t
July 10, 1909.]
hat portion Buddhist or other non-Christian, burial rites will be prohibited. As, however, the practice of their religious rites was guaranteed to all nations and creeds by the proclamation of the 1st February, 1841, and a Buddhists have at the present time no place except the Colonial Cemetery in which to bury their dead, His Ex- cellency considers that it would be unwise to interfere with their rites in the remote part of the cemetery in which they are practised and which it is not proposed to include in the Christian cemetery.
In these circumstances His Excellency will be glad if the Board will for the present suspend action under the byelaw prohibiting the burning of joss sticks and firing of crackers in the Colonial Cemetery.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A. M. THOMSON, Colonial Secretary. Mr. HOOPER minuted-I consider that as burial grounds for Chinese Buddhists are already provided elsewhere it is only necessary to prepare an area capable of containing 500 graves and consequently at a greatly reduced estimate to that proposed I estimate that such a cemetery as I propose will be sufficient for 20 years. The objection to the burning of joss sticks was raised by the owners of Christian graves in the same sections as the practice objected to was carried There is not so much objection to those rites if they are carried on in a remote part of the cemetery.
on.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK-The operation of the byelaw should be suspended pending the pro- vision of a suitable site for Buddhists of any nationality.
on. Mr. HEWETT-I agree with the pro- posal of the Government.
Mr. Ho Koм TONG-I am sorry in this matter of the provision of separate burial grounds for others than those professing the Christian religion, I have to join issue with Mr. Shelton Hooper. In his minute he writes of Chinese Buddhists." Chinese follow. ing the Buddhist faith in the Colony are greatly in the minority as compared with those who belong to the Confucian fol- lowing. Mr. interpretation of the Colonial Secretary's letter of the 29th of June last is that the proposed cemetery is not intended to be restricted to Chinese burials alone, but makes provision also for those Buddhists who are not of Chinese nationality, eg, the Japanese, who are not yet provided for elsewhere. Were Mr. Hooper's recommendation to be adopted the Japanese, who
are growing in number from year to
will have good ground for complaint under the terms of the proclamation cited in the Colonial Secretary's letter. Until such time as the proposed Buddhist cemetery can be made ready, I concur in the proposal to hold in abeyance the operation of the prohibitive byelaw with which, though passed, I am opposed in the principle of its spirit.
year,
The PRESIDENT moved that action under clause 12 which prohibits the burning of joss sticks be suspended.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK seconded. Mr. HOOPER pointed out that the letter dealt with two distinct matters, and it might be better to deal with the first portion first.
The motion was put and carried.
an area
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
asked that his minute be forwarded to the Government, together with his remarks.
Mr. Lu CHU PAK thought that a cemetery, set aside for Buddhists should not be set aside for Japanese Buddhists only. The Buddhists of other nationalities should be allowed to bury there, and he did not agree with Mr. 1100per that a smaller cemetery than that suggested would meet the requirements. there were a large number of Chinese Bud- At present dhists in Hongkong, and he did not see why they should not be allowed to bury their dead there if they wished.
31
the 8th June to recommend the Governor-in- Council to grant the application. Then it went up for approval of the Governor-in-Council but was refused.
showing that six voted for the motion and three The SECRETARY produced the minutes, against it, while the Vice-President did not vote,
from the chair that I was absolutely correct Mr. HOOPER-I would like you, sir, to state according to the official records.
The PRESIDENT-I understand that what happened was that some hands went up and Secretary always to be able to see. Perhaps we some did not. It is rather difficult for the
might be a little more particular in the future in recording votes. As the minutes stand Mr. Hooper is correct.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-Not exactly, sir. No doubt Mr. Hooper was correct, but it may be from those minutes that some person did not vote.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT said that they were all agreed, when it came to a question of burying the dead, which was one of the most important items of our Colonial Government, and one which affected the sentiments of everybody ir- respective of nationality or creed, that there was no question of nationality. He was per- fectly sure that the Government of Hongkon would make no distinction between Cliinese, Japanese or European Buddhists. The question was the provision of a burial ground for Ruddhists, which he presumed also included Confucianists and Taoists. They were dealing with the question of the burial of that religious Mr. HOOPER-I don't want to waste the time sect without any regard to nationality, and he of the Board on the question of votes, but having was sure that was the intention of the Hong-been challenged I simply want to point out that kong Government.
I got my information from the official record, as I wished to be correct
The PRESIDENT asked if members would prefer any recommendation to go to the Gov-
ernment.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL said they might express a hope that the laying out of the ceme- tery would not be deferred until there were funds to provide a cemetery for a thousand graves. As Mr. Hooper had pointed out, the cemetery to be provided for those they had in view would last for twenty years, and he moved that the Government be asked to immediately proceed with the preparation of a cemetery capable of containing one hundred graves, to be extended as funds permitted.
