( 16 )
complaint posted outside the Raffles Museum at Singapore, which is an institution wholly under the control of the Straits Government.
The copy notice in the hands of the Committee runs in these words :--
"NOTICE.
"In consequence of the large number of Natives who now fre- quent the Museum it has been found necessary to admit them from 10a.m. to 1.30 p.m. only, when the upper floor will be closed for half an hour to allow of its being swept down and cleansed. The Building
is open throughout to Europeans at all times between 10 a.m, and
6 p.m., but the afternoon is reserved for them specially.
"Any complaints or suggestions will be promptly attended to."
21st May, 1878."
True copy,
CHUA HOOD LENG,
Clerk to the Library. "The above named Chua Hood Leng personally appeared before me this 28th of November 1879 and took oath that the foregoing notice is a correct copy of one which is now posted at the Raffles, Library and Museum.
(Sd.)
"R. W. HULLETT, Justice of the Peace S. S."
As His Excellency quoted a portion of the Chairman's Speech at the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders in and Subscribers to the City Hall held on the 28th of August, the Committee consider that your Lordship should have the whole of what took place at that Meeting before you, and have accordingly printed the short-hand report of the Meeting in the Addendum to the Annual Report. From this your Lordship will see that the Chairman stated that the whole matter was at present under the consideration of your Lordship.
The Committee have forwarded this despatch in triplicate to the Colonial Secretary in the ordinary way, with a request for its transmis- sion, but as they consider the matter pressing, they also forward one copy direct to your Lordship by the outgoing Mail,
I have the honor to be, Your Lordship's
Most obedient, humble Servant,
W. KESWICK, Chairman, City Hall Committee.
( 17 )
THE CITY HALL ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the shareholders in and subscribers to the City Hall was held in the Library on Saturday afternoon (August 28th 1880). There were present-Hon. W. Keswick (Chairman), Hon. P. Ryrie, Mr. Justice Snowden, Mosers. F. D. Sassoon, H. Hoppius, 1). Ruttuajee, H. de C. Forbes, A. Coxon, T. Jackson, H. H. Nelson, W. K. Hughes, W. H. Brereton, J. Hughes, W. Wheeler, W. M. Morgan, W. Wotton, A. MacKean, W. Danby, D. E. Caldwell, R. C. Wilcox, R. Starkey, H. J. H. Tripp, E. Beart, S. Hancock, J. T. Chater, J. B. Coughtrie, N. J. Ede, and H. L. Dennys (Secretary).
The Chairman said-The report, gentlemen, which is in your hands, contains so full a statement under the various headings of matters connected with the City Hall, that I have not much to add to what is contained in it. The state of the building, it is satisfactory to know, can be favourably reported upon. The ravages of white ants and the destruction to a building of this size caused by them has always been a matter of some anxiety to the Committee, and also the weather, but fortunately the expenditure, though considerable, of last year and previous years has been so effective that we may look forward to less in the future. The substitution of iron pillars for wooden ones and alterations in the theatre, with other minor changes, have all been towards reducing expenditure in the future and making the building permanently more durable. The library has been added to and the number of volumes considerably increased; some of the works are of considerable importance; and the museum, I think, has been increased in attractiveness by the varied additions to the collection. With regard to the museum you will doubtless have perceived that a serious misun- derstanding exists between the Committee and the Executive-the Go- vernor. The origin of the difference is seen in the first letter which was addressed to the City Hall Committee. It is unique in the way in which it assumes that the Committee must obey the behests of the Governor in matters connected with the City Hall. It is the first time that the Committee has been so addressed. On all previous occasions when we have had communication with the Governors of this Colony wa have received from them from the first until the last-and the last is the exception-every support and assistance in making this public insti- tution as beneficial to the community as possible.(Applause.) I do not think it is necessary for me to say more on the subject of this mis-
32
Dec.