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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
And whereas such objections have been duly considered.
It is hereby resolved by the Council that the above mentioned site and the erection therent of a Public Latrine and Urinals be and the satue are hereby ap proved.
gratuitous towage service to sampans and other craft in dificulties whenever the black signals are hoisted during a Hood tide ?
A The question will be referred to the Chamber of Commerce. It has been con- sidered on former occasions in connec- tion with the loss of life in typhoons. Iaunch owners will not as a rule risk their vessels at sea in typhoon weather unless with the prospect of substantial remuneration; and it is hardly practic able to resort to any form of compulsion as the longer a launch is out of shelter, the greater is the risk to itself, and the more difficult it finds it eventually to enter the typhoon shelter which has in the meantime been rapidly filling up. The powerful tugs are owned by concerns having under their charge valuable pro- perty for the protection of which the tugs are necessary in typhoon weather.
Q-Dues the Observatory take into consideration the state of the tide in calculating the period of warning they give in the case of approaching typhoons? If not will they give longer warning on a flood tide than on an ebb tide?
He said: It will be seen that the notice for the erection of a public latrine in Duddell Street has been duly gazetted, and that certain owners and decupiers of property in the vicinity have objected. The objectors are the owner of the lot on which the Carlton Hotel stands and Messrs. W.G. Hum- phreys & Co. The objections raised can hardly be taken seriously in view of the fact that the Director of Public Works reports that a bucket latrine in the open lane at the rear of the Carlton Hotel, which is apparently used by the coolies working in this vicinity, is one of the principal reasons for the construction of the proposed water flushed closet and urinal. This existing latrine abuts directly on the main wall of the hotel. It is extremely primitive in construction and usually very offensive. Many more hotel windows open over it than would be the case as regards the proposed conveni-
A.--The Observatory does not take into ence which would, moreover, be furtheraway from the hotel than the existing one and
account the state of the tide in decid- As ing when to hoist storm signals. at least 20 feet below the level of the explained in the Local Storm Signal ground floor of the hotel. Considering Code the Observatory endeavours to give the case of Messrs. Humphreys' premises, 24 hours (or two tides) notice of a pos- the intention of the Government is to sible gale. As soon as it becomes toler- do away with the very insanitary condiably certain that a gale will occur a black tions which prevail in the network of signal (or its equivalent signal at night) small alleyways which lie on the west side is hoisted. of Duddell Street. The objections made were referred back to the Sanitary Board. They have considered the matter and have replied that they adhere to their previous decision. I now beg to move the resolution standing in my name. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL - leg to second it.
The rezolution was carried.
Questions and Answers Hos. Mr. C. G. ALABASTER asked the following questions, the answer in each case being read by the Colonial Secretry. Q-In order to lessen the loss of life in typhoons and to obviate as far as possible the exploitation of poor aampan people by excessive launch towage charges, will the Government arrange with the owners of powerful tugs and launches to render
Q. When will telephonic communica- tiun with Cheung Chau be restored (
A. It is hoped to restore telephonic communication with Cheung Chau be- fore the end of this week, provided that the weather conditions will permit. The fault has been located and is in the cable lent by the Military Authorities, about 500 yards from the shore of the main- land side of the crossing to Lantao. This cable is an old one. The permanent cable which is on order has not yet been delivered. Until this new cable in leid telephonic communication will be liable to interruption.
Q-Can the Government give any in- formation with reference to the suggested establishment of a Chinese Government aerodrome in Hongkong, mentioned in the North-China Daily News of the 19th. August and the Hongkong Daily Press of the 25th. August?
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
A. The Government has no informa tion regarding this. Any aerodrome which may be established in Hongkong will presumably be controlled either by His Majesty's "Government or by this Government.
The Indictments Ordinance, 1919 THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, An Urainance to amead the Law relating to Indict- ments in Criminal Cases, and matters incidental or similar thereto.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the Bill was read a first time.
The Objects and Reasons state: -
1. The object of this Bill is to intro- duce into the Colony, with the necessary modifications, the provisions of the Eng- list Act of 1915. 5 and 6 Geo. V., c. 90. with the object of simplifying indictments and the rules relating to the forms thereof.
2. It has not been thought necessary to enact here the provisions of section & of the Home Act as to the costs of defective or redundant indictments; nor the provisions of section 7 as we have not adopted in this Colony the Vexatious Indictments Acts.
3. Rules and 2 of the First Schedule have not been adopted as we have no Grand Jury in this Colony and it seemed unnecessary to adopt rule 3 as it is prac tically enacted in the body of the Bill by clause 5.
4. Rule 19 has not been adopted as we have no Ordinance corresponding with the Children's Act, 1908, in force in this Colony.
5.-Rule 13 seems unnecessary as it has always been the practice to serve a copy of the indictment on the accused.
6. With regard to the Appendix to the Rules, it has been found necessary to lter the numbers of the sections in the headings in accordance with our local LAWS.
17. In regard to the Second Schedule any of the Acts in the Second Schedule to the Indictments Act, 1915, are not aly inapplicable to this Colony, but have no corresponding provisions to them
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enacted here, and consequently it has been found possible to make the Second Schedule to the local Ordinance much shorter than the Second Schedule to the Home Art.
Rice Ordinance, 1919
first reading of a Bill intituled, An Ordinance THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the
by the Hongkong Government, and vali for the acquisition and disposal of rice dating acts previously done. In doing so, be said: The purpose of this Bill is to make provision in as simple a man- ner as possible for the efficient working of the Government's scheme of rice sales. Certain acts, which have already been done under powers conferred by Order in Council, are validated and specific authority is given to the Governor to use the powers given by the Order "whether in time of peace or in time of war," to specific purpose of rice requisition. The use the words of the Ordinance, for this Government has no control over sources of supply except as regards rice grown in the New Territories. Under Section
6 of this Ordinance the export of rice from the Northern District of the New licence, and prices have been fixed which Territories is prohibited except under taining in Hongkong, but, at the same are substantially below the prices ob- time, sufficiently above the prices ruling over the border to check any inclination
smuggle into China. Smuggling into Hongkong we can prevent, and public opinion in the New Territories is acting as a very useful deterrent. It is not the Southern district as the amount of proposed to legislate for the islands in rice grown there is insignificant and it is hardly practicable adequately to super- Fise the movement of rice from one small island to the other. It is the intention of the Government that the New Terri- tories shall be self-supporting; it is hoped with the vear's there will be a surplus and it is the Gor- good harvest ernment's intention to purchase any such kong. The Government has already, out surplus and to use it for sale in Hong- of the very excellent first crop this sea- son, bought 7,500 picula. ment has been blamed because it has not The Goveru- prohibited the export of rice generally thing over one million tons were import- from the Colony. In the year 1918, some- ed into Hongkong and nearly this quan- tity exported. It requires some effort of the imagination to understand what these figures mean to the Port-the number of