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it
considered by him and read at Committee meetings. All this was carefully gone into, but not ühe word was said at the recent public meeting about these minutes and the deed, which are essential is, here is the document. It is an official document and is headed "C.S.O.," "Colonial Secretary's Office," HIS EXCELLENCY-So far from being a private memorandum, which my honourable friend says deciding the question whether the Committee kept good faith with the Government. Now, what with the register number, “No. 2669. the deed and minutes ?-His Excellency then read portions of the deed, which vested the land in the agreement made with the Governor of the Colony-not a private agreement but a public agreement
It is strictly official in every sense of the word, an official trustees thereon to erect a building to be used as a City Hall; violation of the conditions to entail public agreement recorded in the archives of the Colony, made between the Governor and the City forfeiture of the property and expulsion of the occupiers.--Such is the deed. property, the legal estate, vested in Messrs. TURING, MCDOUALL and RYRIE.
Under that deed the Hall Committee. Not being a private memorandum, it was referred to by Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL referring to the papers, of which all notice was omitted by my honourable friend at this public meeting. habitants of the Colony, and he added be would not have given the grant but for that fact.
Now, I find, on the Legislative Council, and there he said the Museum was to be an institution open to all the that for a considerable period my honourable friend Mr. RYRIE was in fact the leading man, the chief manager, the person upon whom the whole responsibility was thrown. I find that he alone represented the City Hall for a long time, and he and Mr. RENNIE did so for a considerable period. Now what were the conditions imposed by Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL, and under what circumstances? His first minute is addressed to Mr. AUSTIN, Colonial Secretary. He said—
grant.
MR. AUSTIN, --It occurs to me that before the Estimates are finally closed it might be able for Mr. RENNIE and the gentlemen having the management of the City Hall to show cause for ing a small sum in aid of the Institution, so far as the latter, by its Museum and Library, may be "held to offer advantages of a valuable kind to the public.
"It is very desirable that a person acquainted with such things should be early appointed as "Librarian and Curator of the Museum, which latter, if well fitted up, would soon attract to it a large "collection of interesting objects.
"The fittings for a Museum are not, however, an easy whilst they are certainly a costly matter. "These things will require time, which is passing rapidly.
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"I am anxious to help any scheme likely to secure a Museum and Library of the City Hall, managed on liberal terms and such as may fairly entitle the Institution to a grant from the Colony Hongkong has quite a sufficient tendency already towards the almighty dollar.
It would do the community good to give them a slight list over the other way.
"30th September, 1868."
"R. G. MACDONNELL.
That minute, made in September, 1868, was referred to Mr. RENNIE, and he, on behalf of the City Hall Committee, wrote a letter, which has been recently, with all the other papers, before the City Hall Committee. I shall now place them before the Council. He gives a long explanation as to what the Committee understood with reference to the admission of the public. Thereupon, Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL writes—
"MR. AUSTIN,-This memorandum omits to answer my principal inquiry, which I shall now put "in plain words. Are the Museum and Library to be managed on liberal terms, and, if so, on what? "Is any subscription to be necessary to enable any member of the community who behaves "himself quietly and is decently dressed, from visiting the Museum and Library and even reading in "the latter place, as is the case in Melbourne, where one of the noblest institutions in the world is free "to all the world ?
"If perfect freedom of access is not to be allowed, as is probable, what are to be the restrictions?
"R. G. MACDONNELL.
"3rd October, 1868."
That is dated 3rd October, and here is the answer of the City Hall Committee, that is, the answer of Mr. RENNIE and my friend Mr. RYRIE.
"The whole of the arrangements upon which the City Hall is to be managed have not been defi- nitely fixed, but there never has, I believe, been any thought of having the admission to the Museum and Library otherwise than perfectly gratuitous, and open, as His Excellency states, to all well- "dressed and well-behaved persons.
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"3rd October, 1868."
Honourable W. KESWICK-Is that signed by Mr. RENNIE?
"W. H. RENNIE,
"On behalf of the City Hall Committee.
