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# THE REGULATION OF THE KEEPING OF DOGS ORDINANCE.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
Bill read a first time.
## THE PO LEUNG KUK INCORPORATION ORDINANCE-SECOND READING.
ignorant of the Po Leung Kuk and its work. Possessed of no knowledge on the subject and not endeavouring to obtain any----
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I was not the only one who did not know of the Society's inner workings.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I have the honour to move the first reading of a Bill to make provision for regulating the keeping of dogs and for the prevention of the importation and spread of rabies. It is necessary that I should make any observations at the first reading. I will reserve them therefore until at the next meeting of Council. I move the second reading of the Bill.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I say again, possessed of no knowledge, and not endeavouring to obtain any, he seems to have approached your Excellency and made certain representations. What those representations were I do not know, but this I do know, that those representations could not have been based on any knowledge of the working of the Society, for at this very first meeting of the Social Committee which your Excellency appointed to enquire into the Society the hon. member who represents the Chamber of Commerce told us that he knew absolutely nothing about the working of the Society.
Well, Sir, what those representations of his were I am not aware, but I do know that the result of those representations and of the allegations of a certain member of the police force led to very serious charges being formulated against the Society. The Special Committee of enquiry was appointed, but still the hon. member was not satisfied. He made a discovery! He discovered that your Excellency had deemed fit to "preside over that Committee would not be satisfactory to the public." Those were the hon. member's own words.
I do not know what steps the hon. member took to ascertain the feelings of the public on this subject. I doubt very much if he took any steps at all to ascertain whether my appointment as Chairman of the Committee would or would not be satisfactory to the public. I give him the opportunity now of stating what those steps were. I ask him the question now. It is a simple question and does not require a man ready of debate to answer it-(laughter)-and I give him the opportunity now of answering it. The hon. member gives no reply.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I have the honour to move the second reading of the Bill entitled the Po Leung Kuk Incorporation Ordinance. Sir, when the Bill for the incorporation of the Po Leung Kuk last came before this Council it was postponed indefinitely, and the reason of postponing it, your Excellency told us, was that certain grave charges had been made to you against the operations of this Society.
At that meeting of Council your Excellency stated-"I think as such very grave charges are hanging over this society, a Society which has done very good work, it would be the wish of the members themselves that the matter should be thoroughly inquired into. If these statements are proved, it will be a very serious business, and if they are disproved the hands of the Government and the hands of the Po Leung Kuk Society will be immensely strengthened." Sir, those charges have been thoroughly enquired into and to-day the Po Leung Kuk stands cleared entirely of all the unjustifiable imputations which were cast upon its character and good faith. (Hear, hear).
When the Bill was last before this Council the chief opponent of the measure was the hon. member who represents the Chamber of Commerce in this Council. He was the declared opponent of the Po Leung Kuk and all its works. To-day he appears before us as the supporter of the incorporation of this Society. (Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD applauds.)
I observe that the hon. member met that statement with applause. I heartily congratulate the hon. member on his change of front and I trust that he will not allow himself to wander into the paths of unreasoning opposition again. (Laughter.) Hard facts have extinguished his opposition, which is now as dead as a door nail. (Laughter.)
What is the reason, sir, of this conversion? It is very simple and will not require much explanation. When the hon. member opposed this Bill he was absolutely ignorant...
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Consult the local Press.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-Consult the local Press! Yes, we can do that, but the hon. member still gives us no information as to what steps he took to ascertain the feeling of the public with regard to the Chairmanship of the Committee.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Many of the leading members of the community expressed their opinion to that effect.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-It is all very well for the hon. gentleman to tell us that many members of the community expressed their opinions to that effect, but we have not got them in evidence and I think I am perfectly right in saying that on this occasion Mr. Thomas Henderson Whitehead was the self-constituted personification of the Hongkong populace, and in refusing to recognise him as the public I think that I only acted in a proper manner, and I challenge...
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THE REGULATION OF THE KIEP.NG OF DOGS ORDINANCE.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
Bill read a first time.
THE PO LEUNG KUK INCORPORATION
ORDINANCE-SECOND READING.
ignorant of the Po Leung Kuk and its work. Possessed of no knowledge on the subject und not endeavouring to obtain any----
Hon. T. H. WHITEHE -I was not the only one who did not know of the Society's inuer workings.
