C O.
18598
RECO
REC 24 CT 81
363
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, JANUARY 20TH, 1879.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on Saturday afternoon. There were present:—
His Excellency the GOVERNOR.
The Chief Justice, Hon. Sir JOHN SMALE.
The Acting Colonial Secretary, Hon. C. MAY.
The Acting Colonial Treasurer, Hon. M. TONNOCHY.
Hon. P. RYRIE.
Hon. H. LOWCOCK.
Hon. W. KESWICK.
Hon. J. M. PRICE, Surveyor General.
SALE OF THE OPIUM FARM.
His EXCELLENCY--Gentlemen, in thanking you for passing that Ordinance so speedily today I may now mention to you, which is very satisfactory to us, that I have sold the opium farm for the sum of $205,000 per annum for the next three years. I think it my duty in mentioning this to say that the credit of it is due very much to the information I obtained soon after my arrival here from the report of the Commission that was composed of my friends Mr. May and Mr. Ryrie. Those two gentlemen paid great attention to the opium farm in this colony and they expressed the opinion that the farm was undersold and ought to be sold at a considerable increase in price. At that time it was sold for $137,000. It afterwards in 1876 went down to $132,000. I know my hon. friends were surprised at this and accordingly when I had to consider what ought to be done well I took them into my counsel, as Mr. Keswick, Mr. Lowcock, and Mr. Price, and we formed a little committee so long ago as the month of August. We considered all the papers I had in my possession and we had some confidential reports. The advice my hon. friends gave me was the advice on which I acted and I found it most useful in conducting the long negotiations that ensued.
The advertisements for tenders were issued in August and they were so framed that they gave five months for tenders to be sent in. When they came in I was of opinion the best tender was not sufficiently high. It was a tender of the existing farmers. They were informed by me their tender was not high enough. They then offered a somewhat higher sum; they went from $160,000 to $170,000. Having received an offer from the Saigon and Singapore farmer I thought it only right to summon the existing opium farmer to come to the Executive Council and in presence of the members of the Council I acquainted him with the offer that had been made, which was one of $192,000. He was then asked if he had any higher offer to make. After some hesitation he offered $200,000. He was then told that his offer would have to be mentioned to the Saigon farmer, who had offered the next sum to him and it was then arranged they should have the opportunity of tendering, and accordingly that night each of them put in sealed tenders in the presence of my hon. friend the Colonial Secretary, and at eight o'clock next morning, those tenders were opened by my hon. friend Mr. May, in my presence and in that of the Tenderers, and we found the Singapore and Saigon farmer, Mr. Tan King-sing, who came up to represent Mr. Ban Hop, offered $205,000, and the other only $201,000. I may mention, as he is in the colony, indeed I have the pleasure of seeing him here, that Mr. Tan King-sing is a British subject. He was born in Singapore. Of course being one of the farmers for Singapore and Saigon he is a large capitalist, and it is no little satisfaction for us to know that in getting this sum for the opium farm—I will not say the sum we ought to have got, but we have got a large increase, and in addition to the increased revenue we have obtained I think it is no small advantage to have obtained for the first time in the management of the opium farm of this Colony a British subject.
The CHIEF JUSTICE—I came up with this gentleman from Singapore and a more intelligent man I have seldom met with—a man whose general observations and conversation at the table were most sensible, and therefore I judge him to be an exceedingly able and intelligent man.
Hon. P. RYRIE—I think, your Excellency, that the facts you have stated, whoever might have wished to find fault with the Ordinance, amply justifies our passing it at this Council.
PROPOSED SPIRIT FARM.
His EXCELLENCY—I will take this opportunity of laying upon the table for the first reading a Spirit Farm Bill. I will not now go into the matter further. Mr. Russell has the Bill in hand, and it will be printed and be in your hands in a few days. We will consider it at our leisure, and now I will simply move that it be read a first time.
The Bill was read a first time.
}{
C O.