Mr. HOOPER seconded, and took the oppor- tunity of replying to Mr. Hewett, when he said that they should leave nationality out of the question with regard to the cemetery. He would agree with him were it not for the fact we had separate byelaws for cemeteries for understood, for Japanese to be buried in these Chinese, and it would be illegal, as far as he cemeteries. Therefore, nationality had been recognised in the past. There were twenty. twenty were restricted to Chinese, and he did seven cemeteries in the Colony, and if those not see where the Chinese had any grievance when it was proposed that the Government should set aside a cemetery for people of the same religion but another nationality.
The resolution was carried.
THE BALANCE OF OPINION.
Correspondence was dealt with relative to the erection of an iron staircase in the yard of No. 98, Queen's Road Central.
Mr. A. SHELTON HOOPER-Apparently more of Public Works than to the opinion of the attention is paid to the opinion of the Director Board, when eight voted for it being granted and only the Director of Public Works against
it.
Mr. Shelton Hooper's statement that eight Dr. FITZWILLIAMS minuted---I beg to amend voted for this. One member voted against it, Mr. HOOPER said that in connection with all, one of them after asking if this was not the and I know that two refrained from voting at His Excellency's suggestion that a new cemetery case in which the Medical Officer of Health had should be provided for elsewhere, that pro-reported in an adverse manner, position was only carrying out the resolution Mr. HOOPER asked for the minutes to be which he submitted to the Board in March produced seeing that he had been challenged. last. He only suggested in his minute He had the minutes before him when he wrote a smaller cemetery having regard to the this. finances of the Colony. It was proposed that the new cemetery should have for 1,000 graves, and the estimated cost was $12.000. Considering that it would be used by only the Japanese Buddhists in this Colony, and that the average death rate during the past five years was 21.8, he thought it would be sufficient if a cemetery capable of containing 500 graves was provided. This would last twenty years. That would not preclude the Board from enlarging the cemetery at any time if the Japanese population, or the Buddhist population, increased. He thought it was the question of the initial expenditure that should be laid before the Government. would not like to divide the Board on it, and he
He
The PRESIDENT said he understood the minute made no mention of the matter. Fitzwilliams was unfortunately absent, but the Dr. speaker understood that he did not challenge the correctness of the minutes at the time.
the minutes as they were when confirmed and Mr. HOOPER-He may have erred, but I took sent to the Government.
The PRESIDENT, while the secretary was producing the minutes, said the matter referred to an application by Messrs. Palmer and Turner for permission to erect an iron staircase at 98, first place was referred to the building authority Queen's Road Central. This application in the
Board again and agreed at a meeting held on and refused. Then it was brought before the
Mr. HOOPER-Quite recently we have had on minutes "Mr. So and So did not vote."
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH—That is only when you ask for it.
The matter then dropped.
SHAUKIWAN SCAVENGING. Complaints against the Shaukiwan scaveng ing contractor were submitted. It was stated that nullahs, sewer traps and gullies were not properly cleansed and rubbish had not been collected for months.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT minuted that this was & very serious state of affairs and that the con- tractor should be severely dealt with.
The secrotary was requested to call the contractor before the Board, but only the sub- contractor put in an appearance.
Hon. Mr HEWETT said the Board could not deal with this man.
The PRESIDENT admitted this, but said they could fine the contractor in his absence if he did not like to appear to defend himself.
Mr. HOOPER-Has he been asked to attend ? been instructed to bring him.
Sanitary Inspector Collett said he had not
The matter was postponed until next meet- ing, when the contractor will be called upon to attend in person.
DETERMINED ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
.
A Chinese gentleman recently returned from the Philippines made a determined attempt to commit suicide on Sunday.
He was found in ground between Circular Street and Des Voeux the evening by a contractor on a vacant piece of Road West with his throat cut. As soon as the whistle, which was answered by Constable contractor found the man he blew a police
the scene the would-be suicide, who was weak Clark, and just as the policeman appeared on from loss of blood, made a final effort to com-
and was about to draw it across his throat again plete his task. He succeeded in lifting the razor which was lying on the ground by his side, when his hand was stayed by the constable. The man was immediately removed to hospital, gashes were very deep ones, and he lost a con. but his recovery is doubtful, as the self-inflicted
siderable quantity of blood.
AN ORIENTAL CUSTOM.
The hearing of the case in which Gundah the Puisne Judge's clerk was continued before Singh was charged with attempting to bribe Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Magistracy on July 8th,when Mr. F. B. L. Bowley, Crown Solicitor, appeared for the defendant. appeared to prosecute, and Mr. J. H. Gardiner
His Worship, in delivering his decision, said it was a cus om in China, and also in India, for persons to offer small bribes, generally amounts this case to inflict a penalty, which he thought of five, ten or twenty cents. He proposed in
bribe was an offence. The defendant would be would let the Sikhs know that the offering of a
imprisonment. fined $100, the alternative being two months'