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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Obscene Publication Ordinance
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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL then moved the third reading of the Bill.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the Bill was read a third time and
Asiatic Emigration Ordinance
HIS EXCELLENCY-It is proposed that the next item on the orders of the day, the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance, stand over, as certain amendments have to be considered,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of a Bill entitled, An Ordinance for more effectually preventing passed. the publication of obscene books, pictures and other articles." In doing so he said -The object of this Bill, Sir, is to fill a gap which exists in the law here at present in connection with the suppression of the publication of obscene books, pictures and other articles. Though it is an offence here to sell or otherwise publish obscene articles, and though it is an offence to obtain such articles for the purpose of sale, there is no provision in the law of Hongkong at present for obtaining a search warrant to search for such articles, therefore it is difficult to obtain evidence to found a charge. This power to issue a search warrant was introduced in England some years ago, and the present Bill follows closely the terms of the English Act.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the Bill was read a second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.
On resuming.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL reported that the Bill had passed through Com mittee without amendment, and moved that it be read a third time.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second ed, and the Bill was read a third time and passed,
The Dentistry Ordinance
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL- Sir, I beg to move that the Bill entitled, "An Ordinance to provide for the registration of qualified Dental Surgeons and other wise to regulate the practice of Dentis- try, be recommitted to a Committee of the whole Council for the purpose of dis- cussing a certain amendment to clause 9 of the Bill, the amendment being the insertion of the date in which the Ordin- ance shall come into operation, namely, the 1st day of August. 1914.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the motion was agreed to.
The date suggested was approved by the Committee, and Council resumed.
HIS EXCELLENCY – Council stands adjourned till this day fortnight.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding The following votes Passed:-
were
Nullah Training at Magazine Gap
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $4,000 in aid of the vote Public Works, Extraordinary, Hongkong, Drainage, Training Nullahs (c) Magazine Gap.
THE CHAIRMAN-The reason why there has to be a vote taken this year, which is not provided for in the Estimates, on this account, is that it was not proposed to continue the training of these nullahs, which is a very necessary work, this year, when the Estimates were being drawn up nine months ago. But since then the Military Authorities have decided to make another attempt to occupy the sana- torium near Magazine Gap, and, there- fore, the Government think it desirable, in view of that, to go on with the train- ing of these nullahs, which are mostly on Crown land, only a small portion of which goes into land under the jurisdic- tion of the Military Authorities. There- fore, the Government has recommended that this sum of money should be voted so as to go on with the work at once.
White Book we have before us to-day, at page 42, that this work seems to have proceeded very slowly. In 1913 there seems to have been a decrease on the vote anticipated of about $8,000, therefore I suppose this $4,000 will not even put us as far forward as we expected to be at the end of 1913.
HON. MR. POLLOCK—I notice in the
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN-That is so, but when that vote of $11,100 was taken, I do not think it was quite decided which nullahs should be trained. I don't think the scheme was entirely settled. I was not here during that time last year, and can- not say exactly why such a small sum was expended.
HON. MR. HEWETT-With regard to this vote, I should like to say that, to my own certain knowledge, for the last quarter of a century attempts have been made to make this place sanitary. The place has been, and is up to the present day fever stricken, and I would suggest for the consideration of his Excellency the Officer Commanding that the Military Authorities had better quit this site and get a better site somewhere else.
To my certain knowledge there has been a waste of money on this place for the last quar- ter of a century. We have spent thousand of dollars and could never get the place in a sanitary condition; it never was in a sanitary condition, and it seems useless to go on spending money in this way.
There are deep gullies there, covered by bushes and trees which are breeding places for mosquitoes.
A Caterpillar Plague in the New Territories
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The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,300 in aid of the vote Botanical and Forestry Department, Other Charges, Forestry, New Territories. THE CHAIRMAN This is rather interesting. The vote is necessitated by a plague of caterpillars on the Kowloon pine plantations, a visitation which occurs very occasionally. Nineteen tons of caterpillars have been collected, and the work of collecting is not yet finished, but the quantities collected much less every day. It is calculated that are becoming
something like twelve million cater- pillars have been destroyed altogether. This is the worst visitation since 1894, when 36 tons were collected.
New Territories Judicial Vote The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $900 in aid of the vote Judicial and Legal Departments, C.- District Officer, Other Charges, Southern District, Transport.
THE CHAIRMAN-What about the trict Officer has to do a good deal of private houses already there ?
HON. MR. HEWETT It would have been cheaper to leave the place ten years
ago.
THE CHAIRMAN-The amount which has been expended there is not very large.
HON. MR. HEWETT-Money has been expended on it year after year. I lived there in 1889 and it was then insanitary
THE CHAIRMAN - So far as the Military sanatorium is concerned, the Military Authorities are going to give it another chance.
HON. MR. POLLOCK--I
suppose
this
THE CHAIRMAN-The Southern Dis-
travelling during the typhoon season to Cheungchau and Tai O, and it is difficult for him to get a suitable launch to go in practically all weathers on this duty, as he makes his arrangements before. hand, and the people know when he is coming. An arrangement has been mada for two launches, one at a cost of $3 an hour and one at $4 an hour, and in bad weather the larger of these two launches, which is 84 feet long, will be used. A good deal of negotiation was needed to arrive at this arrangement, and the charge is fairly molerate.
Road-Making in New Territories The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $850 in aid of the vote Public Works, Extraordinary, New
training will be accompanied by cutting Territories, Communications, Roads (a) back the undergrowth?
THE CHAIRMAN-Yes.
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS -I think it is only in the last three years that the matter has been taken seriously and the nullahs decently trained. cannot say why such a small sum was expended last year out of the amount voted.
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Kam Tin-Au Tau,
THE CHAIRMAN This is in connection with interest last year for road-making in the New Territories. The P.W.D. neglected to have the account adjusted. It is not a question of more money being required; it really is in the nature of a re-vote as the vote was not adjusted be- fore the end of last year. Land had to be resumed in connection with this road,
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