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hands by the Asting Colonial Treasurer, and the actual sum estimated as the Hongkong share of postage was taken from the official letter of the Posimaster General addressed a few days before the Council meeting to my hou. friend the Colo. nial Secretary. There has been some question outit, and it has been alleged that, owing to pay. ments to France and England on the annual 'snin having to be made under the new system, our pos- tage could not amount to the figure I mentioned. However, the figure I gave was the figure that appeared as our share in the letter of the Post- master General. But of course the Post Office is not to be regarded as a revenue department,
Hon. P. RYBIE-Not now.
His EXCELLENCY--No: not now. And in Eng- land the system is to treat the ost Office, though technically appearing as such, not as a revenue department. The fact is that where the Govern- ment make money by the Post Office it should be immediately spent in facilitating postal arrange- ments. So far as my desire to point out to the Council a few months ago the various evidences of prosperity in this Colony was con- cerned, I might have taken, which would have heen still more to the point, the number of letters, newspapers, and parcels that pass through the post, and if I had done so they would have shown that the operations of the Post Office, like the operations of the other departments, indicate a steady prosperity.
On the vote for the Registrar-General's department,
His EXCELLENCY said-I am bound to tell you the sum we are now voting will really be in excess of what may be required, for this reason, Some time before the late Registrar-General left the oolony, I asked him to consider the expediency of transferring certain duties of his department to other departments in such a way as not to incur any increase of expenditure in those other departinents, and Mr. Smith agreed with me in thinking that some branches of that office might be trans- ferred to other departments. He was good
to draw up a scheme, enough
which I sent to Her Majesty's Government, and the upshot of it is that twenty-two officers in the Registrar-General's department I propose to reduce to fourteen in number, and the salary of the Registrar General I would propose to reduce, because we only leave to that department minor functions, and more especially the very important one of communication with the native community is transferred. When the minute of Mr. Gardiner Austin was circulated he expressed his great satisfaction at the change which was contemplated, by which the Chineso inhabitants wore to be brought into direct communication with the Colonial Secretary. But of course to do that is required, what we are now getting, a thoroughly competent Chinese scholar in the Governor's and Colonial Secretary's departments. That being done, the salary of the Registrar. General will be reduced and the Registrar-Ge. neral will be in this colony much the same as in other colonies-registrar of births, marriages, and deaths and any other purely registration daties we can give him. When I receive the final instructions of Sir Michael Hicks Bench I will be able to submit to you a scheme for a con- siderable roduction of expenditure in that de- partment.
in the Police vote,
Hon. P. BYRIE asked if the European consta- bles expected from home were actually on their way out.
His EXCELLENCY-My dispatch must have reached London in ample time for the Crown Agents to recruit the fifteen constables that were applied for and send them out before the end of the year, but I cannot of course say whether the Crown Agents have acted with their asual promptitude or not. If they have we will have the men out bofore the end of the year.
On the vote for the Fire Brigade,
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY said there was a large increase in the vote in consequence of a new steam engine being got out from Lon- don. That item had been sent round to the Finance Committee and approved.
Ton H. LowCOCK-Something was said at the Finance Committee's meeting about a floating engine. but I cannot recollect whether the advisability of having one or not was fully discussed. Perhaps it is scarcely the time now to go into the matter when we wish to pass the estimates as soon as possible, but it is. I think,
a very desirable thing,
His EXCELLENCY-Hear, hear,
Hon. H. Lowcock-I merely mentioned it because a memorandum was made about it during the discussion.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY-The question has been gone into very fully at differ- i
Fent times, but as far as my opinion goes on the subject it is undoubtedly adverse to the adoption of the proposal to have a floating engine. We should have to maintain a number of boatmen to be constantly on bourd and it would invariably be attended with great difficulty to presera the fire engine from danger or perhaps destruction in bad weather. The large fire engine, we know. ia incapable of being moved anywhere from the the sea level and on that level it works almost as effectively as a floating fire engine would do. Of course the object hitherto has been to obtain the greatest amount of good without the sacrifice of that good to a probable danger, and, having the interests of the Fire Brigade at heart. I have always considered it far more safe to use a land engine and it can only be used on the Praya leval--instead of maintaining a floating engine, which would be attended with a certain amount of danger and would be liable to destruction.
on. P. RYBIE-I agree with the remarks of the gentleman who bas last spoken, but I think! there is another project suggested by the gentle- man who is in charge of the Fire Brigade at present. It is quite true the large engine is very good when there is water, but there are often times-especially to the westward-when it would be impossible for the suction pipe of any engine to got water, and I understand the present superintendent of the Fire Brigade has recommended either the erection of stages or the digging of wells under the Praya wall, so that at all times tho snation pipe can be applied. But there is no doubt a fire happening in neap tides would at present be vory difficult to deal wi b.
be
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY-On that very point I am very glad to inform the gentleman that a plan has been adopted to lengthen the snotion hose, which can used at any distanco in a lateral direction, without having the difficulty as to the power of raising the water. Consequently the pressnt: superintendent of the Fire Brigade has taken measures to obtain additional lengths of the suction hose, so as to meet that particular diflenlty. The dificulty is one that has been palpable enough for years in consequenoo of the accamolating deposit along the wall of the Praya, but I believe the adoption of the method I now mention will remove almost entirely the difficulty of getting water.
Hou. P. RYRIE-Is the idea to be carried out promptly, boonuse this is the time, with China New Year coming on, when we may expost! fires.
The AcriNG COLONIAL SECRETARY-There is sufficient hose in stook to accomplish every object that is wanted.
His EXCELLENCY-I think the suggestion of the hon. gentleman on my left is well worthy of adoption, because we have now in the harbour two steam launoues always available, so that they could readily tow the floating engine with- out the necessity of keeping up a special crew. I merely throw out the suggestion as a matter that might be considered. It is a question which my hon. friend here (the Acting Colonial Secretary) and the other gentlemen will con- sider, whether we might not have a light floating engine to be towed by the steam-launches.
Ilon. W. KESWICK-In case of fice prompti. tude is the first thing necessary, and one would think that a floating engine in the harbour, with the facilities your Excellency has montained for towing, would be a great benefit. It is vot necessary it should be propelled by steam so long | as it is sufficient for its work and we have laanches to move it. I think, in view of the great risk of fire there is in this colony--and the most jaluable produce in the colony is stored on the Praya-it is of the very greatest importance: in- deed, the ntmost should be done by this Govern. ment in support of the Fire Brigade and the pro- iding of appliances for theextinction of fire that can be devised, and I know of no action that could be taken that would be probably more of- ective thau the one that has been suggested.
His EXCELLENCY-Hear, bear,
On the vote for charitable allowances, Hon. P. RYRTE said-I propose that we in- crease the amount of charitable allowances by a small sum, the object being to augment the graut to a most deserving little institution, St. Joseph's Hospital. We all know what it is. We had it before us the other day, when it received some į damage by the rain storms. I am informed the
allowance it receives is only $10 por month.
The ACTING COLONIAL SCONETARY-More than that. This institution is not specifically mentioned in the estimates, but there is a sum granted for three institutious abd of it is not divided in equitable proportions it would be for some reason on the part of those who have charge, of the distribution.
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