81
legislation on the subject has been long recognized, and is shown by the fact that at the present moment there are nearly 200 girls of tender age who are being taken care of under the direction of the Registrar General, assisted by the Po Léung Kuk, and who, but for that care, would probably be consigned sooner or later to a life of infamy. The powers which the Registrar General possesses are however considered inadequate for the purpose in view. Difficulties of a legal and constitutional nature have hitherto prevented the introduction of the Bill. But these difficulties have been now overcome, and it only remains for the Legislature to deal with the Bill, the principle of which has been approved by the Secretary of State.
7. The Secretary of State has also expressed his approval of a suggestion made by the Superintendent of the Gaol in his annual report, that prisoners who have earned a remission of sentence should be placed, as in England, under the supervision of the Police, so that if found returning to a criminal career they might at once be sent back to prison to complete their original sentences. A Bill giving effect to this recommendation will be laid before you.
8. A Commission appointed by me to report on representations made by the Superintendent on the overcrowded state of the Gaol has recommended the infliction of whipping for certain offences. I have no authority for introducing a change in the law of such importance, but a Bill embodying the recommendations of the Commission has been prepared and sent home for consideration by the Imperial Government.
9. I have also forwarded for the consideration of the Secretary of State a Bill which was read a first time last Session entitled the European Vagrancy Ordinance. This Bill proposes to deal with those Europeans who are frequently landed or discharged from vessels in this port and who are either destitute or become so after a short period. As International questions are involved in this measure, it was withdrawn after the first reading, in order that it might be submitted for consideration by the Imperial Government before it was passed.
10. The Sanitary Board, which has been enlarged by the appointment of four additional Unofficial Members, have had under their consideration for some time past the provisions of a Draft Public Health Bill which were included by the Surveyor General in a general Ordinance relating to Buildings, prepared by him a year ago. It has now been decided that it would be more convenient that the provisions originally proposed to be contained therein should be dealt with separately in two Bills, one confined to technical building matters only and the other relating to purely sanitary matters. I hope that both these Bills will be laid before the Council during the present Session.
11. Besides the Bills already referred to the following Draft Ordinances have been prepared by the Law Commission or by the Acting Attorney General, and are ready for consideration by the Council.
1. An Ordinance for enabling the Legislative Council and any Committee thereof to compel the attendance of and to administer oaths to witnesses.
2. An Ordinance to enable the Governor of Hongkong to appoint Commissions under the Seal of the Colony and to confer certain powers on Commissioners so appointed necessary for conducting inquiries.
3. An Ordinance to amend the Laws relating to Wills.
4. An Ordinance to amend the Law respecting defamatory words and Libel.
5. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Law of Evidence.
6. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Laws relating to Jurors and Juries.
7. An Ordinance to consolidate the Laws relating to good order and cleanliness.
8. An Ordinance to promote the revision of the Statute Law.
9. An Ordinance to amend the Companies Ordinances 1865 to 1886.
10. An Ordinance relating to Bills of Lading.
11. An Ordinance to consolidate the Laws relating to the Post Office.
12. An Ordinance for the better preservation of Books printed in the Colony.
13. An Ordinance for the regulation of Markets and the importation of cattle.
14. An Ordinance consolidating and amending the Laws relating to St. John's Cathedral.
15. An Ordinance to facilitate the incorporation of Religious, Educational, and Charitable Institutions.
16. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to the registration of Trade Marks.
12. The following Bills are also under consideration or preparation, and will, it is hoped, be introduced this Session:-
1. An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Criminal Law Procedure.
2. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Pawn Brokers.
3. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Coroners.
4. An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Magistrates Ordinances.
13. The Commission appointed under Section 3 para. 7 of the Chefoo Agreement of 1876, and the additional article of July, 1885, has met and agreed conditionally to the terms of an arrangement, which however will not have effect, unless it is ratified by the Imperial Government as well as by that of China. I am unable therefore at present to enter into any explanations.
14. The representations of the Chamber of Commerce on the necessity of constructing a Lighthouse for the Southern approach to the Colony will be transmitted to the Secretary of State, as soon as I have received all the reports on the subject which have been called for. The Gap Rock is, in the opinion of those qualified to judge, the best situation for this Lighthouse, although it is more difficult of access than some of the other Islands in the immediate vicinity. This objection is, however, I believe, not insuperable.
15. I regret to say that the prospect of carrying out the scheme for the extension of the Praya, in order to connect the Eastern and Western parts of the City seems as remote as ever. The original estimate of the cost of this work made by the Surveyor General was £45,000. This had to be raised subsequently to £71,000 in order to meet the objections of the Naval and Military Authorities, and although the whole of the land to be reclaimed, which is estimated at £160,000, was to be appropriated to their use, the War Office and the Admiralty declined to bear any portion of the cost. The Secretary of State for the Colonies on the other hand has considered that one half of the cost should be borne by the Imperial Departments in consideration of the great extension of ground that they would gain. General CAMERON has since recommended that a portion of the extra cost, entailed by the modification of the original plan should be borne by the War Office, but the Admiralty have stated that until some extension of their premises has been obtained, they must withhold their consent.
