June 21, 1909.]
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the 11th March, 1909, he would have seen the necessity for at once passing the second reading of this bill. Sir, the words which Your Excellency used when dealing with the promise of the Secretary of State with regard to loss that might be sustained in revenue by the action of Hongkong in supporting the policy of His Majesty's Government was as follows: His Majesty's Government recognise that as result of giving effect to their policy the Colony's revenue must suffer a loss which it will be impossible for the local Government wholly to replace." The hon. member stopped there, but he should have read on: The amount of that loss cannot be estimated until conditions which obtain after March, 1909, are known with some degree of accuracy. Sir, the amount of that loss cannot be known until this bill is passed, until the conditions for the new contracts have been made, and when that time arrives His Majesty's Government on their | part will be prepared to ask Parliament to give a substantial contribution towards making good to the colony the revenue which has been found to be lost. The promise is absolute and distinct. When the Colonial Govern- ment has taken effective steps to give their assistance in the suppression of what is called the opium evil, and it has been found that the consequence has been a definite loss, then His Majesty's Government will propose to Par liament that a substantial grant in aid be given. I cannot conceive words which could be more explicit than the words contained in the des- patch. We must accept the plain clear meaning of the language in which the despatch has been couched. When it is ascertained what the loss is Parliament will be asked to pay, not the whole of it as some hon. members would like, but a substantial grant in aid. You will never get any grant in aid until we do our part in suppressing the evil, and the first step is the introduction of this bill. Therefore, I appeal to the hon. member who had just sat down to support the bill, as I believe he would have done had he had the words in mind which I have quoted and which the hon. member for the Chamber of Commerce no doubt inadvertently omitted.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. the desire to help China to get rid of the habit. The sole criticism which unofficial mem- bers of this Council have made in regard to the action of the Imperial Government has been that the methods proposed to carry out their purpose have been. in their judgment, not sufficiently gradual in their operation. I would remind you, however, I received, in May. last year, a telegram saying that all opium divans were to be closed forthwith. Since then some- thing ever a year has passed, and only a com- paratively small number have been closed, and the Secretary of State has agreed that the remainder shall be kept open until March. next year. I think that, in view of the statement which the Government had made to the House of Commons, viz., that the opium divans in Hongkong should be closed forth- with, that this postponement has been a very reasonable concession to opinion in this Colony. Practically for two years the majority of the divans will have been allowed to remain open. Perhaps that is not as gradual as many who are at this table would like it to be, but I think under all the circumstances we may regard it as a very reasonable concession on the part of His Majesty's Government.
There was, if I may so put it, a species of compromise. The instructions that the divans should be closed forthwith were cancelled, and the greater part of them have been allowed to remain open until the end of the current farm. His Majesty's Government, however, stipulated that a certain number should bo closed | before that date, and also stipulated that any compensation due to them should be paid by us. That was part of the bargain. In return, they said that His Majesty's Govern- ment would ask Parliament to make good a substantial part of the loss we incurred.
perfectly certain that what we are doing is part of that policy, so that when this Bill is passed, and has the sanction of His Majesty's Government, any loss which may arise out of its operation may fall within the terms of the Secretary of State's definition.
The Bill now before the Council is. in my view, a necessary preliminary for drawing up the terms of tender for the next farm. This is why it is brought forward to-day, and it is desired to pass it with as little delay as may be. Those who may wish to tender will desire to see the precise terms of the ordinance by which the next farm will be regulated. By pass- Hon. Mr HEWETT-I did not leave them out ing this. Bill the general terms of which I have inadvertently. It was not part of my argument. already submitted to the Secretary of State, and
HIS EXCELLENCY-Gentlemen, the un-
to which he has agreed, we moreover shall official members who have spoken this afternoon have definitely assured ourselves that the have all, with one accord, called upon me to sub- policy upon which we are embarking is stantiate, as it were, and to corroborate the pro- the policy of His Majesty's Government, mise made by the Secretary of State. I he hon. and they have stated that they will member on my extreme right (Hon. Mr. make good a substantial part of the loss tewart) said that the promise was hardly de- which is the direct result of carrying out their finite enough. The hon. member represent-policy. It is important that we should be ing the Chamber of Commerce (Hon. Mr. Hewett) said that the language used was ambiguous. The hon. and learned member on my left (the Attorney-General) has read the words used by the Secretary of State, to which I think nothing can be added to make them as definite and as precise 88 it is possible for language to be. The Bill now before the Council contains the conditions which it will be necessary to incorporate in the call for tenders for the farm next year. The Secretary of State says that when the conditions are known with some degree of accuracy, His Majesty's Government will for their part be prepared to ask Parliament to make a substantial grant to assist the Colony to meet any loss directly incurred by giving effect to their policy. You will note that he does not say that he as Secretary of State for the Colonies will approach the Treasury (a form of request which the hon. member who spoke first thought it possible might meet with refusal), but speak- he main drift of every speaker has been ing in the name of the Government of which to emphasize in the strongest language that this he is a member he used the words H. M.'s Council look to His Majesty's Government to Government will ask Parliament." Those make good the very clear and definite promise, words convey ап absolute pledge on the we have received, and I shall take occasion part of the British Government. It is to bring to the notice of the Secretary of State impossible for me to adopt the suggestion the views which have been expressed by the to telegraph to the Secretary of State unofficial members. For my own part I have inquiring what the promise really means, no hesitation in saying that the promises which
and whether His Majesty's Government intend to evade their promise.
