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Jonelcoure 2.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
28x0 APRIL, 1914.
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PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR FRANCIS HENRY MAY K.C.M.G.
HON. MR. CLAUD SEVERN (Colonial Secretary).
HON. MR. J. H. KEMP (Attorney General).
HON. MR. E. D. C. WOLFE (Colonial Treasurer).
HON. MR. A. F. CHURCHILL (Director of Public Works).
HON. MR. C. McL MESSER (Captain Superintendent of Police).
HON. MR. WEI YUK, C.M.G. HON. MR. E. A. HEWETT, C.M.G. HON. MR. D. LANDALE. HON. MR. E. SHELLIM. HON. MR. LAU CHU PAK. MR. M. BREEN (Clerk of Councils).
Minutes
The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed.
New Members
Mr. J. H. Kemp, Mr. A. F. Churchill and Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe took the oath and assumed their seats as members of Council,
The Law Courts Building Contracts
With regard to Financial Minute No. 12, relating to a vote of $18,505 in con- nection with the building of the new Law Courts, the COLONIAL SECRETARY said:-I Wenborn which I will circulate for the hava a copy of the award given by Major
inspection of members of the Council.
H EXCELLENCY, in connection with Financial Minute No. 12, said-It will be within the recollection of members
that on the occasion of the debate on the
over
Estimates for 1913 the honourable mem- bor nominated by the Chamber of Com- merce animadverted upon the delay in the building of the Law Courts and the Post Office; and on behalf of unofficial members asked for a Commission to enquire into the administration of the Public Works Department and the cause of delays in carrying out Public Works. In consequence of those representations a Committee was appointed to enquire into the delay and excess expenditure Estimates in the case of the Law Courts and Post Office, and their report on the subject of the Post Office was laid on the table some months ago. It was impossible for the Committee to prosecute their inquiries into the building of the Law Courts, because the accounts for that work had, owing to disputes with the contractor, not bean closed. The contractor claimed THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by $55,448.23 for value of extra work per- command of His Excellency the Governor, formed in connection with the above laid on the table the following papera-building, and as no agreement could be Financial Returns for the year 1913; arrived at on the subject it was agreed Sessional paper N 4 and Jurors' List to submit the question to the arbitration for 1914; Despate from the Secretary of of Major Wenborn, whose services were Stato (Sessional Paper No. 5) transmit- kindly lont by his Excellency the General ting letter from the War Office with en Officer Commanding for the purpose. closures relating to the cost of the Garri- The award is $32,360.35 less $15,854.58 son in Hongkong for the year 1912-13. overpaid to the contractor, or a nett sum of 818,505. The arbitrator's award is laid on the table for the perusal of members. His fes amounts to $2,000, and on the recommendation of the arbitrator it is proposed that this fee should be defrayed by the Government. Mr. H. G. C. Fisher, the Executive Engineer in charge of the
Paper
Financial Minutes
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by comp and of His Excellency the Governor, lai on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 90 12, and moved that they be referred Ao the Finance Committee.
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