THE VEHICLES ORDINANCE. The Vehicles Ordinance Amendment Bill was
read a second time.
In Committec a discussion took place on the clause providing that jinrickshas should not be allowed to carry animals or merchandise.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER Sug- gested that the words should be inserted with the exception of personal baggage."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL questioned the ad- visability of the clause at all, and thought it might be a hardship if the vehicles were not al- lowed to carry rice for instance.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER said that fa coulic wished to carry merchandise there was nothing to prevent him if he did not lake out a licence to carry passengers, but if he did take out a licence the public had a right to expect the vehicle to be kept clean, and he did not think the coolie ought to be allowed to intefere with the canying coolies on the one hand or the com- fort of the public on the other. He mentioned that he had himself scen pigs carried in the jinrickshas.
Other members spoke to the same effect, and it was pointed out that "rice" might include condemned rice, or cooked rice,
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER, in the course of the discussion, said the jinrickshas had already done damage to the roads to the amount of $4,000-he was speaking well within the mark and it would take at least $22,000 to put the roads in a proper state to bear the traffic. He had that morning measured the tire of one of the wheels of a jinricksha and he found it was only four-fifths of an inch wide. The consequence was that the moment there was the slightest moisture these wheels cut up the roads like a
razor.
The clause was passed with the insertion of the words "or personal baggage."
On the clause providing that a fee of one dollar should be paid on issue of a licence, the ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER suggested that it would be fairer to make it a dollar for each seat, as some of the jinrickshas carried two passengers, and the tramway cars he supposed would carry at least twenty.
His EXCELLENCY said that as he had before mentioned, in the case of chairs, fishing junks, and so on, he had no wish to make a revenue from them; all he cared for was that they should have a licence, and he preferred to raise the revenue from other sources.
The clause was then passed.
The Bill having passed through Committee was read a third time.
BANKERS' BOOKS EVIDENCE.
The Banker's Books Evidence Bill was read a second time, considered in Committee, and passed. CALLING THE COUNCIL WITHOUT NOTICE. His EXCELLENCY-Gentlemen, the next on the order book, the Excise Ordinance, is one I will 'not trouble you with to-day. I inay take this opportunity of mentioning, with reference to what passed at an earlier stage, that I had to summon the mecting rather earlier than I had contemplated on remembering the races were to be held, and inasmuch as the jury list had to be completed before the 1st March it was necessary to hold a meeting to-day. When the Governor dispenses with the necessity of two days' notice, which your rules empower him to do, he is ready at once to receive from hon. members notice | of any motion they may wish to make; and not only that, but on an occasion like this I should be only too happy to answer any question any hon. member may chose to put, of course, assuming the question would not be out of order. When we call a meeting of Council without the two days' notice, I shall be always very happy to answer any question that may be put to me, at once, by any hon. member.
After a pause, no hon. member having risen, His Excellency moved the adjournment of the Council sine die.
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