HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
105 Colony because he drinks himself into delirium tremens and at the bars of the few hotels there are here? It is not the first case we have had, but it is the most recent, and it was a case which attracted our attention to a flaw in the law. Then we had the case of this bagful of chits, I do not mind letting you know where we They came from the North got them. Point Hotel, and the $3,000 of debts were incurred within a period of six months. The Captain Superintendent of Police has informed me since this debate began that the King Edward Hotel, about two years ago, showed him bad chits for the sum of $2.400 incurred during the stay of one ship in this port by the members of the crew. The Liquor Ordinance lays down that no person shall take or receive in payment of any intoxicating liquor for consumption on or at any licensed pre- mises any article except money. That is the same provision as exists in the Home Act. It is got round here by this perni cious chit system, and although the chit system is not against the letter of the law it is certainly against the principle of it. It was never intended that people should get credit for as much drink as they liked and pay for it, or not pay for it, as they were able. As to Mr. Shewan's remarks, they remind me of the last night I spent in England at the Liverpool Street hotel. The bill next morning was something over £10 for my night's entertainment. I tendered a cheque and I was somewhat astonished when the people in the office said they could not receive any cheques. I gave them my card and told them I was the Governor of Hongkong and referred them to the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, which I thought would be quite good enough. It was not good enough, and, at great inconvenience, I had to go to the bank to draw money to pay the hotel bill. This is a very simple matter. It is a question of the conditions under which hotel-keepers who have the privilege of selling liquor over the bar by retail shall carry on their trade. I think the reasonable provisions of this Ordin ance will not do the least harm. I feel convinced that in the end they will redound to the benefit of those hotel- keepers. Therefore I ask you to pass this Bill. You have heard from one of our oldest residents that he himself regards it as reasonable. I think that ought to carry great weight in this Council.
The motion was then put and carried. and the Bill was read a second time.
Clauses 1 and 2 were passed without amendment.
CX
>>
"
or
as an
HON. MR. POLLOCK--I move amendment to Clause 3. sub-section I that after the word cash the words,
at paid
the time previously deposited be inserted. The section would read then Subject to the provi- sions of sub-section 2 of this section, ro person shall sell any intoxicating liquor for consumption on or at any licensed premises except for cash paid at the time or previously deposited." I do not think this affects the principle of the Bill in any way and it would enable us to have the deposit system.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR-I have seen that system in force in Canada and I think it leads to the most deplorable results. Men from the lumber camps-as fine men country-who as you could see in any obtain 48 hours' leave every few weeks walk down to the inn not far from their camp and put down their wages and remain there until they have drunk all I think it is a bad the money away. system,
a
HON. MR. POLLOCK-It may be very bad system in Canada. We have all heard the stories of the miners who put down their nuggets of gold in the bar on the same principle. The conditions, how- ever, are different here.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR-You base your arguments upon the experience of the two best hotels in the place, but if you gel the members of a ship's crew into one of the bars under that system of deposit some are likely to take all the money they have in their pockets and place it on deposit and remain until it has been drunk.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY-In the case of a well-known resident it will always be possible to get money at the office of the hotel.
HON. MR. POLLOCK-Will that be allowed under the Bill?
THE COLONIAL should think so.
SECRETARY. I
The motion was not pressed and Clause without were passed
Council then went into Committee to 3 and Clause 4 consider the Bill clause by clause.
amendment.
J1
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL-In order to make Clause 5 quite clear I move that the words "to the knowledge of such person be inserted so that the clause shall read Every person to whom any liquors is, to the knowledge of such person, supplied in contravention of this Ordinance shall also be guilty of an offence against this Ordinance."
H.E. THE GOVERNOR Does that meet your objection. Mr. Pollock?
HON. MR. POLLOCK Yes.
The amendment was agreed to. The other clauses of the Bill were passed without amendment, and on Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading of the Bill as amended.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the Bill was read third time, and passed.
1
Deportation Ordinance, 1917
106
and no wider than under the old law of banishment before the Deportation Ordin- ance was passed. Under the old Banish- ment Ordinance the Supreme Court hold that the power of the Governor-in-Council and (e) clause 4 (14) power is given to was absolute. Under paragraphs (a), (b) banish any person, no matter what his nationality, who is guilty of the mal- practices referred to
those para- graphs. The only other provision to which I need refer is the one relating to finger-prints, which states that in any proceedings under this Ordinance shall, until the contrary is shown. be assumed that the finger-prints on any deportation order which has been pro whom the order was made. duced are those of the person against
',
it
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the Bill was read a second time.
The Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Council
The Bill passed through Committee without amendment, and, on resuming.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL that the Bill be read a third time.
moved
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
followed that of the Legislative Council A meeting of the Finance Committee
on Thursday, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding:-
St. Joseph's College
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the lag relating to the deportation of undesirable persons, He said there are three tables annexed to the · Objects and Reasons. One gives the correspondence between the clauses of the Deportation Bill, 1917, and the sections of the Deporta tion Ordinances, 1914-1915. The second table gives the provisions in the Deporta tion Bill, 1917. Which are new. The third table gives the provisions in the former Ordinances which are omitted in the Bill. I think these tables obviate the necessity of my going very much into detail and I will only draw attention to the principal changes which the Bill proposes to effect. The Bill as a whole is a consolidating Bill, and anyone who has had to work with the existing Ordinances will have no doubt as to the desirability of consolida-rants, Building Grant for St. Joseph's tion. There are four Ordinances at pre- sent, and the provisions are very com- plicated and it will be very convenient to have these provisions all in one Ordinance. One principal class of the new provisions deals with the nature of the discretion of the Governor-in-Council. These provi- sions are contained in sub-clauses 1 and 2 Of Clause 4 and in Clause 13. The disore- tion given is, of course, very wide, but nọ wider than under the present existing law
The Governor recommended the Council hundred and fifty dollars in aid of the to vote ર sum of one thousand seven
vote Education, Special Expenditure.
College.
THE CHAIRMAN The Secretary of State has approved of the building grant from $2,500 to $6,000. The sum of $2,500 to St. Joseph's College being increased has been paid and the additional 83,500 will be paid, half this year and half next year. The vote is required for this year's payment.
The vote was agreed to.
81