With regard to what is said in the memorandum about deportation, there are no doubt a great many prisoners in the gaol who should not be confined there, and if it should be possible to get rid of these prisoners it would leave a very large available space in the gaol, and would relieve the colony of a number who should not remain in it. I drew the attention of the Secretary of State to this when I wrote to him a short time ago, and I received a despatch by the last mail in which he says the point is worthy of very serious consideration and he hopes on the Governor's return he may be able to devise some scheme with that object in view. But as to this matter, it is easy to deport people, but not so easy to keep them away. Thus you may send a man away, he goes to Canton or Kowloon, and you find him back again in two or three days and he is then sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. It is difficult, no doubt, to know how we can prevent these people coming back, but as the Secretary of State says, it is a matter worthy of serious consideration, and I shall not fail to give it my serious consideration and to confer with the Governor on it. After what they have stated in their memorandum I am sure the unofficial members will be willing to vote any moderate sum in order to amend the present state of affairs.
In the last place I would refer to the fact that the expenditure, what I may term the extraordinary expenditure, of this colony in regard to public works has of late years very considerably increased. It has increased, and it should be watched with very great care, but on the other hand I think it is also our duty to bear in mind what the Surveyor-General has drawn attention to at the end of his memorandum of the 14th August, in which he says: "It may be well to add that among the works included in the estimates now submitted some of the more costly should prove highly remunerative, and the cost of others will be repaid by special rates." He then enumerates these works and adds: "It will thus be seen that among the works included in the estimate I have now the honour to submit, amounting altogether to $1,082,737, there are included works of a remunerative nature, or of which the cost will be repaid to Government, amounting to $1,139,143.4.8., nearly two-thirds of the total estimate." If what the Surveyor-General there states is correct it certainly is very satisfactory.
Hon. P. Ryrie - In what time will that be? Will it be returned in a year?
His EXCELLENCY - The Surveyor-General is not in a position to mention the time, but he would not expect it to be returned in a year. In due course it would be returned. In connection with these remunerative works there are one or two others besides those he mentions. The Council will remember that some few months ago they were asked to vote a sum of $6,000 for improving the Chinese Recreation Ground. I visited the Chinese Recreation Ground shortly after I assumed the administration of the Government, and at that period it was certainly in a most disgraceful state. It was more a haunt for thieves and a resort for blackguards than anything else. I asked the Council to vote this sum of money and they consented to do so. The result of the expenditure which has been incurred in connection with this Chinese Recreation Ground has been most satisfactory. In company with the Acting Registrar-General, who deserves every credit for the trouble he has taken in respect to this matter, I visited the place a few days ago, and I was glad to see the enormous improvement which has taken place since I visited it about the month of April last.
Apart from that point I wish to mention to the Council that the present revenue from stalls that are let there exceeds over $1,800 a year, and presuming that this amount does not decrease, the vote will be repaid at the end of four years. A great many stalls there are not let yet, but they probably will be, and this revenue will be easily increased, and the debt should be paid off at the end of three years, while the great improvement that has been made in the place has benefited the Chinese community here, and the place now, instead of being a resort for bad characters, has become a place for true recreation and the amusement of those who go there.
There is another matter also which has largely engaged my attention in connection with the expenditure of public moneys, and that is the market stalls. The unsatisfactory way in which the market stalls were let was brought to my notice some few months ago by the Acting Registrar-General. I went into the matter carefully, and a great reformation has been effected in connection with this matter. In 1888, I may mention that the revenue amounted to $28,512, while the amount of premia on claims made was $15,838. At the end of the present year the revenue will in all probability be $49,543, and matters have been so arranged that the amount of premia for claims will be only about $451; I therefore think that what has been done in connection with this matter must be considered very satisfactory.
I regret to have kept you so long in dealing with these matters, but there is one more important thing to bear in mind, and that is that of all the works the votes for which have been inserted in these estimates, there are scarcely any that have not been submitted in previous estimates. I believe the only really new works are the Recreation Ground at Happy Valley, the lowering of Queen's Road West, and the training of the Albany Nullah. Besides these there was the Gaol Extension, a subject that is not going to be dealt with at the moment, and a large sum has been put down which will be necessary hereafter for new Law Courts and Government offices, but no amount for that has been asked for.
In conclusion, I have only to state that it will be the desire of this Government to watch this expenditure with every care, and between this and the next time the Council are asked to vote public money for any particular matter either before the estimates are considered next year or at that time, it will be the endeavour of the Government to supply every particular they possibly can. If the course suggested can be adopted that new public works be considered by the Public Works Committee before they are considered by the Finance Committee, I for one can see no objection to such a course, and I do not think the Governor, when he returns, will object to it either.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the discharge of the order last made in which certain memoranda which had since been amended be referred to the Finance Committee.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER seconded. Motion carried.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the adoption of the report of the Finance Committee on public works extraordinary, the amounts for which had been approved with the exception of that for gaol extension, which had been struck out.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER seconded. Carried unanimously.
