July 5, 1909.]
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on the 1st inst, in the Council Chamber.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
is proposed by the bill that hereafter receipts for $10 and upwards shall carry a five cent stamp. The amount of dea'h duties in by the bill doubled, but, even BO, the
actual amount paid in respect of estates is small in comparison with like duties charged in other countries, That, stated shortly, is the object of the bill, and I hope it will commend itself to hon. members The following were present:-
with the object of promoting revenue which is HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR much needed. I may say that it is not proposed FREDERICK JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD, to bring the bill into operation until the end K.C.M.G., C.B., D,S.O.
of the year, and there are one or two small Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Acting Colonial amendments which I shall propose in committee. Secretary).
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Sir HENRY BERKELEY, K.C. (Acting At-bill was read a second time. torney-General).
L
Hon. Mr. C.MI. MESSER (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. Mr. P. N. H. JONES (Acting Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General) Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Capt. Superinten- dent of Police).
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, K.C., C.M.G.
Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETT.
Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE.
Hon. Mr. W. J. GRESSON
Hou, Mr. MURDAY STEWART.
Council then resolved itself into committee to consider the bill clause by clause. On clause 2,
[1
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved that the following words be added the rate
Simple interest at of eight per cont. per shall be payable on all sums recoverable under Article 45 should the sum not be paid
annubi
within one month after the date of the death of the deceased." That is to meet the case where long delay occurs. And (b) "a collector of stamp revenue may remit such interest where the amount appears to him to be so small as to not repay the trouble of calculation."
Hon. Mr. GE 88ON--I don't quite follow The minutes of the last meeting were read those two extra clauses, for it seems to me that the
Hon. Mr. WEI YUK, C.M.G.
Mr. G. LEMENTI (Clerk of Councils),
and confirmed.
MINUTES.
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
j
9
PEAK TRAMWAY BILL. Hon. Mr. GRESSON-On behalf of the pro- moters I beg to move that the bill entitled An Ordinance for authorizing the Construction of a Tramway within the Colony of Hongkong be withdrawn.
Hon. Mr. STEWART-I beg to second that. The motion was agreed to, and the bill was withdrawn.
HIS EXCELLENCY-Council stands adjourned until Thursday next.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was. then held, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding The following vote was passed
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of One hundred and four Dollare ($104) in aid of the vote, Medical Departments. C-Institutes, Other Charges; Bacteriological Institute and Mortuaries, Books.
THE NEW TERRITORIES.
The District Officer for the New Territories
reports as follows: Serious crime is less than ever, and the presence of the police is now understood and appreciated. The rumour of the time is far too short. In the case of big estates
removal of Au Tau tation was at once followed it is quite impossible to have them wound up in The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of a mouth. In the case of the late Sir Roberty a number of influential petitions for its His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table Jardine, where a very large sum was paid to the trouble, but the enforcement of Section 29 of retention. Mirs Bay alone, has given much Financial Minute No. 29, and moved that it be Government, there was a great deal of extra referred to the Finance Committee.
the Local work in valuation of properties, and it was a
ommunities Ordinance in Ping The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and matter of eight, nine or ten months before we
Chaŭ Island has done much towards bringing · this troublesome district into order. the motion was agreed to.
This were in a position to send in figures.
section of the Ordinance was also applied to Sheung Shin, but the conditions in this case were not so much those of serious crime as of
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 8) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TRE SURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY. by e mmand of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following papers-Report on the Hong- kong Volunteer Corps; Report on the Post Office Department; Reports of the Captain Superintendent of Police and the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade.
THE RAILWAYS ORDINANCE. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL I moved the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance to regulate the constru tion and management of railways.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the bill was read a first time.
STONECUTTERS' ISLAND AMENDMENT ORDINANCE,
-
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL mored the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Stonecutters' Island Ordinance, 1889. The COLONIAL SEC ETA Y seconded, and the bill was read a first time.
COMPANIES (LOCAL REGISTE S AMENDMENT
ORDINANCE.
:
The ATTO NEY-GENE AL-The amount is due to the revenue from the date of the death.
