THE CITY HALL.
(Continent from Page-50
"the report was "adopted and the accounts passed. At this meeting a new Committee was elected con- sisting of Messrs. Keswick, Giht Pollard, Kresser, Berwick, Rowett and "Helland.
The following extracts from the reports of meetings held on the Eth. Jane. 1568, and 9th July, 1870, givo particulars of the completion of the building and the steps taken to provide the necessary funds for, that purpose.
"
DOW
tion.
the
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. THURSDAY, MARCH 27. 1919.
There is no record-of any further action being taken to obtain com pensation from the Government.
The City Hall Register of Shares contains the names of holders of 16 shares of 8100 each and the
the City Hall stands, were in the Q. C. with a request that ho would no option but to commence a unit same position as other Marine Lat with special reference to the words in the name of the only one of the holders and were undoubtedly en-used in the Crown Lease of Marine Crown Lessees still resident in titled to enter into the agreement Lot No. 89, reconsider the case that Hongkong. As stated in the Re- with the Government, provided for had been submitted to him. The part, an application for an injune- by the Ordinance. The Chairman Chairman then read to the Com.tion to restrain the Government suggested that a letter should be mittee a letter he had received from from proceeding with the reclama- sent to the Acting Colonial Secre-[Mr. Francis on the th. day of tion was refused, stating, however, tary asking why the Lessees of Jate 1980 in which he gave it a that if the City Hall had suffered Marine Lot No. se had not been his opinion that the descriptive it could be settled by monetary included in the Schedule of Marine words used in the Crown Lease effcompensation, and the matter has Lot Holders under the Ordinance. Marine Lot No. 99 made no duterbeen allowed to stand over, but will This was agreed to by the Comence, and he confirmed his previous engage early attention. Marino Let mittee and the Chairman was also opinion that the holders of Marine No. 8 is entitled to the same requested by the Committee to see Lot No. 85 were in the same position benefits under the Ordinance as are His Excellency the Administrators other Marine Lot holders and founferred on the other Marine Lots before sending in the official letter were entitled to enter into agres and we consider that it should have to the Colonial Secretary so as toment with the Government provided been included in Section of the arplain to him personally the pasi for he the Reclamation Ordinance. Schedale published in the Gazette
What transpired after this Mr. Francis went on to schrise that on the 7th, July, 1889. appears from the minutes of a Com an application should be made to mittee meeting held on the 1st the Supreme Court to restrain the August, 1500
Government Contractor by injane The Chairman having stated that tion from Elling up the bed of the in accordance with the resolution sea in front of the City Hall come to at the last meeting he hack The Chairman proposed that this communicated ·with
Acting advice of Mr. Francis should be at Peelerence shares subscribed for by Colonial Secretary, the Acting once acted upon, which proposition the late Sir Robert Jardine to the Secretary, by direction of the Chair was unanimously agreed to by the value of 850,000 now held by his man, read to the Committee Committee, and the Acting Secre son the present Sir Robert Jardine. letter addressed to the Acting tary was directed to put himself in Of the holders of the Ordinary “Colonial Secretary on the 2nd communication with Mr. Francis shares there are, as far as I can last month, in which it was state and to take the necessary steps to ascertain, only Sir Paul Chater, who that His Excellency had been advis bring the matter before the Court took over Messrs. Douglas Laprais ed that the omission of the city las soon as possible.
and Co.'s and Messrs. Turner sod Hall from the Schedule referred to 3
Extract from Chairman's Speech Co.'s shares, Messrs. Jardine, in Section of the Reclamati Ordinance was intentional, and th. the Trustees of the City Hall ha:December, 1991. no rights to any land beyond the genera!
