Mr Rowett said it was a false economy to attempt to repair the Court House, which was rotten.
H. E. said it would last for many years yet, with the $4,000 to be spent on it, as it had been surveyed.
Mr Rowett was glad that trees had been provided for; they improved climate, health, and made life more pleasurable altogether. The Albany Road he objected to, as there was no necessity for it: it would not be reproductive, as people were not likely to take sites up the Hill, when so many were vacant on the West Road. There was, however, no serious fault in the estimates. If the Special Fund were to collapse, it would be difficult to replace it.
The Colonial Secretary assured the hon. member that the land revenue had been under-estimated. The remarks as to expenditure were not called for here at all.
H. E. remarked on the forbearance extended to the Kowloon lot-holders, and said no one would have pressed them under the present circumstances: he had estimated nothing for the sale of land.
As for the Albany Road, he had several offers already for sites there: it was different from the Western Road, and was in the centre of the town. Besides, they were badly off for an exit to the east, in more than one point of view. It was impolitic to have only one way down the Hill to the Praya to the Eastward, in a military point of view, and as protection from fire, or an attacking enemy. He never heard of a town of 100,000 with only one mode of escape to the eastward, while on one side was the sea and the other side the mountain. As a matter of policy, he would regret if it were excised the fourth time.
Regarding the Special Fund, members had evidently fallen into a mistake: they had not sufficiently allowed for the novelty when they called it money raised in the Colony, and therefore money to be used by the Colony. He was bound to put all money in the chest, but he had been ordered to let it remain there. H.M. Government, as Mr Taylor and he himself had disliked money received from that source; but it had to be received pending the decision of the Queen's Government, who were now waiting to see how the experiment succeeded.
He was glad that the general opinion was favourable as to the working of the experiment. In his financial statement, he had explained the expenditure of the great bulk of the Fund already laid out; and when he spoke of a Hospital, etc., they could see it had been expended in accordance with votes of Council.
His Excellency then referred to the Police. Of course, as time passed on, the picking of policemen would proceed, and the picked men would remain. He did not see how the duty could be done by fewer men; and he could hold out no hopes that, so long as the neighbouring Chinese remained as they now were, he could maintain the security to life and property as it ought to be maintained with a smaller force.
Though they got considerable help from the Special Fund, yet he saw no reason why they should not have an equally good police force after it was withdrawn than though it had never begun. It would be a much better system for the Home Government to say "Do what you please with the money" but there was an over-sensitiveness and over touchiness here and at home touching this matter.
Eventually it would be left to them, probably in the same way as other sums are dealt with; but the Government is not likely to consent to the money being used for any other purpose than the suppression of crime and for advancing Chinese interests. He would be sorry to see it become part of the general revenue, and he hoped that principle would be maintained.
He would much rather that the Council had the Fund under charge; but it was a novel piece of legislation entirely, and it was long before a precedent was created and established in such matters. He had a strong moral desire that the money should not be mixed up with the revenue.
As for the much-abused Sikhs, he did not share in the views expressed; they were the noblest of all the Eastern nations; though he admitted the drawback of their want of knowledge of English or Chinese, he was establishing schools for them, and they had expressed an eager desire to avail themselves of that advantage; progress in which would ensure increase of pay. The schools would be opened, with competent teachers, next week.
They might abuse the Sikhs as they may, but if the time came of disturbance, they would find that none would be more loyal than the men who stood so well to their guns against the British troops in India. True, that was not the leading quality for which to select police; but it ought not to be entirely overlooked.
It had been asked how many Government vessels there were to be; there was the launch for the East and the Victoria for the West. It might suit witty people to call the latter the Governor's yacht, and furnish pleasant material for much penny-a-lining; but this would not prevent her from being of great public use. She had kept our coast clear of many who would have committed illegal acts: he was sorry he had benefited much lately from cruises in her; but we would miss her. The steam launch had been of great service, and had been used almost daily. The cessation of the Special Fund would be a serious inconvenience in that way.
Mr Keswick observed that, if there was any likelihood of that occurring, it would be a loss to the Colony, inasmuch as they would have to keep them up out of the ordinary revenue. They ought to improve the drainage in the Chinese town rather than build such vessels. A Chinese Hospital was a worthy object, but the Supreme Court, too, he presumed, was occasionally visited by Chinese (a laugh).
The Colonial Secretary remarked that, regarding the opium monopoly, the non-official members should endeavour to obtain what information they could regarding it. The papers said there was half a million which the Government lost by the opium farm. There could be nothing done now for twelve months; but next year it ought to be reconsidered.
Mr Taylor was understood to suggest that the Special Fund might be used for the Military Contribution.
H. E. hoped the Military Contribution item would remain as it was at present. There was no one who had the welfare of the Colony more at heart than he had; and all he would do was to advise them to leave it as it was.
It was, in proportion to the income, much less than other Colonies paid.
The Colonial Secretary thought it would be better not to stir up the controversy.
H. E. observed that Mr Taylor was alone; would he put it to the vote?
Mr Taylor said that he would not; he would state his reasons in writing for protesting against that portion of the estimates.
H. E. did not see the use of keeping it up in that way. Let them try next year.
Mr Rowett said that he was entirely with Mr Taylor; and had he the slightest hope that they would get rid of the Military Contribution, he would join him at once. But he did not believe they would ever be relieved of it.
Mr Taylor therefore withdrew his protest for the present; and the ordinance, having been read a second time, passed, and was numbered 12 of 1869.
The Council adjourned about 5 p.m., sine die.
Page 394
Mr Rowett said it was a false economy to attempt to r pair the Court House, which
was rotten.