18598
RECO
REC 24 CT 81
363
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, JANUARY 20TH, 1879.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on Saturday, ternoon. There were present:—
His Excellency the GOVERNOR.
}
The Chief Justice, Hon. Sir JOHN SMALE. The Acting Colonial Secretary, Hon. C. MAY.) The Acting Colonial Treasurer, Hon: M. 8
TONNOCHY.
Hon. P. RYRIE.
Hon. H. LowCOCK,
Hon. W. KESWICK.
Hon, J. M. PRICE, Surveyor General.
SALE OF THE OPIUM FARM.
His EXCELLENCY--Gentlemen, in thanking you for passing that Ordinance so speedily to- day I may now mention to you, which is very satisfactory to us, that I have sold the opium farm for the sum of $205,000 per annum for the next three years. I think it my duty in mentioning this to say that the credit of it is dao very much to the information I obtained snon after my arrival here from the report of the Commission that was composed of ay friends Mr. May and Mr. Ryrie. Those two gentlemen paid great attention to the opium farm in this colony and they expressed the opinion that the farm was undersold and ought to be sold at a consider- able increase in price, At that time it was sold for $137,000. It afterwards in 1876 went down to $132,000. I know my hon. friends į were surprised at this and accordingly when I had to consider what ought to Le done well I took them into my counsel.
as Mr. Keswick, Mr. owcock, and Mr. Price, and we formed a little committee so long ago as the month of Angust. We considered all the papers I had in my possession and we had same confidential reports. The advice my hon. friends gave me was tho advice on which I acted and I found it most useful in conducting the long negotiations that ensued. The advertisements for tendera were issued in August and they were so framed that they gave five months for tenders to be sent in. When they came in I was of opinion the best tender was not sufficiently high. It was a tender of the existing farmers. They wore informed by me their tendor
was not high enough. They then offered a somewhat higher sum; they went from $160,000 to $170,000. Having received an offer from the Saigon and Singapore farmer I thought it only right to summon the existing opium farmer to come to the Executive Council and in presence" of the mombers of the Council I acquainted him) with the offer that had been made, which was one of $192,000. He was then asked if he had any After some hesitation higher offer to make. he offered $200,000. He was then told that his offer would have to be mentioned to the Saigon farmer, who had offered the next sum to him and it was then arranged they shoul have the opportunity of tendering, and accord. ingly that night each of them put in sealed tonilers in the presence of my hon. friend” the Colonial Secretary, and at eight o'clock next" morning, those tenders were opened by my hon. friend Mr. May, in my presenco and in that of the Tenderers, and wo food the Singapore and Saigon farmer, Mr. Tau King-sing, who came up to re- present Mr. Ban Hop, offered $205,000, and the other only $201,000," I may mention, as he is in the colony, indeed I have the pleasure of seeing him here, that Mr. Tan King-sing is a British subject. He was born in Singapore. Of course being one of the farmers for ingapore and Saigon he is a large capitalist, and it is no little satisfac. tion for us to know that in getting this sum for the opiam farm-I will not say the sum we ought to have got, but we have got a large increase. and in addition to the increased revenge we have obtained I think it is no small advantage to have obtained for the first time in the management of the opinm farm of this Colony a British subject.
The CHIEF JUSTICE-I came up with this gentleman from Singapore and a more intelligent man I have seldom wet with-a mau whose general observations and conversation at the table were most sensible, and therefore I judge hru to be an exceedingly able, and intelligent
man.
Hou. P. RYRIE--I think, your Excellency, that the facts you have stated, whoever might bare wished to find fault with the Ordinance, auply justifies our passing it at this Council.
PROPOSED SPIRIT FARM,
His EXCELLENCY--I will take this opportunity of laying upon the table for the first reading a Spirit Farm Bill. I will not now go into the matter further. Mr. Russell has the Bill in hand, and it will be printed and be in your hands in a few days. We will consider it at our leisure, and now I will simply move that it be read a first time.
The Bill was read a first time.
}
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