716
or
With regard to what issaid in the memor andam about deportation, there are no doubt a great many prisonors in the gaol who should not be confined there, and if it should be possi- ble to get rid of these prisoners it would leave a very lego available space in the gaol, and would reliece the colony of a number who should not remain in it. I drew the attention! of the Secretary of State to this when I wrote to him a short time ago, and I received: a despatch by the last mail in which he says the point is 036 worthy of very serious consideration and he hopes on the Governor's return he may be able to deviso some scheme with that object in view. But as to this matter, it is easy to deport people, but not so easy to keep them away. Thusuda mau away, ho goes to Canton or Kowloon, and you find him back again in two three days and he is then sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. It is difficult, no doubt, to know how we can prevent these people com- ing back, but as the Secretary of State says, it is a matter worthy, of sorions consideration, and I shall not fail to give it my serious considera- tion and to confer with the Governor on it. After what they have stated in their memoran- dam I am sure the unofficial members will be willing to vote any moderate sum in order to amend the present state of affairs. In the last place I would refer to the fact that the expenditure, what I may term the extrordinary expenditure, of this colony in regard to public works has of late years very considerably in- creased. It has increased, and it should be watched with very great care, but on the other hand i think it is also our duty to bear in mind what the Surveyor-Goueral has drawn attention to at the end of his memorandum of the 14th August, in which he says:" It may "be well to add that among the works included in the estimates now submitted some of the more "costly should prove highly rumunerative, and "the cost of others will be repaid by special " rates." He then enumerates these works and adds: It will thus be seen that among the "works included in the estimate I have now the
honour to submit, amounting altogether to į *$1,82,737, there are included works of a "remunerative nature, or of which the cost will "be repaid to Government, amounting to **81,139,143. 4.8., nearly two-thirds of the total "estimate." If what the Surveyor-General there states is correct it certainly is very satisfactory. Hon. P. RELIE-In what time will that bo? Will it be returned in a year!
His EXCELLENCY-The Surveyor-General is not էլ a position to mention the time, but he would not expect it to be returned in a year.
In due course it would be re- turned. In concoction with these remuner- ative works there are one or two others besides those he mentions. The Council will remember that some few months ago they were asked to roto a sum of $6,000 for improving the Chinese Recreation Ground. I visited the Chinese Reura- ation Ground shortly after I assamed the ad- ministration of the Government, and at that per- iod it was certainly in a most disgraceful state. It was more a haunt for thieves and a resort for blackguards than anything else. I asked the Council to vote this sum of money and they con- sented to do so. The result of the expenditure which has been incarred in connection with this Chinese Recreation Ground has been most satis. Isstory. In company with the Asting Regis
trar-General, who" deserves overy credit for the trouble he has taken in respect to this matter, I visited the place a few days ago, and I was glad to see the enormous improvement which has taken place since I visited it about the month of April last. Apart from that point I wish to mention to the Council that the present revenue from stalls that are let there ex- canda over $1,800 a year, and presuming that this amount does not decrease, the vote will be repaid at the end of four years. A great many stalls there are not lot yet, but they pro bably will be, and this revenue will be easily increased, and the debt should be paid off at the and of three years, while the great improvenient that has been made in the place has benefitted the Chinese community here, and the plans now, instead of buing a resort for bad characters, has become a place for true recreation and the am- tement of those who go there. There is an- offer inatter also which has largely engaged my attention in connection with the expenditure of public moneys, ant that is the market
Stalls
con-
stalls. The unsatisfactory way in which the market stalls were let was brought to my notice ! some few months ago by the Auting Registrar- Geberal. I went into the mattere refully, and a great reformation bas been effected in Rection with this matter. In 1888, I may man- ting that the revenue amounted to $28,512, while the amount of premia on claims made was i $15,838. At the end of the present year the revents will in all probability be $49,543, aud matters have been so arranged that the amount of premia for claims will be only about $451; J therefore think that what has been done in con- nection with this matter must be considered very satisfactory. I regret to have kept you so long in dealing with these matters, but there is one more important thing to bear in mind. and that is that of all the works the votes for which bave been inserted in these estimates, there are scarcely any that have not been submitted in previous estimates. I believe the only really new works are the Recreation Ground at! Happy Valley, the lowering of Queen's Road West, and the training of the Albany Nullah. Besides these there was the Gaol Extension, a subject that is not going to be dealt with at the moment, and a large sum has been put down which will be necessary hereafter for new Law Courts and Government offices, but no amount for that has been asked for. In conclusion, I have only to state that it will be the desire of this Government to watch this expenditure with every care, and between this and the next time the Council are asked to vote public money for ,any particular matter either before the estimates are considered next year or at that time, it will be the endeavour of the Government to supply every particular they possibly can. If the courso suggested can be adopted that new publio works he considered by the Public Works Com- mittee before they are considered by the Finance Committee, I for one can see no objection to such a course, and I do not think the Governor. when he returns will object to it either.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the discharge of the order last made in which certain memoranda which had since been amend- ed be referred to the Finance Committee.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER seconded. Motion carried.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the adoption of the report of the Finance Coin- mittes on public works extraordinary, the amounts for which had been approved with the [oxception of that for gaol extension, which had
ben struck out.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER SEConded. Carried unanimously.
716
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