// Detailed Stimate of
Reservoir at Pokeforhum.
2 /. Detailed Colimate of cars
Carriage road from Upper Rood to Sup above Race Course
I The Survey of the line of Road being yet incomplete
as
20
detailed estimate has been attempted - the transmission
of this enclosure is therefore delayed.
A monsoni
PG. 18.10.69
Enclosure 8.10 in Governor Sir Richard Graves Macdonnell's Despatch No 807 of 18 October,
Jsh.
++
THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, OCT. 1, 1869.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met at 2 o'clock. Present H. E. the Governor, Hon. Colonial Secretary, Hon. Acting Chief Justice, Hon. Colonial Treasurer, Hon. Messrs. Keswick, Gibb, Taylor and Rowett.
The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.
H. E. said that, before proceeding to the other business, he would lay on the table some important returns, as he thought all important returns should be laid on the table for the information of members of Council. The first (relating to piracy) had been prepared for the Home Government; and it was a remarkable document when it was remembered that it comprised piracies which were really reported in Hongkong. In view of the suppression of piracy and the legislation for that purpose,
it was instructive and interesting to see what had been going on. These returns would be forwarded to Her Majesty's Government, and each member could examine them for himself. Altogether he considered that it was exceedingly satisfactory, when it was considered that formerly the reports of piracy were all sent to one office; as Mr Deane put it, the reports having been sent, prior to the year 1867, to offices of the Harbor Master and Registrar General as well as the Magistracy, the return showed probably only half the real number of piracies reported in the Colony previous to that date." The totals—from 34 reported in 1864, 50 in 1865, 25 in 1866, and 22 in 1867—had fallen to 14 in 1868, and to 5 for the nine months of this year Robbery in Chinese waters, which did not exactly mean what was generally conveyed in the word piracy, were never very numerous; and he was of opinion that the return was very satisfactory indeed. He regretted that not long since a foreign vessel had been attacked near Macao; but he was glad to say that the attacks upon foreign vessels were now very few and of rare occurrence. There was one important column, which showed (so far as could be hit upon) how many of the piracies had been planned in this Colony. He was of opinion that the character of the Colony had now been redeemed by the measures taken; and it could not be said that the measures put into operation were altogether barren of results.
Another return which he submitted to them was one showing the number of cases of larceny by servants for the last five years; and a more remarkable return was never laid on the table of any legislative assembly. It had been thought that the temptation to servants would be a serious drawback to the licensing of gambling; and a priori he was of the same opinion that this would really have been a very serious drawback to the measure of gambling licenses. On inquiry he found that such was not found to be the case at Macao, and he then thought that it also might not be so here. In the return the average for the quarter was given of cases reported at the Police Station as well as those convicted; and it was matter of certainty that the records of the Police Court were now very well kept, there were now no omissions, though there may have been formerly. The Council would note that the license system took effect on the 16th of September, 1867; and that before that date the average for the quarter in the years '65, '66, and '67, was respectively 86, 75, and 87. Immediately after the houses were licensed, the quarter presented 82 cases, as they had not then got the thing so well in hand as they afterward did; but then they subsequently improved, the four quarters of last year being 40, 21, 22, and 17. Then for this year, the figures shown were 16, 15 and 16—the lowest being 15; and it would appear that now the numbers had dropped down to the normal state in which larceny by servants always will remain independent of the existence of the gambling "license.
This was a very unlooked-for result, and showed that the risk of detection was so great—he had often imposed fines when it was found that servants had lost money—that very few would care to try their luck; although some servants would be tempted to indulge. He had no reason to complain of the inspection which he had instituted; he had arranged that an inspector should visit each of the gambling-houses twice a-month, so as to keep the licensees on the qui vive; and as they did not know when the inspector might drop in, this object was effected in this way. The inspectors were perfectly independent of the licensees, and certain, au fait, for the work they had to do.
Yet another document had been laid on the table: it was a memo. of Mr Deane's touching the remarks which were recently published relating to crime in Hongkong and Shanghai. He wished that members might make any remarks they thought proper on this subject. The Anglo-American Municipal Council of Shanghai was a body of which he desired to speak with every respect, because under very difficult circumstances it had maintained order and good government so as to have been frequently held up and quoted as a model to others. It was no reflection whatever upon that body but this memo. was simply a search
after truth. The result arrived at showed that the remarks formerly referred to were so based upon erroneous data, that, while in Hongkong serious crimes were in a ratio of 1 per cent., Shanghai showed a ratio of 1 per cent, to the population.
