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PAPERS.---The Acting Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the following paper :-----
Report of the Captain Superintendent of Police, for 1885. (No. 10). QUESTION--The Honourable W. Keswick, pursuant to notice, asked the following question : difference in interpretation having been given to the law regulating the survey of coppered vessels since April, 1884, and a practice having been introduced since that date, which is at variance with that which was followed for at least as far back as 1879, will His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government state why the change has been made, and a new, and, it is believed, unnecessary procedure adopted?
The Honourable the Attorney General replied.
The ionourable W. KESWICK gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move a resolution on this subject.
BILL ENTITLED THE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES AND FESTIVALS ORDINANCE, 1886.--FIRST READING.— On the motion of the Attorney General, seconded by the Acting Colonial Secretary, this Bill was read a first time.
The Attorney General gave notice that, at the next meeting of Conneil, he would move the second reading of this Bill.
BILL. ENTITLED THE PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS ORDINANCE, 1886,-COMMITTED.-On the motion of the Attorney General, seconded by the Acting Colonial Secretary, the Council went into Committee on this Bill.
Progress reported.
BILLS READ A THIRD TIME, AND PASSED.---On the motion of the Attorney General, seconded by the Acting Colonial Secretary, the following Bills were read a third time, and passed :-
1. A Bill entitled An Ordinance to empower the Colonial Treasurer to pay otherwise than to Executors or Administrators small Sums due on account of Pay or Allow- ances to Persons deceased.
2. A Bill entitled An Ordinance for the better Apportionment of Rents and other periodical
Payments.
3. A Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Larceny and Embezzlement.
4. A Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to the Custody of Infants.
5. A Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Sales of Reversions. POSTPONEMENT OF THE OTHER ORDERS OF THE DAY.-The Attorney General moved the post- ponement of the other Orders of the Day.
Question-put and passed.
The Council then adjourned until Wednesday, the 3rd February, at 4 F.M.
Read and confirmed, this 3rd day of February, 1886,
ARATHOON SETH,
Clerk of Councils.
W. H. MARSH, Administering the Government.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL No. 17.
WEDNESDAY, 17TH FEBRUARY, 1886.
PRESENT:
IUS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM HENRY MARSH, C.M.G.,
Administering the Government in the absence of His Excellency SIR GEORGE FERGUSON BOWEN, G.C.M.G.
His Honour the Chief Justice, (SIK GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt.)
The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.)
the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY.)
the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER.)
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the Surveyor General, (Jonn MACNEILE PRICE.)
27
PHINEAS RYRIE.
WILLIAM KESWICK,
THOMAS JACKSON.
17
FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON. WONG SHING.
The Council met pursuant to adjournment.
The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 10th instant, were read and confirmed. VOTES REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.--Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government:---
W. H. MARSII.
(1.) The Officer Adininistering the Government lays before the Council a despatch which he has just received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the defences of Hongkong.
It will be remembered that the original proposals sanctioned by the War Office embraced works the estimated cost of which was £55,625, whilst the corresponding armament was to cost only £37,500.
It was stated in the despatch of Lord DERBY of the 17th September, 1884, which was laid before the Council, that Her Majesty's Government had arrived at the decision that the Colony of Hongkong should defray only the cost of the necessary works, the Imperial Government contributing the armament. The Council was accordingly asked by Sir GEORGE BOWEN, on the 10th December, 1884, to vote the sum of £55,625 required for the construction of these works.
Before agreeing to vote the sum required for the construction of the works there was considerable discussion in the Finance Committee, owing to an impression that the armament which was to be sent out was altogether inadequate, and the vote was passed with the understanding "that the armament to be provided by the Imperial Government would be of the best and latest pattern of breech-loading ordnance and capable of resisting attacks by the heaviest modern ironclads."
Sir GEORGE BOWEN did not fail to represent strongly on several occasions the wish of the community that Hongkong should be properly defended, and Generals SARGENT and CAMERON have supported his recommandations with all the weight of their long professional experience.
The result of these recommendations has been that the scheme of defence has been Instead of three new works and remounting guns in very carefully re-considered. existing works, the new scheme of defence includes four new works and three new sites for single heavy guns, and, whilst omitting the works originally proposed at Quarry Bay, it substitutes a complete defence of the Ly-ce Man Channel. The weight and power of the guns have been so greatly increased that much more massive and costly foundations and emplacements have to be provided for them. An idea of the difference in the guns now proposed from those originally contemplated may be gathered from the revised estimate of cost of the armaments, which, instead of being £37,500, will now amount to £118,500.
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