H. E. said it would last for many years yet, with the $4,000 to be spent on it. had been surveyed.
It
Mr Rowett was glad that trees had been provided for; they improved climate, health, and made life more pleasurable altogether. The Albany Road he objected to, as there was no necessity for it: it would not be reproductive, as people were not likely to take sites up the Hill," when so many were vacant on the West Road. There was, however, no serious fault in the estimates. If the Special Fund were to collapse, it would be difficult to replace it.
The Colonial Secretary assured the hon. member that the land revenue had been under-estimated. The remarks as to ex- penditure were not called for here at all.
H. E. remarked on the forbearance ex- tended to the Kowloong lot-holders, and said no one would have pressed them under the present circumstances: he had esti- mated nothing for the sale of land.
As for the Albany Road, he had several offers already for sitos there: it was different from the Western Road, and was in the centre of the town. Besides they were badly off for an exit to the east, in more than one point of view. It was impolitic to have only one way down the Hill to the Praya to the Eastward, in a military point of view, and as protection from fire, or au attacking enemy. He never heard of a town of 100,000 with only one mode of escape to the eastward, while on one side was the sea and the other side the moun- tain. As a matter of policy, he would regret if it were excised the fourth time. Regarding the Special Fund, members had evidently fallen into a mistake: they had not sufficiently allowed for the novelty when they called it money raised in the Colony, and therefore money to be used by the Colony. He was bound to put all money in the chest, but he had been ordered to let it remain there. H.M. Gov- ernment as Mr Taylor and he himself had -disliked money received from that source; but it had to be received pending the deci sion of the Queen's Government, who were now waiting to see how the experiment succeeded. He was glad that the general opinion was favorable as to the working of the experiment. In his financial state- ment, he had explained the expenditure of the great bulk of the Fund already laid out; and when he spoke of an Hospital, dtc., they could see it had been expended in accordance with votes of Council. His Excelleney then referred to the Police. Of course, as time passed ou, the picking of policemen would proceed, and the picked men would remain. He did not see how the duty could be done by fewer men; and be cou'd hold out no hopes that, so long as the neighboring Chinese remained as they now were, that be could maintain the security to life and property as it ought to be maintained with a sinaller force. Though they got considerable help from the Special Fund, yet he saw no reason why they should not have an equally good police force after it is withdrawn than thongh it had never began. It would be a much better system for the Home Govern- ment to say "Do what you please with the money" but there was an over-sensitive- ness and over touchiness hare and at home touching this matter. Eventually it would be left to them, probably in the same war as other sums are dealt with ; but the Govern- ment is not likely to consent to the money being used for any other purpose than the suppression of crime and for advancing Chinese interests. He would be sorry to see it become part of the general revenue, and he hoped that principle would be main- tained He would much rather that the
He
394
Council had the Fund under charge; but it was a novel piece of legislation entirely, and it was long before a precedent was creat- ed and established in such matters. He had a strong moral desire that the money should not be mixed up with the revenge. As for the much-abused Sikhs, he did not share in the views expressed they were the noblest of all the Eastern nations; though he admitted the drawback of their want of knowledge of English or Chinese, was establishing schools for them, and they had expressed an eager desire to avail themselves of that advantage; pro- gress in which would ensure increase of pay. The schools would be opened, with competent teachers, next week. They might abuse the Sikhs as they may, but if the time came of disturbance, they would find that none would be more loyal than the men who stood so well to their guns against the British troops in India. True, that was not the leading quality for which to select police; but it ought not to be en- tirely overlooked. It had been asked how many Government vessels there were to be; there was the launch for the East and the Victoria for the West. It might suit witty people to call the latter the Governor's yacht, and furnish pleasant material for much penny-a-lining; but this would not prevent her from being of great public use. She had kept our coast clear of many who would have committed illegal acts: he was sorry he had benefitted much lately from cruises in her; but we would miss her. The steam lauch had been of great service, and had been used almost daily. The cessation of the Special Fund would be a serious inconvenience in that way.
Mr Keswick observed that, if there was any likelihood of that occurring, it would be a loss to the Colony, inasmuch as they would have to keep them up out of the or dinary revenue. They ought to improve the drainage in the Chinese town rather than build such vessels. A Chinese Hospital was a worthy object, but the Supreme Court, too, be presumed, was occasionally visited by Chineso (a laugh),
The Colonial Secretary remarked that, regarding the opium monopoly, the non- official members should endeavour to ob- tain what information they could regarding it. The papers said there was half a milliou which the Government lost by the opium farm. There could be nothing dous now for twelve months; but uext year it ought to be reconsidered.
Mr Taylor was understood to suggest that the Special Fund might be used for the Military Contribution.
H. E. hoped the Military Contribution item would remain as it was at present. There was no ous who had the welfare of the Colony more at heart than he had; and all he would do was to advise them to leave it as it was.
It was, in proportion to the income, much less than other Colonies paid.
The Colonial Secretary thought it would be better not to stir up the controversy.
H. E. observed that Mr Taylor was alone; would be put it to the vote?
Mr Taylor said that he would not; he would state his reasons in writing for pro- testing against that portion of the esti
mates.
H. E. did not see the use of keeping it up in that way. Let them try next year.
Mr Rowett said that he was entirely with Mr Taylor; and had he the slightest hope that they would get rid of the Military Contribution, he would join him at once, But he did not believe they would ever be relieved of it.
Mr Taylor therefore withdrew his pro- test for the present; and the ordinance, having been read a second time, passed, and was numbered 12 of 1869,
die.
The Council adjourned about 5 p.m., sine
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