That the City Hall which was It should not therefore be dif boundaries fixed in their lease opened in 1560 has fulfilled the ficult to obtain the sanction of the The Chairman informed the Comprincipal objects of its founders in shareholders deal with this mittee that under a instructions providing a suitable place of resort, building. the Acting Secretary had examines entertainment and convenience for And now I should like to say, a the Crown Lease of Marine Le many public purposes is evident. but few words regarding the Govern No. 2 and compared it with the revenue from it has not been ment's attitude in the past towards Crown Losses of other Marine Lot what had been hoped for, and it is this City Hall. As you will see with a view of 'accertaining there to he regretted that we seem likely from the records I have just read was any difference between to be exposed to considerable legal to you, the flovemment in 1889 “ descriptive words in the Lease of expense in consequence of the veted a sum of 310,000 to sit in Marine Ler No. 2 and those sumption by the Government of the completing the building and an is Lenses of other Marine Lots, and foreshore rights of the property. It annual grant of 31,900. has been he read to the Committee a letter will be within the recollection of all made to the Committee by the he had received from the Acting present that the Committee fel: tGoremment for the Librarian and Secretary on the gard, day of July incumbent upon them to advance a Curator of the Museum. The Gov- 1500 pointing out certain differences claim upon the foreshore which isemment have not assisted the City which did exist in the descriptive now in course of reclamation. it Hall as far as I can ascertain in words used in the Crown Lease of had been a matter of some surprise any other way whatever, and in 1590 Marine Lot No. 92 and these used that no communication whatever as you have just heard they would in the Leases of other Marine Lot was made to the City Hall Com not concede to the City Hall, the
98th June, 1589. At that meet ing the members of the Building Committee having accomplished the work entrusted to them, resigned | their functions and e
Com ittee of Management was there upon elected for the purpose i taking over and providing for the future maintenance of the building and of carrying out the objects f the institution. Full powers were giran them to make such rules and regulations as they might deem re- quisite and proper for that purpose, such rules and regulations to be! submitted for the approval of the shareholders and subscribers at general meeting. For many reason it was deemed advisable that the Committee of Management should be elected annually at meeting to be held as soon as-pot- sible after the 30th. June each year. and that a report and statement »! accounts should be submitted an nually by the retiring Committ The shareholders were thus enable 1 to maintain an effective conting -over the management.
h. July, 15TA The haircu said that the chief event of year had bees the arrival of li.. II. the Duke of Edinburgh, and was with great gratification that th Committee had been able, with an mean exertions, to get the boiling ready
for bis reception.
IN fortunately considerable expense hal been incurred. They had applied to the Government for a grant in aid and they were good enough to give them 310,000 which went n certain way towards defraying ex penses, but did not do so entirely. There was thus a deficienes, but it was right to siate if they had not had the $10,000 they would probably not have had the building at all. How to meet the deficiency, which amounted to close on $10,000. .C scarcely knew. Mesars. Jardine Matheson and Co. were good enough to give a very large portion. However he hoped by representing the case to the Governor they might get more assistance. Should they do so, they must repay the 87.00 remaining to Mesara. Jarding. Matheson and Co., and then the City Hall would be perfectly free. By being economical they might keep it going after that. He lid not suppose that the shareholders, when they took their sharks did so. with any idea of getting a dividend. At any rate they, were not likely to do so for some years at all events. But they might fairly look to meet the expenditure in the brdinary way, by rent of rooms, theatre, etc. Their position was not so desperate | as the Chairman of the Victoria Library had hinted. The Museum
could not yet boast of many con- tributions, but they had bad twoj valuable ones lately, which no doubt would form the nucleus of a collec tion, to which he hoped every gentleman would try to add By this means they might have a museum which would be interesting to the whole Colony.
At the time of the Fraya Ro clamation Scheme in 1890 the Com- wittee of the City Hall considered that the shareholders were entitled to the benefit of the Scheme -e garded that portion of the Reclama- tion which abutted on the ground. in which the City Hall was built. The Government resisted this claim and the Committee accordingly submitted a case
to Mr. J. J. Francis Q C. to advise as to whe ther their contention was sound or not, The result appears in the Minutes of a Committee meeting held on the 5th. May, 1850, as follows:
The Chairman stated that in sc- cordance with the resolution come to at the last meeting he had had a case stated for the opinion of Mr. J. J. Francis Q. C. sa to the posi $300. of the Committee with respect to the Prays Reclamation Ordinance 28d Mr. Francis Bar given his opinion which the Chair man then proceeded to read.
After reading the opinion the Chairman mid that as the Com- mittee would see Mr. Francia' "opin- `ion was that the holders of Marina “Lot No. 88, the ground upon which
at meeting of the Shareholders and Matheson and Co. and the late Mr. Subscribers to the City Hall 29th Arthur Sassoon, either bere or now
[represented here.
to
gboat
The Chairman said that on receipt¡ mittee în reference to the reclazna very valuable reclamation righta of this latter he had forwarded it tion, as the property is held te which to-day are worth and the other papers to Mr. Francia any other Marine Lot and they hail' 89,209,000 to $3,000,000.
TO-NIGHT
9.15 p.nl.
CHAPLIN
TO-NIGHT
9.15 p.m.