Bury
81
legislation on the subject has been long recognized, and is shown by the fact that at the present moment there are nearly 200 girls of tender age who are being taken care of under the direction of the Registrar General, assisted by the Po Léung Kuk, and who, but for that care, would probably be consigned sooner or later to a life of infamy. The powers which the Registrar General possesses are however considered inadequate for the purpose in view. Difficulties of a legal and constitutional nature have hitherto prevented the introduction of the Bill. But these difficulties have heen now overcome, and it only remains for the Legislature to deal with the Bill, the principle of which has been approved by the Secretary of State.
7. The Secretary of State has also expressed his approval of a suggestion mude by the Superintendent of the Gaol in his annual report, that prisoners who have earned a remission of sentence should be placed, as in England, under the super- vision of the Police, so that if found returning to a criminal career they might A Bill giving at once be sent back to prison to complete their original sentences. effect to this recommendation will be laid before you.
8. A Commission appointed by me to report on representations made by the Superintendent on the overcrowded state of the Gaol has recommended the inflic- tion of whipping for certain offences. I have no authority for introducing a change in the law of such importance, but a Bill embodying the recommendations of the Commission has been prepared and sent home for consideration by the Imperial Government.
9. I have also forwarded for the consideration of the Secretary of State a Bill which was read a first time last Session entitled the haropean Vagrancy Ordinance, This Bill proposes to deal with those Europeans who are frequently landed or dis- charged from vessels in this port and who are either destitute or become so after a short period. As International questions are involved in this mensure, it was with- drawn after the first reading, in order that it might be submitted for consideration by the Imperial Government before it was passed,
10. The Sanitary Board, which has been enlarged by the appointment of four additional Un-official Members, have had under their consideration for some time past the provisions of a Draft Public Health Bill which were included by the Surveyor General in a general Ordinance relating to Buildings, prepared by him a year ago. It has now been decided that it would be more convenient that the provisions originally proposed to be contained therein should be dealt with separately in two Bills, one confined to technical building matters only and the other relating to purely sanitary matters. I hope that both these Bills will be laid before the Council during the
Session. present
11. Besides the Bills already referred to the following Draft Ordinances have been prepared by the Law Commission or by the Acting Attorney General, and are ready for consideration by the Council.
1. An Ordinance for enabling the Legislative Council and any Committee thereof to compel the attendance of and to administer oaths to witnesses.
2. An Ordinance to enable the Governor of Hongkong to appoint Com- missions under the Seal of the Colony and to confer certain powers on Commissioners so appointed necessary for conlucting inquiries.
3. An Ordinance to amend the Laws relating to Wills.
4. An Ordinance to amend the Law respecting defamatory words and
Libel.
5. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Law of Evidence.
6. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Laws relating to Jurors
and Jurics.
?
7. An Ordinance to consolidate the Laws relating to good order and
cleanliness.
8. An Ordinance to promote the revision of the Statute Law,
9. An Ordinance to amend the Companies Ordinances 1865 to 1886.
10. An Ordinance relating to Bills of Lading,
11. An Ordinance to consolidate the Laws relating to the Post Office.
12. An Ordinance for the better preservation of Books printed in the
Colony.
13. An Ordinance for the regulation of Markets and the importation of
cattle.
11. An Ordinance consolidating and amending the Laws relating to St.
John's Cathedral.
15. Au Ordinance to facilitate the incorporation of Religions, Educational,
and Charitable Institutions.
16. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to the registration of Trade
Marks.
12. The following Bills are also under consideration or preparation, and will, it is hoped, he introduced this Session :-
1. An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Criminal Law Procedure,
2. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Pawn Brokers.
3. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Coroners.
4. An Ordinance to consolidate and unend the Magistrates Ordinances.
13. The Commission appointed under Section 3 para. 7 of the Chefoo Agree- ment of 1876, and the additional article of July, 1885, has met and agreed condi- tionally to the terms of an arrangement, which however will not have effect, unless it is ratified by the Imperial Government as well as by that of China. I am unable therefore at present to enter into any explanations.
14. The representations of the Chamber of Commerce on the necessity of constructing a Lighthouse for the Southern approach to the Colony will be trans- mitted to the Secretary of State, as soon as I have received all the reports on the subject which have been called for. The Gap Rock is, in the opinion of those qualified to judge, the best situation for this Lighthouse, although it is more difficult of access than some of the other Islands in the immediate vicinity. This objection is, however, I believe, not insuperable.
15. I regret to say that the prospect of carrying out the scheme for the exten- sion of the Praya, in order to connect the Eastern and Western parts of the City seems as remote as ever. The original estimate of the cost of this work made by the Surveyor General was £45,000. This had to be raised subsequently to £71,000 in order to meet the objections of the Naval and Military Authorities, and although the whole of the land to be reclaimed, which is estimated at £160,000, was to be appropriated to their use, the War Office and the Admiralty declined to bear any portion of the cost. The Secretary of State for the Colonies on the other hand has considered that one half of the cost should be borne by the Imperial Departments in consideration of the great extension of ground that they would gain. General CAMERON has since recommended that a portion of the extra cost, entailed by the modification of the original plan should be borne by the War Office, but the Admiralty have stated that until some extension of their premises has been obtained, they must withhold their consent.
Bury
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