered. Basing that estimate on the ground that the Government admitted
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-Sir, Have I the right to reply to the Colonial Secretary?
His EXCELLENCY—Yes.
remarks made by the Colonial Secretary, I Hon. MR. HEWETT-With regard to the submit with all due deference to your Ex- cellency that this Council is not bound by a previous vote. The rote was passed under a misapprehension, and the fact that it has been submitted to the Secretary of State and recom- mended by the Government sh uld not, submit, in any way handicap this Council. Had I known at the time, should have made the amount is highly inadequate; I maintain that same protest as I am making now. I consider the
the amount is ridiculously inadequate; I might go so far as to use harsher terme, but I will not do so. remarks made by the Colonial Secretary I With all due respect to the submit that the vote misapprehension, and it is still open to your passed under a Excellency, if you think fit, to recommend re-consideration of the whole matter by the Legislative Connoil.
was
Hon. Mr. HEWETT then asked that a poll be taken, and the result was:-
For the resolution: Hon. Mr. Hewett, Hon. Mr. Osborne, Hon. Mr. Keswick and Hon. Dr. Ho Kai.
Against The Colonial Treasurer, The Harbour Master, The Colonial Secretary, The Registrar-General, the Director of Public Works, the Attorney-General, the Officer Commanding Troops and Hon. Mr. Wei Yak.
The resolution was lost.
THE ESTIMATES. The COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance to apply a sum not exceeding four million nine hundred and ninety-two thousand nine hundred and fifty-three dollars to the Public Service of the year 1908.
The COLONIAL Treasures seconded. HIS EXCELLENCY-My predecessor, when submitting the estimates for last year, stated
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