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comes up again—and unless very ample time is given for its consideration, which I am glad to note the hon. Attorney-General has promised—it is my intention to move at the second reading that the Bill be thrown out.
This was agreed to.
In Sections 19 and 14,
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the insertion of the words "after hearing the parties" after the words "the Board" in each section.
Agreed.
Council then resumed.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I beg to move the third reading of the Bill.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—I beg to second it.
Bill read a third time and passed.
HON. C. P. CHATER'S MOTION FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A COMMISSION.
The Bill was then read a first time.
SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL 1893.
The COLONIAL TREASURER—I have the honour, sir, to move the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to authorise the Appropriation of a Supplementary sum of $212,547.92 to defray the charges of the year 1893. I have endeavoured, as my report shows, to simplify the form of the supplementary estimates this year with a view to rendering them more intelligible to hon. members of Council.
HON. C. P. CHATER—I beg to move the resolution standing in my name. Your Excellency, it is not necessary for me to speak at length in support of the motion which stands in my name today, for I have already given my reasons why I consider the appointment of a Commission as I advocate to be a prudent measure, and I sincerely trust there is now no misunderstanding about them.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
Bill read a second time.
me even to appear to throw obstacles in the way of measures undertaken to avert the possibility of a recurrence of the plague which has so recently afflicted us, but it is strongly borne in upon me that all that is necessary might be done without having recourse to such wholesale destruction as has been proposed. I say—let your Excellency appoint a Commission such as I ask for, of as representative a nature as possible, and then, if the Commission decide that the original plan of destruction must be carried out, I and many who think with me will have the satisfaction of knowing that the question has had every possible consideration in all its aspects; but on the other hand, if the decision of the Commission coincides with our idea, a large sum of money will have been saved to our at present hard-pressed Colony.
The Bill passed through Committee without discussion.
The Council resumed.
The COLONIAL TREASURER moved the third reading of the Bill.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
Bill read a third time and passed.
THE TAIPINGSHAN RESUMPTION ORDINANCE.
Council resumed the consideration of the schedules of this Bill in Committee.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL then moved that the Bill be recommitted in order that a few small alterations might be made.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
Bill in Committee.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL suggested that the provision for inserting an advertisement of the list of lots, etc., in a London paper was unnecessary, as he was given to understand that only two owners resided at home and they were represented here.
The deletion was agreed to.
Upon Section 8,
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved an alteration which provided that instead of four months (as originally provided), the words "as soon as possible and not more than six months after the publishing of the constitution of the Board of Arbitration" should rule the period for the sending in of claims for compensation, and explained that this alteration would probably enable the Board to get to work on the settlement of claims for compensation four months earlier than under the original wording of the clause.
point a Commission such as I ask for, of as representative a nature as possible...
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excellent streets of concrete, well-laid-down channels, and excellent granite steps, and much other valuable property which it seemed to me it was not entirely necessary to destroy. I do not advocate for a moment half measures. Considering the disastrous effect of the plague on the trade of the colony, no one, I think, would advocate that; after a few little structural alterations, Taipingshan, the seat of the plague, might easily be made an oasis in the desert—an earthly paradise.
His EXCELLENCY—Gentlemen, I feel bound, in what I consider the best interests of the Colony, to oppose the motion of the hon. member. I am very sorry that I should be obliged to take this step, because the hon. member has, on many occasions, given to me personally and to the Government most excellent advice and assistance, but I venture to think, on this occasion, his assistance is not worth our acceptance, and his advice is not sound.
...has also sought to persuade those who will no doubt feel financial loss under the Resumption Ordinance that if the streets and alleys of Taipingshan, which have been described by medical eye-witnesses as "pestiferous, foul, poisonous, and a mass of pollution," he has tried to persuade these people that by the application of a little extra whitewash and water, the houses and streets might be made to "rejoice like the desert and flourish like the rose."
Gentlemen, I ask—is it possible that we, a body of sane men, can receive statements of this sort in the face of overwhelming evidence we have received from experts and scientists in the matter? I say certainly not.
His EXCELLENCY—...I think the acceptance of the hon. member's motion would be running a great risk, which I personally dare not incur. The trade of the Colony has suffered sufficiently in the last six months, and if we had unhappily a recurrence of the plague, I am afraid our trade would not temporarily but permanently suffer.
...I do not think the hon. member fully realises the awkward position in which I should be placed if I accepted his motion. I do not think I could—I do not feel prepared to try to—select a body of gentlemen with greater experience, greater knowledge of the Colony, greater ability, and whose opinions would carry greater weight than the gentlemen composing the Permanent Committee and the Housing Committee; and am I, as Governor, after having accepted their advice and thanking them for it two months ago, to turn round now and say, "Gentlemen, although I accepted your advice two months ago, I have repented and I must get an abler body of men, in whom I have more confidence, to reconsider your opinions and give me better advice?"