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Extract from "The Hong Kong Daily Prees 5110
14th. June, 190ng
{ HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on the 13th instant in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICEE ADMINI- STERING THE GOVERNMENT, Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G.
MAJOR-GENERAL R. G. BROADWOOD, C.B.,
A.C.D.
Hou. Mr. A. M. THOMSON(Colonial Secretary). Hon. Mr. H. H. J. GOMPARTZ (Attorney- General).
Hon. Mr. C. McI. MESSER (Colonial Trea- aurer).
Hou, Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Publio Works).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar- General).
Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Captain-Superin- tendent of Police).
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.0. Hon. Mr. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.
Hon. Mr. B. A. HEWETT.
Hou. Mr. E. OSBORNE.
Hon. Mr. H. KESWICK,
Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and confirmed.
PAPERS,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Acting Governor, laid on the table the report of the Registrar-General for the year 1906.
QUESTIONS.
The Hox. DE. Ho Ka-I beg to put the questions standing in my name.
The questions were as under:-
(1) What steps does the Government propose to take, and when, in regard to carrying out the recommendations of the Public Health and Building Ordinance Commission?
(2) If the Government does not propose to carry out the recommendations of the Commis. sion in tuto, which of sach recommendations dos the Government propose not to carry out? (3) Will the Government make a statement of what they propose to do with regard to the
recommendations of the Commission ?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY replied as follows: (1) A precis is laid on the table showing how Government has dealt with certain of the re- commendations, how it proposes to deal with others, and how many are still under consideration.
(2) An Ordinance amending the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance will be necessary and steps are being taken to prepare one. It is impossible at present to fix a definite date for its introduction.
2.
(3) Recommendations that do not require an amendment of the Law and which are approved will be carried out as soon as possible having regard to the circumstances in each case,
REC
REG 15 JUL 07 588
THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND BUILDINGS
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill ontitled An Ordinance to amend the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1908.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. In doing so he said-In connection with this the question of compensation may arise and I beg to lay on the table a copy of the petition presented to the Governor by landlords with regard to compensation under the Bill of 1902 which subsequently became law in 1903. From this it will be seen that the landowners were perfectly well satisfied with all the concessions except one which was subsequently granted.
HIS EXCELLENCY-Gentlemen, Before I put the question to the Council concerning the passing of the first reading of this Bill I would beg leave to make a few remarks. I shall not be altogether in order in so doing but perhaps the Council will graut me the in- dulgence in the present circumstances. This is the firet instalment of the legislation which will beec me necessary owing to the recommendations made by the Commissioners who have inquired into the administration of the Sanitary Depart- ment. I trust that this Bill and the precis of those recommendations containing the pro- posals of the Government thereon will be accepted as an earnest of the fact that the Government propose to deal thoroughly and honestly with the report of the Commissiouers. It would appear, gentlemen, recently what I may call the domestico-political atmosph ra has been somewhat surcharged with electricity. It would seem as if the impression was abroad that the Government did not propose to deal ia & sympathetic manner with the recommendations of the Commissioners. Now, gentlemen, 1 would beg to remind you that the report of the Commissioners criticises in a scathing manner a deperiment for the administration of which the Government is more or less responsible. It fell to the lot of certain officers to reply to those criticisms and in their turn to oriticise. It happened that the icers upon whom the duty fell represented the Buse, the Shamrock nd the Thistle. Now, I need hardly remind you that if you roughly handle the rose or the thistle they are bound te prick you As for that innocent little plant, the shamrock, is it not the emblem of a race which is accustomed to sit down silently under a grievance? The Government consider that in this matter they have somewhat of a grievance, for the report of the Commissioners charges them in fact with adopting an ausympathetic attitude on what I may call their plague policy towards the Chinese population. Well, gestiemen, having received a broadside from the Commissioners and having returned that broadside wo are now only too anxious to consider in the most sympathetic manner the recommendations and suggestions which the Commissioners have made. (Applause.) I indicated as much in the few remarks Iwade at the opening of this session bnt somehow or other these reniarks seem to have been forgotten or in the heat of controversy they have been discounted. Amongst the several re- commendations and suggestions by the Commis- sioners there is one to which I would like to refer at some little length. That is the question of cubicles. Now, gentlemer, that is a most important subject, for it touches the living accommodation of the poorer classes of the Cinese community. I bave during the last few months, since my return from leave, devoted a great deal of time and a great deal of thought to this question. I have