HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
32
550
23RD APRIL, 1914,
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. MCI. 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.
Paper
:-
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following papers Financial Returns for the year 1913; Sessional paper No. 4 and Jurors' List for 1914; Despatch from the Secretary of State (Sessional Paper No. 5) transmit- ting letter from the War Office with en- closures relating to the cost of the Garri- son in Hongkong for the year 1912-13.
Financial Minutes
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 9 to 12, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
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 have a copy of the award given by Major
Wenborn which I will circulate for the
inspection of members of the Council.
HIS 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
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 over 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 $55,448.23 for value of extra work per- formed in connection with the above building, and as no agreement could be arrived at on the subject it was agreed to submit the question to the arbitration of Major Wenborn, whose services were kindly lent by his Excellency the General Officer Commanding for the purpose. The award is $32,360.35 less $15,854.58 overpaid to the contractor, or a nett sum of $16,505. The arbitrator's award is laid on the table for the perusal of members. His fed 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