155
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account, and if these men earn any income or are able at the moment to pay any award; the colour interest I apprehend that the money thus earned might have no public funds for that purpose, but will be added to the same account as that on which possibly this money might be temporarily raised by the principal stands. Sections 25 and 26 provide, as I have already stated, for amicable arrangements either by terms or by the exercise of powers of exchange. Section 29 I apprehend there is no objection to now. It prohibits any suit against the Crown Sanitary Board in respect to certain matters in connection with houses resumed and closed by the Sanitary Board. It originally was more general in application and applied to lands which had been closed by order of the Sanitary Board outside as well as within the particular area of Taipingshan. It is now confined to Taipingshan, and I presume there is no further objection to it. I do not know whether there are any other sections on which I need make any remarks. The last section but one enables other property within a period of six months of the coming into operation of this Ordinance to be brought within its powers. That seems to be absolutely necessary, if it is true that there are other blocks or other areas which are in a similar condition to that which it is proposed to resume. In resuming by seat I may say that the Government has given very earnest consideration to this Bill and every objection raised to it, and their principle has been throughout in framing it, in bringing it before the public and in putting it before this assembly—festina lente.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—I second the Bill.
Bill read a second time.
The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.
Upon Section 27 providing for funds out of which the compensation shall be paid,
A few other immaterial alterations were made, but some difficulty arose in regard to certain lots named in the schedule.
His EXCELLENCY—As there is some alteration...
Hon. R. BELILIOS—Will not that be postponing the passing of the Bill too long, sir?
His EXCELLENCY—It has to wait for the Royal Assent. I have already sent the draft home to the Secretary of State, and informed him that the unofficial members had promised that there should not be any important amendment; I will telegraph to him when it is passed, and I asked him to telegraph Her Majesty's assent. That will take at least five weeks, so that there is no need to have the third reading at once. I will adjourn the Council to this day fortnight.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Council then adjourned until the 17th.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL said—It has been suggested that it might not be practicable...
PRESENT
17 SEPTEMBER, 1894.
His Excellency the Governor, Sir WILLIAM ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.
Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Acting Colonial Secretary,
Hon. A. J. LEACH, Q.C., Acting Attorney-General.
Hon. N. G. MITCHELL-INNES, Colonial Treasurer.
Hon. R. M. RUMSEY, R.N., Harbour Master.
Hon. E. BOWDLER.
Hon. C. P. CHATER.
Hon. J. J. KESWICK.
Hon. HO KAI.
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G.
Hon. A. McCONACHIE.
Mr. A. SETH, Clerk of Councils.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting, after slight amendment, were read and confirmed.
THE REPORT OF THE RETRENCHMENT COMMITTEE.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—I have the honour to lay on the table the report of the Committee appointed to enquire into the expenditure of the colony.
THE MILITARY CONTRIBUTION.
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS—Sir, is it a fact that a certain and not inconsiderable proportion of the amount voted by this Council as a contribution for the maintenance of the Garrison and which is paid in sterling at the rate of exchange of the day, is spent by the Military Authorities locally and in silver dollars, and if so will not the War Office consent to receive such contribution at its average amount in dollars calculated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the date the contribution was increased to £40,000 sterling? With your Excellency's permission I beg to point out that owing to the fall in exchange the contribution presses with great severity on the Colony, and if a large proportion of the sum is expended locally and in dollars the War Office are profiting greatly by our loss. This was never contemplated when the sum was fixed at £40,000, and if the concession suggested were made it would, to some extent, relieve the Colony without causing loss to the War Office, the prices of food, &c., having not appreciably advanced in Hongkong.
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The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—Though it is not possible to distinguish the various military disbursements as being made from any particular receipt, I am able to state that out of a total of £154,000 disbursed locally last year by the military about £68,000 were spent in payment fixed in dollars and not in sterling, either in the form of a draft or otherwise.
As regards the second part of the question I may mention that the Governor has already made several representations to the Secretary of State respecting the necessity of reconsidering the military contribution on account of the fall in exchange, and in his despatches to the Secretary of State has supported the view held by the unofficial members and by the members of the Committee appointed to enquire into the Expenditure of the colony, viz., that the military contribution should be fixed in dollars and not, as at present, in sterling. It is not too much to expect an early reply to his Excellency's representations.
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS—"It has been suggested that because this Ordinance does not provide for compensation of owners for rents lost, the Government intends to give no such compensation at all. I wish at once to remove that misapprehension. The question whether the Government shall provide compensation or not is under consideration, and if a scheme is hereafter formulated it would have to receive the sanction of the Secretary of State. In either event it would mean very serious delay in carrying out the provision now contemplated, which are deemed essential and urgent by the Permanent Committee. I may also state that the schedules of this Ordinance are not yet quite complete; these schedules will show what houses have been and still are closed, what have been closed and reopened under the Permanent Committee's conditions; but I propose with your Excellency's sanction to obtain a list of those houses in an enlarged form showing not only what the schedules in this Ordinance will show but showing the names of the owners of the houses which have been closed, the time during which they have been closed, and, if it is possible to ascertain it, the amount of rent which those houses, if let, would have obtained for their owners during the period of their being closed. Upon that schedule or list a scheme could be formulated or an Ordinance drafted, and I do not think it would be a matter of great difficulty. With these few remarks I beg to move the first reading of the Bill, and I may say that all the time which the unofficial members think necessary for the consideration of the Bill will be given before the second reading.
WITHDRAWAL OF MOTION.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—I beg permission to withdraw the motion standing in my name. I trust to be in a position to bring it forward at the next meeting of Council.
HEALTH ORDINANCE 1894
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—I have to second the first reading of the Bill.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I beg to move the first reading of a Bill to make provision for dealing with certain houses closed during the plague, and to make further and better provision for the health of the colony. In moving the first reading I do not intend to detain the Council at any great length. The Bill has been in the hands of hon. members for such a short time that I am quite sure they will better appreciate my remarks after further consideration of this measure, but I wish to make a short statement as to the real object of the Bill, and to remove misapprehensions as to its intended effect. The object of the Bill is to carry out certain recommendations of the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board and the Housing Committee—only such recommendations as are deemed to be necessary and expedient at present and not to touch upon other of their recommendations which would necessitate careful consideration of the Building and Health Ordinances, which must certainly occupy time.
Hon. J. J. KESWICK—Sir, this Bill, as the hon. Attorney-General has just mentioned, has been in the hands of the unofficial members such a short time that we shall need some delay before the second reading, as it has been quite impossible to master its contents. It is an exceedingly important measure, and a cursory glance at it I think will show that it is one which would be wholly unacceptable to the public, and its provisions in many respects would be wholly inapplicable to this community. It is my intention, therefore, unless it is very materially altered before it comes up for the second reading...