I am glad to notice that in the speeches which have been made every single member emphatically stated that there was no divergence whatever in the desire to carry out the general policy of the Home Government, and that they all wished to identify themselves with the gradual suppression of opium and with
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The senior unofficial member (Hon. Dr. Ho Kai) supported very strongly the general policy of suppressing opium. The Bill before us has double object. Several clauses have been inserted at the request of the opium farmer. The remaining clauses are designed to give effect to the policy of the gradual suppression of opium.
We propose to take steps to prohibit the sale of opium to women and children, as well as, of course, to abolish divans, and, finally to adopt the system, which I am glad to observe has met with the general acceptance of the council, of reducing each year the number of chests the opium farmer is allowed to draw.
I have repeated are as clear and precise and definite as the English language cau make them. (Uear, hear.)
Hou. Mr. MURRAY STEWART :-May I make a personal explanation. Your Excellency re forred, or I understood Your Excellency to suggest, that some unofficial member had indicated distrust of the home authorities to the extent of suggesting that they would erade
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their promise. For myself I wish to point out that I neither said, nor suggested, nor con- templated any such thing. My whole point was that I do not feel sure that they would interpret their promise to our satisfaction. (Applause.)
Hon. ATTORNEY-GENERAL~-That is the same thing us evasion.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I am very glad to have the explanation which the hon. member has made. I am glad that it should be recorded in the proceedings to-day. I must confess that I was under the impression that the remarks of the hou. member and of other hon. members had intended to convey that His Majesty s Govern- ment would not attach the same meaning to their words that we attach to them, which amounts in my view to something very like ovasion.
HOR. Mr. HEWETT-I move that the bill be read a second time six months hence. This is the only opportunity I have of replying to the remarks made by Your Excellency just now. In bringing forward this motion that the bill be read a second time six months hence I am in perfect agreement with the unofficial members of this Council, because
we be- lieve that the compensation will not be what we consider it should be. It will not be ade- quate. It will not cover all the loss forced upon us through the operation of the policy of His Majesty's Government. It is for that reason We protest against the treatment which the Government at home has meted out to us. It has ordered 113 to carry & certain policy to a conclusion at a con- siderable cost, and I think it my duty on behalf of the ratepayers to protest against these undue demands on the Colony. Therefore, I move that this bill be read this day six months.
Hon. Mr. OSBORNÉ seconded.
On a vote being taken, there voted for the motion-The Colonial Secretary, the Colonial Treasurer, the Registrar General, the Captain Superintendent of Police, the Attorney-General, the Acting Director of Public Works, and Colonel Darling. here voted against the motion-Hou. Mr. M. Stewart. Hon. Mr. Osborue, Hon. Mr. Hewett, Hon. Dr. o Kai, Lon. Mr. Wei Yuk and Hon. Mr. Grasson,
The second reading was declared carried by seven votes to six.
The Council went into committee to consider the Bill, which was left in Committee when the Council rose,
His EXCELLENCY-The adjourned till this day week.
Council stands
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held afterwards the Colonial Secretary pre- siding. The following votes were passed.
INCIDENTAL EXPENSES.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of one hundred and fifty five dollars (8155) in aid of the vote, Judicial and Legal Departments. Land Registry Office, Other Charges. Incidental Expenses.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of eighty dollars (180) in aid of the vote. Judicial and Legal Departments, B.-- Magistracy, Other Charges, Incidental Ex-
penses.
VICTORIA GAOL.
The report of the Superintendent of Prison, laid on the table of the Legislative Council, yes- terday, states:
The number of prisoners received into prison during the year and the corresponding num- ber for the year 1907 were as follows
Convicted by Ordinary Courts. Convicted by Courts-Martial Convicted by the Land Courts Convicted by the Capt. Supdt. of
Police
Convicted by the Commodore.R.N. Supreme Court for China and
Corea
High Court, Weihaiwei Debtors..
On remand or in default of find-
ing surety
1908. 1907. 4005 5,027
18
SO T
6
3 86
94
665 733
4,778 5,877