CO129-189 - Governor Hennessy - 1880 [7-9] — Page 488

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to know what materials, what surmises, what facts there were before the Committee which ind Their appeal was generously responded to.

Some became annual subscribers, while others con- them to come to the decision that it was desirable to have such a rule as this to prevent a comated themselves in making a donation. This money was raised from all classes of the community. between the lower strata of Chinese and Europeans. When those grounds bring them into collit from all nationalities, and a good deal was subscribed by Chinese. with the Governor, and certainly with the clearly enunciated opinion of the Secretary of State, th are bound, I don't say according to law, but as men of common sense appealing to men of comm sense, they are bound to put forward some substantial materials which warrant them in

coming their conclusion, and which render it necessary to insist on it, in spite of considerations which put to them, as in the nature of good faith, and notwithstanding that it is represented to them th it brings them into conflict with the principle that all Her Majesty's subjects should be treated, an equal footing, and that it brings them clearly into conflict with the very modest proposal me

The building has, therefore, it may be said, passed out of the narrow limits of its original sub- ribers, to whom the Colony is very much indebted for its philanthropic inception, and is now and

been for some time supported by general subscription.

The City Hall is a more Public Institution at the present day than it ever was.

by the Secretary of State, a proposal which says, if it be proved expedient let it go, but give it a trDONNELL ever intended them to be, I can assure them that Chinese have made the complaint to

for six months. Well, it must have been a strong necessity, of which we are entitled to ask son evidence, which would bring the Committee into conflict with all these considerations, and lead the to refuse, as they have done positively, to reopen the question at all, as suggested by the Secretary State. It is patent, under these circunstances, they have put themselves in one respect in the on

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Now as to the allegation of the Committee that the Library and Museum are as free as Sir RICHARD when I have asked them if they have seen the latest novelty added to the Museum, that they have been able to get in. I have added, "It is a free exhibition," to which has been made the reply, as not open for the admission of Chinese when I happened to be there." There are many Chi- inst them, they naturally consider it a hardship that they cannot obtain admission on the only portunity which they may be able to obtain for the next six months. The same may be said of mplaint is heard

these restrictive and exclusive regulations was that the Chinese in the Colony, ere unaware that this was a public Institution. I hold that in making regulations which at times

For that letter some more respectful attention than they seem to have bestowed upon it would base who only get an occasional holiday, and if when they go to the City Hall they find it closed

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been becoming in any body of citizens in the Colony. But be that as it may, I merely wish to a to be clearly open to the Committee with regard to the position they should take

up. Unless the have some substantial reason for insisting on these rules because expediency requires it, I sho

few humble suggestions to those of my honourable friend Mr. RYRIE as to the course that appeuropeans when they come on shore and find the place only open for Chinese. The reason so little

suggest, on principle alone, and having regard to the suggestion of the Secretary of State, that the dude Europeaus and at others exclude Chinese from the Library and Museum, the Committee

might re-open the question and deal with the subject again. I only wish to add with regard to th opinions I have expressed about this matter, that it does appear to me that the principle that th Chinese and European subjects of the Queen should be treated without distinction is one which it why ill become this Government to abandon by associating itself, as it would by continuing the grant, with the only body administering public monies in the Colony which continues this distinction.

the City Hall have violated the terms on which they received the grant for those Institutions, not

on behalf of the Chinese but also on behalf of Europeans.

Honourable W. KESWICK-I was only going to remark, a short time ago, that when the Museum as first started and became of any interest at all, very few Chinese came to it, and it was not until The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER (Honourable M. S. TONNOCHY).--Your Excellency, I entire DEA is and myself had devoted a great deal of time and attention to the creation of that Museum, concur in the remarks of the Honourable the Attorney General, who has expressed himself in a that it was made attractive enough to the Chinese to induce them to come in mumbers. In order to We had them at meetings, we did clear and moderate manner. I have myself taken a great interest in the City Hall, and, whenever meet the Chinese views in every way, we consulted the Chinese. have been so requested, have been glad to assist the purposes of the Institution with a small donation our utmost to induce them to take an interest, to subscribe, to write to their friends in the country to Consequently I have felt somewhat interested in the controversy which has taken place between the apply articles of interest.