Still handing those swift ones to the KAISER
in
"SHOULDER ARMS"
His Second Million Dollar Picture.
Everybody has heard about it, so the picture doesn't need any more description.
PRICES OF ADMISSION
Dress Circle
Stalle
...$1.50
$1.00
Pit
Booking at ANDERSON'S
See the Home Papers: Since the release of "Ahoulder Arms".
the picture is still being shown in London.
See the Local} papers: 70c. 8 consecutive nights at the Apollo,
Shanghai.
15 consecutive nights at the Lyric,
Manila.
VICTORIA THEATRE.
In almost every city in the world the provision of public buildings of this kind is regarded as a municipal duty, and while I am sure the com munity would be quite willing to subscribe towards the rebuilding of the City Hall, if such scheme is acceptable sa the Colony's War Memorial, there is no doubt that a large portion of the cost should fall upon public funds and it is to he hoped that the Government hers and the various Government De partments at Home who will have to be consulted will recognise the debt they owe to this place and the duty they have to perform for the future.
This building has served its purpose for Afty years and in con- sidering the replacement of it by a more modern structure a large view of the future extending over at least another fifty years, if not much longer, should be taken.
I know of no better or more useful War Memorial in which all classes, creeds and rationalities in this. community can better unite than in providing a building to contain s large museum as a repository of in- teresting objects of Art, Natural History and Modern Science of any description, a really good library. and suitable Assembly Roomý with & Theatre attached unless separate- ly provided
z%
The only alternative suggestioa mado at the meeting of the Chinesa Seation of the War Memorial Com- mittee was that of a further en- dowment of the University. I think it would be difficult to turn such endowment into a lasting War Memorial and surely the provision of a proper Museum and Library would be of equally instructive value and reach a very much larger number of the community.
Last year the Museum such as it is was visited by 73,907 Chinese and- 3,543 others and the library by 5,321 Chinese and 11.485 others, a total of 104,959 persons. Improve these in- stitutions and make them worthy of Hongkong and more like similar in- stitutions in Great Britain or Amer- ica and ten times that number of people will visit them every year.
The Chairman then proposed the. adoption of the Report and Accounts which was seconded by Hon. Mr. H. E. Pollock and carried
If
NOTICE
Maison
Lily
id
алабла
New Thaw Flats
Linen, Pique, Fixin and Flowered Foiles.
Alexandra Building, Hongkong
A.
D. C.
In the Musical Play
PINKIE AND THE FAIRIES"
for Grown-ups and Children, by W. GRAHAM ROBERTSON, Music by FREDERICK NORTON, With full Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet, Over 60 Performers. MATINEE-TO-DAY
Thursday, March 27th, at 4.30 p.m. FINAL EVENING PERFORMANCE Saturday, March 29th, at 9.15 p.m. Prices $3 $2 & $1. Children Half-Price for Matinee. Beoking at MOUTRIE'S.
SPECIAL NOTICE. Owing to the unprecedented demand for further performances of
"PINKIE & THE FAIRIES"
there will be a
FINAL MATINEE
on Wednesday, 2nd April, at 4.30 p.m.
As an anonymus gentleman has purchased the whole of the Lower part of the Theatre for the benefit of children, only the Dress Circle will be available.
...DRESS CIRCLE..
PRICE...
CHILDREN BALF-PRICE
Booking will open at MOUTRIE'S on SATURDAY, 29th inst.
...$3.00
M. Y. SAN & Co., Ltd.
HONGKONG:
HICH CLASS CONFECTIONERS
AND
BISCUIT MANUFACTURERS,
Well known for bert Materials, up b-iste Machinery and Cleanest Work in the Orient
HEAD OFFICE:
Nos, 97-100 Queen's Road, Central.
FACTORY:
Nos. 141-145, "Wanchai Road.
Branches at Manila, Singapore, Shanghai and Canton, China,
KOUET SAMA IN ERUPTION,
fing to a message from Karuizaw A Nagano message says that there was a fall of stones as large there was $0 eruption of as beans in consequence of the Mount Asama, accompanied by eruption of the mountain. Tak- tremendous explosions, recently.jamaki also experienced a fall of The day, being very fine the small stones the size of toys estumns of thick smoke seat up beans. Although the fall of high into the air could be distinct- sabes continuad for a few hours ly observed from Nagano. The ié le Koped that no mountain emitted densa sinake for age ha
an hour. The extent of the damage
not known. There
earth
shook at