I several instances soome of the men, or the and coolies who appeared to be keeping the house open, wers animɔned, and in one or two instances couvierious have been made. The difficulties that the prosecution has are almost insurmontable, Another difficulty arises in connection with the definition of coramon lodg Jag houses. According to the present definition common lodging house is any house or part zusreof whore persous are hensed-not being
mbors of the same family-at an amount not 7xceeding five cents a day, or one dollar a iconth for each person." You pan imagine the difficulty which any prosecution would have in proving any boase to come within that definition. How 5 possible in the fans of the hostile position ad in the tos of these people running away from the colour, to prove that the coolies only pid five cents a day or oue dollar a mouth ? It is a law which "nas proved impracticable, and in only one de Lw, cases has any evidence en obtain. Take the second section and you will again see what a difficulty presents játself at oven in esse of any breich of the aw in reged to lodging houses→ Any par- manent Structure in which employers of Jabour lodga teir employes other than domestic servants, or shapia in. as part of the remuneration given for the kerrics," Toera again you see it would be impossible for the prosscntion to prove that domestic servants or shopmen were lodging in these houses as part of the remuneration which they were receiving for their ser- VISOR. Ther-fure it has become necessary to simplify the definition of cou no lodging- bonses, and it is proposed in this Bill to Loop out any reference either to the amount paid by these coo is toe their lodgings or the re- muneration which they rendive from their sm ployers. The second material clause of the bill Toughes Section 73 of the Ordinguos. There are two classes of parsous dealt with in this sotion-persons who keep the touses. I under- stand that as yet no persons bave been licensed under section 73. súd inasmuch as in nearly every case the person who keeps open the house is the person who is actually responsible, I may say that he has fed from the colony, and there is a no- cessity to look for someone else. Well, of course, it has been a matter of very serious considera- | tion as to who shall be responsible in the absence- of the person who keeps open the house, and in case he cannot be found. or in the absence of the loansul keep r. if there is any breach of the by-laws made under the Ordination, it has been thought that it woad only be fair-in a case, say. where there is a person who keeps open a house and cannot be foun that you should come down in such an instance ou the householder as defined by the Ordinance; or where a bouse has been licensed and there has been a breach of the law and the keeper bas fled from the law, that you should come down similarly upon the householder. The boase. holder, for the purposes of this Ordinane, is the sotual tenant or doqupier of any building, and in the case where there is no such person the immediato' landived, and in the case of corporations and companies the secretary thereof I do not think it would be any real hardship. Somebody must be made responsible for the maintenance of the law with regard to overcrowding. The object is to keep theen houses in a stuitary condition, and especially with a view to the possible advent of plagus is the Dear future. It is highly essential that somabody should he made responsible for the proper number of persous inhabiting these com- mon lodging houses. I think, sir. it is manifest that during the last few years the Chinese-I do not of course refor to the bigher olasses-bat the chief opolies and others have stirred the men ap and barangued against the law in the hops of courcing the Government. The time has come when the Government must put its foot down, and put it down firmly. 18 the men do not like the law the sooner they leave the colony the bitter. of concss this action of the Govern ment must to some extent tail against the trade of the colony, but I think I may say with confi. dence that where you touch their pockets by enforcing the law or by getting others to do what they ordinarily do, you will find that the inconvenience to the trade will only be tempor- ary. With these remarks I bag to move the first reading of the Bill.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-T big to second that. After the remarks of your Exellency and the full explanation of the hon. the Aating Attorney-General, there is not very much left for me to say upon the subject. I am sure that every member of this Council will be agreed that it is absolutely necessary that steps should be taken and that nothing should be left undone to carry out the obj ́ot which the Government had in view in this matter. I am sure the whole of this community will read with great satisfaction the remarks made by your Excellency that it was the intention of the Government to stand firm in this matter and not to allow the coolies to have the upper hand. To my mind this is one of the most extraordinary disputes in the history of labour. There are unfortunately many strikes in England and elsewhere, and there is always But here we have a some reason for them, large number of coolies without any actual grievance and without being able to formu. Jate any grievance. There are strikes in all parta of the word, and there is always sore grisvance, hut in the case of those coolias it is impossible for them to formulate any grievance. Under these circumstances I feel certain there will be no hesitation on the part of the members of this Council in supporting the Bill, the first reading of which i have now the honour to second. As the bon. the Acting Attorney-General bas pointed out, it is abso lutely necessary that somebody should be made responsible with regard to these common lodging houses, Under the old law it has been fonal that directly the head coole chooses io move into Chinese territory, the by-law becomes a dead letter. If the householder as defined by the ordinanoe does not wish his house to be used as a common lodging house he has the remedy is bis own handa. I am quite sure that householders will show a public spirit in this | matter, and 'ʼn vill some forward and support the vernment in trying to bring about a satis factory settle neat a this matter, (Applanie).
Bill read a first time.
The standing orders were suspended and the Bill read a second time.
Connoil went into Committee, and the Bill was road clad sa by clause and a minor alteration anade.
Connoil re samed,
Hou. Ho KAI-Before the Bill is passed I than I ought to by a few wor is. (have not pposed the Ordinance to-day, not because I Think all the secotons are quite just and tair-in fit. I thuck section 3 presses harshly upon the householder or the immediate landlord-bat because Lihina the unfortunate position which bias been brought on by the evolies themselves has voulə it Droessary for the Government to pass an Ovlitance of this kind to doat with the laatser. But I can assure your Excellency that I, us representative of the Chinese in this Conu oil, og ther with many other persons-Mr. Wai Yuk and others connected with the Clanose- auva for a long time been reasoning with these coulies. I have explained to their head men thoroughly the intentions of the Government and the effect of these by-laws, and have gone as far as to personally assure them by written docaments that should at any time the over- ineal wish to take advantage of these by-laws and to impose a poil tax upon the coolies, we, as representatives of them in this colony, would ba We did this so as to personally able to them. show them in this strongest uanser we possibly could that there was no intention on tue part of the Government to impose anything like poll tax upon tuum. (Hoar, hear.) That we liave uut succeeded in persuading them is a matter for regret, and although we have not succeeded so far, I can assure your Exelleney and this Comu oil that we, as representatives of the Chinese, will not cease our efforts to bring about a changa in the present stale of affairs, which we all de precate. in some cases the ea bave been amenable to reason. Still, as I say, we will not cease our work, and you may rely upon this, that those Chiuse who have come to the help of the Government hitherto wili render to the Govern auent those loyal support on this oseaxion.
Applause.)
Bill read a third time and passed. The Council then adjourned.
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