We also wrote home. There was a pamphlet published and sent to manu- Government and the gentlemen who represent the Committee, but I had not been able to get much ers and others to see if we could get donations for the Museum, and of the Chinese the principal insight into the points of disagreement until I read the pamphlet which has been spoken of to-day then in the Colony were invited to meet the Committee, and some did meet the Committee, with d and with a copy of which I was doubtless favoured in consequence of my occasional donation. Where to frame rules which would meet the views of the Chinese and at the same time preserve order and I had read through that pamphlet I was asked by a friend what I considered the rights of the case gularity. As to any class or race distinction being intended, it was the most distant possible thought I naturally inquired if that pamphlet contained all the documents by the light of which the Counity who took an interest in the Museum and spent money and a great deal of time in making were supposed to come to a decision. On the one hand, I was told these were all the documents Museum useful to the community, and I regret exceedingly that Your Excellency has introduced submitted to the Committee, and on the other, that some had been omitted.

ace feeling into the matter. It is not fair to do so, and it lessens the value of the institution. The Under such circumstances I declined to give an opinion until I was able to have the whole case before mubers of Chinese are so large that unless there were some regulation there would be difficulty in My honourable friend on the left (Mr. No me, an opportunity which I expected would most probably occur at this Meeting of Council. I can now Chinese and Europeans being accommodated together. sure Your Excellency, as a member of this Council, that after the statement which Your Excellency haUBOY) alluded to the roads and Public Gardens and other places. We know that in these places there just made, and after listening to the reading of the documents which have been laid before the Council, and abundance of room, but it is hardly so in the Museum. At one time it was so full we had to take which I understand were in the hands of the City Hall Commitee, I am of opinion that no sensible rout in the verandah, and even now the place is very small, but it is a mistake to suppose there was any could have come to any other decision than that at which Your Excellency has arrived. I was in the feeling of race animating the Committee. It was purely a matter of order, to make the institution as Colony when the grant of the ground on which the City Hall stands was first made by Sir RICHARD useful as possible to all. No other feeling than the public good could have prompted the Committee, MACDONNELL for the purposes of a Public Hall, and although I was not then in a position to take an

and by casting aspersions on the members of the Committee His Excellency fails to vindicate the active part in the arrangements for the erection of the Building, I well remember the great stress which policy he has pursued towards the City Hall. the Governor laid on the public nature of the grant.

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I think the Committee are much to be blamed for not accepting the very reasonable compromito-day, the grant may yet be given for the Museum, because I have very little doubt the weighty

offered by the Secretary of State and coincided in by Your Excellency, namely, to throw the Library and Museum open to all nationalities, as an experiment, for a space of six months.

The reason the Committee have offered for not accepting that suggestion is a most absurd one, and cannot for one moment be sustained, namely, that they fear that the indiscriminate opening of the Library and Museum to all classes will probably give rise to a collision between the lower classes of Chinese and the lower classes of Europeans. My experience of the lower class of Chinese is that they are better behaved as sight-seers than the lower class of almost any other nation, and the lower class of Europeans who frequent this Colony are not to be complained of in that respect save when they are, as we sometimes unfortunately see them, under the influence of drink.

But if the Committee carry out their own regulations thoroughly no collision need occur, for in that case drunken and disorderly persons would not be allowed admission into the building, which is only intended for "decently dressed and properly behaved" persons.

Your Excellency, when the City Hall was first projected, the subscriptions towards its erection were limited to a comparatively few persons, but in course of time, when it was discovered that the building was no longer self-supporting and the Committee found themselves in want of funds for its maintenance, they sent round the hat and collected subscriptions from the general public.

and

HIS EXCELLENCY-I think it very likely, gentlemen, after the full and satisfactory discussion of remarks that fell from the trustee, my honourable friend Mr. RYRIE, and especially when he said, "They should have the one notice for Library and Museum, namely, that they should be "without payment to all decent and well behaved persons of every nationality without distinction," will be the opinion of all reasonable men interested in the City Hall.

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