NEW BUILDING ORDINANCE.
The Governor then said that they had better resume where they had previously left off; and the most serious and the heaviest thing they had was the long Building Ordinance. In the absence of the Acting Attorney General (he was without an A. G., that officer seeming to have so much confidence in the Council as to believe that he could do without him), he would refer the bill to the Acting Chief Justice. It required a great deal of alteration and revision before it could pass professional muster as part of their legislation. A great deal had to be done to it; and it would be a question for members whether or not it would not be better to bring in a short ordinance, supplemental to the old ordinance, and embracing the chief points of improvement suggested by the new measure.
The Acting Chief Justice observed that it was with some diffidence he referred to matters of building; but the whole matter had been carefully looked into by the Council, and he was thereby partially relieved. He was of opinion that in matters touching the taste of the public, it would be a pity to interfere; and that supervision should not be extended beyond those things which were absolutely necessary for the safety of the public. Any idea that the Surveyor General would have the power of interfering as to details, would become intolerable. The Surveyor General had not that power by law, nor did he believe it had ever been or would be exerted; still a general feeling appeared to exist that more power was vested in him than was necessary. If there was one point more than another on which people would chafe and bear unpleasant feelings, it was any interference with taste in buildings. Some of the provisions of this ordinance had been taken from the other ordinance, some were taken from the Imperial Act, and others had been supplied from suggestions made. The bulk is from the old ordinance, and required great change; the members of the commission were not supposed to know, but in 1869 they might safely make many improvements upon the language used in the various sections, of what a nuisance meant, and how to proceed. They ought to do what they could, go through the Ordinance, and see what they should retain as necessary, and it would be very easy to frame those more in accordance with legal technical requirements; and then adjourn it. Or there was another alternative. The old ordinance had worked very fairly for the last 12 or 13 years; they might pass a
short ordinance of four or five sections with the improvements necessary and advisable.
// Detailed Stimate of
Reservoir at Pokeforhum.
2 /. Detailed Colimate of cars
Carriage road from Upper Rood to Sup above Race Course
I The Survey of the line of Road being yet incomplete
as
20
detailed estimate has been attempted - the transmissio
of this endlosure is therefore delayed.
A monsoni
PG. 18.10.69
Enclosure 8.10 in Governa Sir Richard Graves Macdonnell's Despatch Se 807 of 180 october,
Jsh.
++
THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, OCT. 1, 1869.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
The Council met at 2 o'clock. Present H. E. the Governor, Hon. Colonial Secre- tary, Hon. Acting Chief Justice, Hou. Colonial Treasurer, Hon. Messrs. Keswick, Gibb, Taylor and Rowett.
The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.
H. E. said that, before proceeding to the other business, he would lay on the table Bome important returns, as he thought all important returns should be laid on the table for the information of members of Council. The first (relating to piracy) had been prepared for the Home Government; and it was a remarkable document when it was remembered that it comprised piracies which were really reported in Hongkong. In view of the suppression of piracy and the legislation for that purpose,
it was instructive and interesting to see what had been going on. These returus would be forwarded to Her Majesty's Go vernment, and each member could examine them for himself. Altogether he considered that it was exceedingly satisfactory, when it was considered that formerly the reports of piracy were all sent to one office; as Mr Deane put it, the reports having been Beut, prior to the year 1867, to offices of the Harbor Mas er and Registrar General as well as the Magistracy, the return showed probably only half the real number of piracies reported in the Colony previous to that date." The totals-from 34 reported in 1864, 50 in 1865, 25 in 1866, and 22 in 1867-had fallen to 14 in 1868, and to 5 for the nine months of this year Robbery in Chinese waters, which did not exactly mean what was generally conveyed in the word piracy, were never very numerous ; and he was of opinion that the return was very sat- isfory indeed. He regretted that not long since a foreign vessel had been attacked near Macao; but he was glad to say that the attacks upon foreign vessels were now very few and of rare occurrence. There was one important column, which showed (so far as could be hit upon) how many of the piracies had been planned in this Co- lony. He was of opinion that the charac- ter of the Colony had now been redeemed by the measures taken; and it could not be said that the measures put into opera- tion were altogether barren of results.- Another return which he submitted to them was one showing the number of cases of larceny by servants for the last five years ; and a more remarkable return was never laid on the table of any legislative assom- bly. It had been thought that the tempta- tion to servants would be a serious draw. back to the licensing of gambling; and à priori he was of the same opinion that this would really have been a very serious drawback to the measure of gambling li censes. On inquiry he found that such was not found to be the case at Macao, and he then thought that it also might not In the return the prove to be so here. average for the quarter was given of cases reported at the Police Station as well as those convicted; and it was matter of certainty that the records of the Police Court were now very well kept, there were now no omissions, though there may have been formerly. The Council would note that the license system took effect on the 16th of September, 1867; and that before that date the average fo the quarter in the years '65, '66, and '67, was respectively 86, 75, and 87. Immediately after the houses were licensed, the quarter pre sented 82 cases, 18 they bad not then got the thing so well in hand as they afterward did; but then they subsequently improved, the four quarters of last year being 40, 21, 22, and 17. Then for this year, the figures shown were 16, 15 and 16-the lowest being 15; and it would appear that now the numbers had dropped down to the normal state in which larceny by servants always will remain independent of the existence of the gambling "license.
