CO129-151 - Lieut Governor Whitfield - 1871 [7-8] — Page 334

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE 331

COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.

No. 3 OE 1871.

THURSDAY, 30TH MARCH, 1871.

PRESENT:

His Excellency Major-General WITFEILD, Lieutenant-Governor.

The Honorable the Chief Justice (JOHN SMALE.)

The Honorable the Colonial Secretary (JoHN GARDINER AUSTIN.)

The Honorable the Attorney General (JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. )

The Honorable the Acting Colonial Treasurer (CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH.)

The Honorable HENRY JOHN BALL.

The Honorable PHINEAS RYKIE.

The Honorable RICHARD ROWETT.

The Honorable WILLIAM KESWICK,

ABSENT:

The Council meets this day at 11 A.M., pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the Sittings of Council held on the 27th instant, are read and confirmed.

The Council then resolves itself into a Committee, and resumes Consideration of the Bill relating to

the Court of Summary Jurisdiction.

The Honorable The Attorney General explains the remaining Clauses of the Bill, and the

same are discussed Clause by Clause and amended.

Clauses 45 and 46 are struck out, and some new Clauses substituted and added in various parts of the Bill.

The Honorable RICHARD ROWETT suggests that some Provision should be introduced into the Bill

for Trial by Jury in the Court of Summary Jurisdiction in certain cases.

Discussion follows.

The Attorney General states that if The Honorable The Chief Justice has no objection to the Power being conferred upon him of exercising Summary Jurisdiction under the Provisions of the Ordinance in cases over $500 and not exceeding $2,000, he is prepared with two new Clauses which would perhaps meet the views of the Council generally, by enabling Suitors to have cases within those limits decided much more rapidly and inexpensively than at present, and at the same time would empower Suitors in the Summary Jurisdiction Court to have any case tried summarily before The Chief Justice and a Jury, if the Chief Justice should think it a fitting case to be so tried.

The Bill as amended, and the two new Clauses suggested by the Attorney General are ordered to be

printed, and circulated among the Members of Council.

His Excellency adjourns the Council at 20 Minutes past 1 o'clock, till 3 P.M.

3 P.M. PRESENT:

His Excellency The Lieutenant-Governor and the same Honorable Members, who re-assemble pur-

suant to adjournment.

The Honorable The Colonial Secretary, by Command of His Excellency, brings to the notice of the Council certain Items of Expenditure requiring Legislative sanction; and the same being explained in detail and acquiesced in, the following Resolutions are agreed to; namely:-

(1.) Resolved that the following Sums be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for

1870-

For additional Quarters for the Gaol Staff,

For Docking and Repairing the Gunpowder Depôt Hulk,

For Stationery sent by the Crown Agents in 1869,

For Repairs to the Praya,

884.39

1,064.52

570.00

$10.54

(2.) Resolved that the following Sums be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for

1871:-

For Educational Contingencies,

250.00

For Incidental Expenses at Lock Hospital,

360.00

For Building Police Boats,

$00.00

For Construction of a New Roof at Government House,

10,000.00

For Small Pox Ward at Stone Cutter's Island,

1,100.00

For Repairs at Central Market,

1,600.00

For Additions to the Crown Solicitor's Office,

750.00

For Reimbursement to the Mess and Secret Service Funds of the Police

Department,

432.70

For Construction of New Police Station at Showkowan,

12,200.00

For Construction of Police Station at Causeway Bay,

5,950.00