PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
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C.O. 882
Minutes of Legislative Council.
Bridence, 1850. 3345, 3358,
3142.
3521.
4172.
3522, 3234.
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the alterations he suggests to be made (it is not said what they were), "which are adopted by the Coun- cil,” and ordered to be printed and circulated.
On the 10th April the Bill was read a second time; and afterwards in Committee it was extended to the whole island.
The dissent of Mr. Wodehouse does not appear upon the minutes of the Executive Council; but the very unusual circumstance that an ordinance of a very simple character, and consisting of a few sections only, was brought four times before the Council, one draft on the 22nd October, 1847, and a second draft not until the 20th January, 1848, and that it was then twice or thrice amended, would argue that the subject excited much discus- sion, and probably some dissent. The absence of any specific entry of dissent upon the minutes is nothing; there is hardly such a thing to be found upon the minutes during the whole period through which this inquiry ranges. A dissentient member had undoubtedly the right of recording his dissent; but it was not the practice to exercise this right; and his dissent, unless he so recorded it, would be unnoticed by the minutes. It is admitted that Mr. Wodehouse dissented from the shop ordinance; yet the minutes exhibit no trace of this. Again, Sir E. Tennent says that he "was most distinctly and emphatically opposed" to the repeal of the shop- tax; that he was also opposed to the repeal of the dog-tax, and the amendment of the fire-arms ordi- nance; that Major-General Smelt also was opposed to the repeal of these ordinances; that the repeal was matter of discussion in the Executive Council. Yet neither Sir E. Tennent nor Major-General Smelt recorded their disapproval of this change of policy, and nothing appears on the minutes of Council to indicate that the subject excited the least discussion, or even that it received a moment's consideration. The subject is mentioned but once on the minutes. On the 6th November, the
very day on which Mr. Wodehouse suggested the repeal, the Governor, in the Executive Council,
Proposes that the taxes on dogs and bontigues be alto- gether abandoned; and that the licensing of guna be so far modified, that it shall not be necessary to renew the licence every year; but that all owners of guns who have not already registered them, shall be required to do so on payment of the 2s. 6d. for the single registration and licence.
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to persons named by him to destroy all dogs not being "led or carried"
Which should be found in any thoroughfare or public place within this colony, or within any part of it to which the Governor shall think proper to limit the extension of such order.
Ordinance No. 17 of 1844 authorized the Go-
vernor
As occasion may require, to establish a police force within such townsand lim its as to him shall appear to require the same.
On the 22nd October, 1847, there is the entry on the minutes of the Executive Council.
Ceylon Ordinances.
Read
Minutes of Executive Council.
draft ordinances on the following subjects :-
1.To make further provisions for the abatement of the nuisance occasioned by dogs.
The draft is not set out, and there are no means of ascertaining whether it omitted to continue the
existing power of destroying dogs.
The next entry is on the 20th January, 1848. The Acting Queen's Advocate (Mr. Selby) lays before Council the following drafts of proposed ordinances:
2. To require the owners of dogs in certain places to take out licences for the same.
On the 31st January, 1848, the ordinance was read a first time in the Legislative Council.
This draft applied only to towns and places in which a police force had been or should be esta- blished, and to that extent repealed the existing dog ordinance. It gave the power of destroying dogs, if they had no owners, or were unlicensed; and it must be understood from Mr. Wodehouse's answer (1850) 4576, that this power had been omitted in the first draft, and was introduced in the second, at his sug- gestion, in the Executive Council. But even the second draft did not continue in its full extent the old
of destroying dogs; for under this draft a power dog, although not "led or carried," might, if licensed, wander in safety about thoroughfares or public places. The clause repealing the old ordi- nance was struck out in Committee, so that the old power of destroying dogs was restored.
On the 3rd April, the minutes of Executive Council state that the Bill is
Considered, and as amended by the Queen's Advocate, ordered for publication, &c.
On the 5th April, the Acting Queen's Advocate (Mr. Selby) brings before the Executive Council
Minutes of Legislative Council.
Minutes of Executive Council.
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