LIN ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I have the hou- to ove the first reading of a Bill to make provision or regulating the keeping of dogs and for the prevention of the importation and spread | of rabies. It is necessary that I should make The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I say again. any observations the first reading. I will possessed of no knowledge, and not endeavouring reserve them therefore until at the next meeting to obtain any, he seems to have approachesi of Council I move the second reading of the your Excellency and made certain representa- 1. I will only make this one observation, tions. What those representations were 1 do not that in the report of the Captain Superin-know, but this I do know, that those represen- tendent of Police I find it mentined that there tations could not have been based on any know- have been no less than sevente cases of ledge of the working of the Society, for at ibs rabies between January 1st and Apri uth this very first meeting of the Social Committe year in the colony, that is in four months, which appointed by your Excellency to enquirs is a very serious matter and makes it necessary into the Society the hon. member who represents that some steps should be taken at once.
the Chamber of Commerce fold us that he knew absolutely nothing about the working of the Society. Well, Sir, what those representations of his were I am not aware, but I do know that the result of those representations aui of the allegations of a certain meruber of the police force led to very serious charges bing formulated against the Fociety. The Special Committee of enquiry was appointed, but still the hon member was not s tisti l Ho made A. discovery! He disentered that the Chairman that your Excelleacy had deemed fit to "preside over that Committee would not be satisfactory to the public." Those were the hon. member's own words. I do not know what steps the hau. member took to a certain the feelings of the public on this subjout I doubt very unch if he took any steps at all to eserrtain whet ber my appointment as Chairınan of the Committee would or would not be satis. factory to the puble I give him the opportunity now of stating what those steps were. I ask him the question now. It is a simple question and does not require a man ready of debate fo answer it-langhter-aud I give him the op- portunity now of answering it. The kon ment. bor gives un reply.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I bure the honom" to move the second reading of the Bill entitled the Po Leung Kak Incorporation Ordinance Sir, when the Bill for the incorporation of the Po Leung Kak last came before this Council it was postpoued indefinitely, and the reason of postponing it, your Excellency told us, was that ertain grave charges had been made to you against the operations of this Society. At that meeting of Couneil your Excellency stated-" I think as such very grave charges are hauging over this society, a Society which has done very good work, it would be the wish of the members. themselves that the matter should be thoroughly inquired into. If these statements are proved. it will be a very serious business, and if they are disproved the hands of the Government and the Lauds of the Po Leung Kuk Society will be in- Brusely strengthened." Sir, those charges have been thoroughly enquired into and to-day the Po Leang Kuk stands cleared entirely of all the unjustifiable imputations which were cast upon its character and good faith. Hear, hear). When the Hill was last beforo this Conucil the cb of opponent of the measure was the hou. metoby who represents the Cham- ber of Commerce in this Council. He was the declared opponent of the Po Lenug Kuk and all its works. To-day he appears b fora us us the supporter of the incorporation of this Society (Hoo. T. H. WHITEHEAD applands. I observe that the hou. member met that statement with applause. I heartily congratulate the bon. mem- her ou
his change of front and I trast that he will not allow himself to wander into the paths of unrousoning opposition again. (Laughter.) Hard facts have extinguished his opposition, which is now as dead as a door nail. (Langht. e). What is the reason, sir, of this conversion ? It is very simple and will not require much explanation. When the hon. member opposed this Bill he was absolutely
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Consult the local Press.
The REGISTAR-GENERAL-Consult the locul Press! Yes, we can do that, but the bon, wenler still gives us no information us to what steps he took to ascertain the feeling of the public witis regard to the Chairmanship of the Committee.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Many of the leading members of the community expres od their opinion to that eff et
The REGISTRAR-ĜEVERAL It is all org well for the hon. gentleman to tell us that many members of the community expressed their opiti ious to that effect, but we have not got them m evideore and I think I am perfectly right in say- ing that on this occasion Mr. Thomas Henderson Whitehead was the self-constituted personin- cation of the Hongkong populace, and in refusing to recognise him as the public I think that I ouly acted in a proper manner, and I chal-
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