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most of the premises are more or less isolated. Bill read a second time, and Council went iato Committee.
Hon C. P. CHATER thought it would be rather hard upon the landlord or houssowner being responible for the consumption of water by his tenant.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-General said there The owner was in. was nothing new in that, serted in the Ordinance of 1890,
tion. C. P. CHATER said that owners were suf- fering enough already, without having an ad- ditional burden thrown apo them.
The clause was passed as it stood.
Hou. E. E. BELILIOS moved that the effect of the Ordinance should be suspended during July, August, and September. It would be a great hardship to have to pay for water during the rainy season when the water was overflowing the reservoirs.
The Active ATTORNEY-GENERA. pointed out that the colony had been put to considerable expense by its water supply, and during a qu›r- tor of the year the Government would be darising absolutely uo bauefit from the maintenace of the works.
The suggestion fell through and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
THE BUILDING ORDINANCE. The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Building Ordinance Amond- ment Bill, and explained that two swations of the old Ordinance which overlapped were thrown to- gether, and say contravention of the Ordinance would render the offender liable to a fine pot exceeding $160.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS seconded. Bill read a second time and th Council went into committee.
Hon. A. McC NACHI moved that after the words the Building Ordiusacs, 1889," the fol lowing be inserted -" In the evout of the in- formation contained in such notice being proved to be materially incorrect, the person signing the same shall be notified to that effect by the Director of Pablic Works, and if, after stated reasonable time, the information contained in this notice is still found to be incorrect he shall be liable," &c. As the Bill stood at present, the Director of Public Works could, without any notice whatever. suminen anyone offending! against this Bill and he thought it was only just and reasonable that notion should be served upon them, so that an opportunity would be given of correcting errors and that they might not be summoned before the Police Magistrate. He referred to the by-laws in Leeds and Bir- mingham, where it was provided that notice should be first served and a reasonable time al- lowed for the correction of information lodged with the authorities.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS said the no- ticas Mr. MoConachio referred to, which wore given here just the same as in England, in oer. Here par- tain cases, did not apply in this case. ties were required to give certain definite in- formation-those parties who were perfectly able and in fact were the only persons who could give the information without a considerable amount of trouble. Should it be given incorrect- ly, it appeared to him on the faos of it that He could it was given purposely incorrect. aot conceive of
the any
giving information incorrectly in this relation, and he did not think it would ever be necessary to en force the latter part of the section, but under the circumstances he regretted he was unable to accept the sinendment of the bon. member.
Hon. C. P. CHATER seconded the amend- ment It was only right and fair that before a person was summoned to the Court he should be informed by notice that the information lodged was incorrect.
Hen. £. R. BELILIOS supported.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Said he could not conceive of any owner in this colony filling up the form incorrectly. If it was a mere clerical error, of course the attention of the party would be called to it as ours.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL pointed out that the words "materially incorrect" had been inserted in the section under discussion.
Hon. C. P. CHATER said this was a matter that had been brought to the notice, of the hon. member who represented the Chamber of Commerce by the architects and engineers who were practising here and who would, in the majority of instances, be the responsible people, the owners having handed over the buildings to tbem. He hoped the Government would re- consider the proposal before patting it to the members present.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS said that any architect andertaking this duty had to see that the owner of property supplied him with
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the information required, and he did not why any public officer should have to go down to the Land Office and look up documents to verify the information supplied by the duly authorised and paid officers of the owners.
Hon. A. McCONACHIE said an accidental mis- take might ovour.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS said that accidents would not apply and he repudiited the insinuation that the present Director of Public Works or anyone who might fill that position would take advantage of a mistake to take parties before the Police Magistrate.
Hon. E. R. BELILIO said that architects would doubtless be competent enough to know whether they were trenching upon the law, bat. there were many people in Hongkong who superintended their own buildings without the aid of architects and they might from inexperi- ones commit mistakes for which they might be found fault with.
The following division was taken For the Amendment Mosses. McConachie, Belilios, Ho Kai. Keswick, and Chater (3, against the Har- bour Master, Director of Public Works. Colonial Treasurer, Acting Attorney-General, Colonial Secretary aud Registrar-General, His Ex- cellency the Governor (6).
The amendment was therefore lost.. Council resumed, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
AL JOURNMENT.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I do not propose to pro. ceed with the Ordinance for the regulation of private vehicles to-day. The Council adjourns natil Thursday next at 3.30.
vid,
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then
The Colonial Secretary presided, The CHAIRMAN-The only minute I bave to bring before you is one in which the Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of $3.000 for certain additious to the sheep and swine depots, recommended by the Sanitary Board.
The vote was agreed to.
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