manatwad
did.
389
善
This was a very unlooked-for result, and showed that the risk of detection was so great--he had often imposed fines when it was found that servants had lost money→→ that very few would care to try their luck; although some servants would be tempted to indulge. He had no reason to complain of the inspection which he had instituted i he had arranged that an inspector should visit each of the gambling-houses twice a-month, so as to keep the licensees on the qui vive; and as they did not know when the inspector might drop in, this object was effected in this way. The inspectors were perfectly independent of the licensees, and ★ vartain, aum for the work ther Yet another document had been laid on the table: it was a memo. of Mr Deane's touching the remarks which were recently published relating to crime in Hongkong and Shanghai. He wished that members might make any remarks they thought proper on this subject. The Anglo-Ameri- can Municipal Council of Shanghai was a body of which he isired to speak with every respect, because under very difficult circumstances it had maintained order and good government as to have been frequently held up and quoted as a model to others. It was no reflection whatever upon that body but this memo. was simply a search
} after truth. The result arrived at showed that the remarks formerly referred to were so based upon erroneous data, that, while in Hongkong serious crimes wore in a ratio of 1 per cent.. Shanghai showed a ratio of 1 per cent, to the population.
NEW BUILDING ORDINANCE, The Governor then said that they had better resume where they had previously left off; and the most serious and the hea- vicst thing they had was the long Building Ordinance. In the absence of the Acting Attorney General (be was without an A. G., ¡ that officer seeming to have so much confi- dence in the Council as to believe that he could do without him), he would refer the bill to the Acting Chief Justice. It requir- ed a great deal of alteration and revision before it could pass professional muster as part of our legislation. A great deal had to be done to it; and it would be a question for members whether or not it would not be better to bring in a short ordinance, supplemental to the old ordinauce, and embracing the chief points of improvement suggested by the new measure.
The Acting Chief Justice observed that it was with some diffidence he referred to matters of building; but the whole matter bad been carefully looked into by the Coun- cil, and he was thereby partially relieved. He was of opinion that in matters touching the taste of the public, it would be a pity to interfere; and that supervision should not be extended beyond those things which were absolutely necessary for the safety of the public. Any idea that the Surveyor General would have the power of interfer- ing as to details, would become intolerable. The Surveyor General had not that power by law, nor did he believe it had ever been or would be exerted; still a general feel- ing appeared to exist that more power was yeated in him than was decessa- ry. If there was one point more than another on which people would chafe and bear unpleasant feelings, it was any inter- ference with taste in buildings. Some of the provisions of this ordinance had been taken from the other ordinance, some were taken from the Imperial Act, and others had been supplied from suggestions made. The bulk is from the old ordinance, and require great change the members of commission were not supposed to know, but in 1869 they might safely make many improvements upon the language used in the various sectious, of what a nuisance meant, and how to proceed. They ought to do what they could, go through the Ordinance, and see what they should retain as neces- sary, and it would be very easy to frame those more in accordance with legal teotni- cal requirements; and then adjourn it. Or there was another alternative. The old ordinance had worked very fairly for the last 12 or 13 years they might pass a
short ordinance of four or five sections with the improvements necessary and advis
1
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