pay for their arms and ammunition, and a very considerable claim it was, I think the presenting of the Volunteers with guns and rifles shows that His Excellency really takes a proper and intense interest in their well being. I don't think I have any further remarks to make, except to beg the President's leave to move this address to His Excellency.
The Hon. F. D. Sassoon—Sir, while feeling that a pleasant duty has devolved upon me in seconding the address in reply to His Excellency's speech, I would have preferred that this honour had been placed in the hands of one abler in debate than myself and who has had more experience in legislative matters. The thanks of the Council are certainly due to His Excellency for the able and lucid statements that have been placed before us. The very respectable sum which the colony has to its credit is certainly a source of congratulation to us all; while the most important and useful public works which have been initiated by His Excellency the Governor will, I am sure, give the colony no cause to regret the expenditure. I trust that His Excellency and ourselves will have the satisfaction of seeing these useful and important public works carried out and completed during His Excellency's term of office. I do not think it is necessary for me to make a long speech, and with those remarks I have great pleasure in seconding the address moved by the senior unofficial member of the Council.
Hon. F. B. Johnson—Sir, I am quite sure I do but give expression to the general feeling of the Council when I say we have heard with great pleasure the speech of my hon. friend who has addressed the Council for the first time, and I am also confident we all feel the value of his co-operation in our deliberations. Before, sir, making the few observations I wish to offer on the address in reply to the speech from the chair, to which we have listened with such great interest, I desire to offer to the Council my congratulations that the forms of procedure which are observed in all other Legislative Assemblies in the empire have been introduced here, and that by inviting, I may say challenging, full and free discussion of the measures and policy of his government His Excellency the Governor has given a practical character to our discussions which has been greatly wanting in the past, and he has substituted to a very great extent the expression of the views not only of the hon. members individually but of the Council as a whole for what I think I may not inaptly term the exaggerated monologue from the chair to which we were formerly accustomed to listen.
Sir, I feel sure that any step which can be taken to add dignity to our proceedings or to impart a practical character to our discussions, to make us feel in fact we have here to perform important useful work, cannot do otherwise than extend the influence of this Council and therefore the efficiency of the Government. I am glad the language of the address, following the order of the speech from the chair, gives great prominence to the reform which has taken place in this Council. We owe that reform—which we know has been received with very great satisfaction out of doors and to which we owe the presence to-day of my two hon. friends whom we are all glad to welcome here and who sit here for the first time—I say: we owe that reform entirely to the assistance of Sir George Bowen, and, sir, I may say further, that I do not think that concession would have been granted to any other Governor who did not wield the influence and the authority which Sir George Bowen undoubtedly does in the councils of the empire.
Sir, I feel that it is a somewhat ungracious task for me to criticise the measure of reform for which we have expressed our thanks, but I also think it would be inconsistent with my duty were I to refrain from saying a few words with regard to what I deem its shortcomings. My criticism is simply that it does not go far enough. My attitude may be described by what has been given as a definition of gratitude, a lively sense of favours to come. I receive thankfully what has been given us and I immediately proceed to ask for more. I think the Secretary of State was not well advised when he cut down the number of members who are to be selected by popular suffrage from three to two, and I am quite sure I do but express the unanimous feeling of all the unofficial members at all events when I say we should have welcomed here the presence of the Major-General commanding the troops.
That point, however, I feel we should leave to the consideration of the Imperial and local Governments. Leaving out of consideration the General's presence here, my own view of what the Council should be is that it should consist of twelve members with the Governor as the president—six official and six unofficial members. Of the unofficial members, two should be nominated by the Chamber of Commerce and two by the Justices, leaving two to be appointed by the Governor himself, one of whom at least should be a Chinese. This would leave the other seat at the disposal of the Governor for the purpose of placing in this Council the representative of any special interest which he might think had been overlooked by the constituent bodies.
But, sir, I confess I am not blindly devoted to any paper constitution. The constitution of Great Britain is not inscribed in the statute book. I feel in regard to this Council what I have expressed elsewhere, what we really want is that the Council should adequately represent the intelligent public opinion of the colony, that we should be allowed to be free from the continual interference that has hitherto been placed in our way by the Colonial Office; that we should be allowed full control over what I may call our ordinary municipal expenditure and municipal taxation, leaving to the Secretary of State a general veto over our proceedings and an interference which should be limited to the case of Imperial interests and extraordinary occasions.
Sir, we know that a recent instance has occurred in which the interference of the Colonial Office has been withdrawn owing to the strenuous resistance which has been made to it by His Excellency Sir George Bowen, and I am quite sure if the members of this Council, and particularly the unofficial members, will offer strenuous opposition to the continued interference of the Colonial Office they will be able to gain their point.
Passing now, sir, very briefly to consider one or two of the subjects which are alluded to in the address, I feel that if I were to do more than make a very casual allusion to a few of the more important ones I should be unduly occupying your time. The first point to which I desire to call your attention is the organisation of this Council into working committees. I am quite sure, sir, that organisation will tend to the efficiency of this Council and also will to a very great extent support the heads of departments and the executive Government.
I made a proposal almost identical in terms with this three years ago at my second sitting on this Council. It was accepted by the Governor of the day in principle, but as usual nothing was done. The only addition I would make to the recommendation from the chair is that a Committee of Police and Gaols could with advantage be added to the other committees. And I also trust, in connection with this subject, one of the first duties the reconstituted Council will take in hand will be the revision of our standing orders. I am sure we shall all agree the efficiency of our proceedings will depend on the powers of the chair being accurately defined, and also the rights and privileges of hon. members.
It is satisfactory, sir, that very little need be added to what has fallen from my hon. friends with regard to finance. It is a foregone conclusion in the colony that a loan must be incurred, and I am glad my hon. friend (Mr. Ryrie) gives his adhesion to it. I have often said in this Council it is a very satisfactory thing for the colony to have a surplus, and though we know the Surveyor-General will speedily absorb it, I do not think that is a matter for regret.
With regard to the surplus for this year I will be glad if my hon. friend the Colonial Treasurer will satisfy us as to the security he has for the current opium revenue, which it is rumoured is in some jeopardy. It is no doubt very satisfactory also to find the report of the Smuggling Commission has been laid on the table, and I would suggest to the Colonial Secretary that in all cases in which reports are moved for they should, as soon as they are printed, be laid on the table. It is very little satisfaction to us to see them some two or three years after all interest in them has died away.
It must be a matter of great satisfaction to all to learn that that report completely refutes the erroneous accusation made against this colony by the late Governor some eighteen months ago. With regard to the question of the blockade, which is touched upon in the speech from the chair, I have only to say I have for a long time past taken a view opposed to that popularly held. I do not believe the blockade is so injurious to our interests as has been represented. At all events, if the alternative is to be, as was suggested by the late British Minister at Peking, the establishment of a branch of the Chinese Customs Service here, I have only to say I hope the members of this Council will offer their most strenuous opposition to it.
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