HIS EXCELLENCYr-It is signed by Mr. RENNIE "On behalf of the City Hall Committee."
Honourable W. KESWICK-That is a private memorandum,
by S RICHARD MACDONNELL and accepted by the City Hall Committee
What
properly couples together the Library and Museum. Now here is the notice that exists to this was the notice then issued? You will observe, gentlemen, that Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL very moment respecting the Library, and which for years was acted upon in respect to the Museum :-"The Library is open without payment to all decent and well behaved persons of every nationality." That notice, which refers now to the Library, and which is similar to the notice which referred for so many years to the Museum, was in strict accord, word for word, with the conditions laid down All these facts are material facts concealed from the public. They were known to my honourable friend, in whose hands I had placed these documents not many months ago. What advantage is there in concealing facts so material, so conclusive, from the public of this Colony? But there was another fact kept back. It is alleged, forsooth, that I, the Governor of the Colony, adopted a totally unprecedented course, a course that no other Governor thought of adopting, in giving instructions last year that the money was to be paid to the trustees. It happens that we have of the three trustees but one remaining in the Colony. Now, why did I give these instructions? It was only when my friend Mr. PALGRAVE and one or two other strangers passing through the Colony called my attention to what, in their own words, they described as a discreditable notice, or one little creditable to the City Hall Committee, drawing a distinction between one nationality and another. No such distinction had been made as regards the Library, but only as regards the Museum, and that notice had come into effect when Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL went away and some years after Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY came, but without his sanction. This notice adopted a distinction of nationality without the knowledge or consent of the Executive. When this notice was brought to my knowledge, what did I do? I proceeded to lay the facts before my advisers. The notice was fully considered, and the conditions on which the grant was made, and a unanimous resolution of my Executive Council was passed that unless the conditions laid down by Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL were carried out, the grant should be withdrawn. A letter was written by the Colonial Secretary informing the Committee that unless they would agree to modify the notice and abolish this distinction of nationality I would not be able to place the vote of $1,200 in the Estimates for 1880. Some correspondence took place. My honourable friend, the Chairman of the Committee, knows a division took place in the Committee. I believe it is a matter of notoriety that the two leading members of the Committee were not in entire accord with my honourable friend; and that Mr. KYRIE and Mr. SASSOON took a somewhat different view to that taken by my honourable friend, and, I think, three other members. I think it well for the whole of the community to understand exactly who are the gentlemen who have been moving in this matter and what they have done. Mr. RYRIE was the sole trustee, and when the discussion took place in the Executive Council-I now state the fact, but
believe it was well known before the Acting Attorney General said Mr. RYBIE was the only gentleman there who had anything to do with the legal estate. He is the only gentleman responsible to the Government, and my attention was called to the fact that Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL not only laid down very proper conditions, which have been violated, but that he also gave instructions as to whom the money should be paid. Here again I find an official paper. I can assure my honourable friend it is not a private paper-it is in every sense a public paper.
Honourable W. KESWICK-Was that sent with the others?
His EXCELLENCY-It was sent some months ago to the City Hall Committee with the others. It was read at the meeting of the Committee. A communication was made as to the City Hall expenses, and Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL'S Minute was this-
"Mr. AUSTIN,-As this expenditure is regularly provided for in the Estimates of the current "year, I see no objection to payment of the money to the Trustees, as requested by Mr. RENNIE.
"R. G. MACDONNELL.
"11th May, 1869.”
Therefore, I was not only acting on the advice of my legal adviser as to paying the money to the trustee, but I was acting in accordance with the only precedent put before me showing any minute of the Governor with respect to the person to whom the money was to be paid. As I mentioned, two of the members of the Committee, my honourable friend here on my right (Mr. RYBIE) and Mr. SASSOON, were disposed to think it would be better to abolish this invidious notice about nationalities, but there were three other gentlemen, I understand, who supported my honourable friend (Mr. KESWICK). They attended the Public Meeting at least some of them--and therefore I have no hesitation in
980-H & S 9813)