Hon. Mr. GRESSON-I understand your amendment is that it must be paid within one month?
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-Yes.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-But the amount is not always ascertainable at the expiration of a month.
Hon. Mr. EWETT-The Jardine estate was a very large and complicated one, but even in the case of an ordinary man it could not possibly be arranged under five or six months.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-What time do you suggest-six months?
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-I think that should be the minimum.
HIS EXCELLENCY-Six months for estates up to a certain amount.
Hou, Mr. HEWETT-I don't think it would It might take just as long work on those lines.
square up an estate of ten thousand pounds as it would to square up an estate of two inillions.
to
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I will accept six
months.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-I take it you did not want any undue delay?
was the
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-That object.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-Your interest of eight
defiance of the police. The effect of the ap- plication has, I think, been excellent, as showing the villagers that the Government does possess an effective weapon for dealing with conspiracy and passive resistance. The co-opération of the Chinese officials over the border has also been of the greatest value to us; and the feeling that China no longer offers an asylum to the criminal is respousible in no small degree for the orderliness of the Territory."
HONGKONG FIRE BRIGADE.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
THE FIRE BRIGADE.
There were 31 Fires and 59 Incipient Fires during the year, as against 39 and 76 in 1907.
The estimated damage caused by Fires was $198.219.00 and by Incipient Fires $1,025.80, as against 214,710.65 and 1,541 90 in 1907.
The Brigade turned out 43 times during. the year.
There was a constant supply of water in the fire maius throughout the year.
Two Fires occurred in the harbour during the
year.
There was one prosecution for arson, in
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL mored the first per cent. is sufficient not to encourage people connection with the Fire at No. 69 Bonham
to unduly delay rdinance to
reading of a Bill entitled 11
amend the Companies (Local Registers) Ordin- ance, 1907.
The COL NIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the bill was read a first time.
INTERPRETATION (FURTHER AMENDMENT)
ORDI ANCE.
The ATTOREY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Interpretation Amendment Or dinance, 1908.
The COLONIAL SECRET RY seconded, and the bill was read a first time.
:
The Committee decided that the period should Le fixed at six months.
+
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved that the This following words be added to clause 4: Ordinance shall come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1910. so as to allow ample time to give notice to everybody likely to be affected thereby.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-Does it apply to people who die before the 1st of January?
The ATTORNEY-G NERAL- No. Council then resumed, and the Attorney- General reported that the Bill had passed through committee stage with slight amend
ments.
PATENTS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
STAMP ORDIVANCE AMENDMENT. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled · n Ordinance to amend the Stamp Ordinance, 1901, as amended by the Stamp (Amendment) Ordinance 1902. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-With regard to In doing so he said: Hon members will see from the next item, the committee on the bill the memorandum of the bill what its object is entitled an Ordinance to amend the Patents This is a reven ne bill, and the source of Ordinance, 1902, the report we are waiting for increased revenue sought to be effected thereby from the Law Society has not yet been received. is the increase of what may be called death duties I would ask the permission of Council to defer and the decrease in the amount which now re- further consideration of this Bill to a later quires a stamp on receipt. At present a receipt stage. for less than $25 does not require a stamp, and it
Council agreed.
Strand. One man was arrested and charged but no conviction was obtained.
There are 34 Despatch Boxes kept in different places in Victoria and 9 in Kowloon, 8 different Telephones to which the Police can have access to communicate with the Ceatrul Station in the event of a Fire and 16 Fire Alarms.
The conduct of the Brigade has been good.
PIRACY IN BRITISH WATERS,
A piracy in British waters has just been reported to the local police. On Wednesday of last week a boat which looked like a fishing boat approached a fishing boat in Deep Water Bay and five men sprang on board and drove the fishermen into the hold and closed them down. Then the robbers took possession of the craft and landed the crew on a small island, where they remained for three days without food or shelter until rescued by a passing junk, which brought them to Hongkong. The boat stolen by the pirates was worth over $100.
The matter was reported to the police and we believe several arrests have been made.