C. O
137
Enclosure 7.
23273
Extract from the "Hongkong Daily Press" of 17th May, 1907.
TUN RICELLENOY'S ADDRESS,
HIS EXCELLENCY-Honourable Members of the Legislative Council :--I have asked you to meet to-day in order to begin a short session in which with your assistance I hope to dispose of some outstanding business and legislation. The Financial Minutes that will be laid will be explained to you in the Finance Committee by the Colonial Secretary. Among the Bills that appear on the Orders of the Day is the Supplementary Appropriation. The only item in the Estimates for last year shewing an excess of expenditure is Miscellaneous Services, due to the sale of a large quantity of Subsidiary Coin sent home last year to be sold. Among the Papers to be laid on the Table are the Financial Returns for the year 1906 which show a surplus of $202,400 on the working for the year, and an excess of assets over liabilities on the 31st of December of $652,236, not including arrears of Revenue and over-payments amounting to $147,260.65, making a total excess of assets of nearly $800,000. Those figures show a satisfactory financial condition. (Applause.) In addition we have had a large windfall this year in the shape of the probate duty amounting to over $260,000 on the Estate of the late Sir Robert Jardine, whose name has been long and honourably connected with the history of this Colony. (Applause.) This sum enables us without any difficulty to provide at once the Government's contribution to the Typhoon Relief Fund. That contribution will be devoted to the construction of a new Typhoon Shelter. Thus what we gain by the demise of an old and justly respected colonist we are not inappropriately devoting to the benefit of the shipping of the Colony in building up whose prosperity his enterprise and ability had a very large share. (Applause)
Among the Reports to be laid is that of the Commission which was appointed in May last to enquire into the administration of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance and into the existence of corruption on the part of the officials entrusted with the administration of the Ordinance. The Report together with a minute on it by myself, in the capacity of Colonial Secretary before the departure of the Governor, which is not as full as I could have wished as it had to be prepared at short notice before the Governor's departure, is laid at this the first Meeting of the Legislative Council at the express wish of Sir Matthew Nathan, and his direction was that I should print with the report as much of the evidence, which is extremely voluminous, as would render the report intelligible. I intended to print the whole of the evidence of the European and other principal witnesses, but this would have delayed the report another two months. I have therefore only had printed as much of the evidence as is specifically referred to in the marginal notes of the report, and in two cases in the minutes upon it.
But a typed copy of the evidence of the more important of the witnesses on the point principally of the administration of the Ordinance is laid on the table and can be consulted by Members or by the Public in this room, but must not be removed therefrom. The whole evidence, to give you an idea of the voluminousness of it, and the work entailed, is contained in those nine volumes. Gentlemen, this is not the time for me to offer comment in detail on the report. While open to no little criticism on many points, its recommendations are receiving the most serious consideration of the Government. The most valuable part of the work done by the Commissioners, is in laying bare a very wide-spread corruption among the subordinate officials of the Sanitary Department. The evidence furnished by the Commissioners has already resulted in the dismissal of a number of Officers, many of them English Sanitary Inspectors in enjoyment of very good salaries, while the cases of others are still under investigation. It is humiliating to read of Englishmen in the position of these men being utterly devoid of all self-respect and lost to a sense of honour as to allow themselves to sink into such a life of dishonesty as is evidenced in the report. Their conduct, gentlemen, drags the name of Englishman, of which every Englishman ought to be proud, into the mire, and tarnishes the national honour. On the other hand the conduct of a certain section of the Chinese population in offering and even pressing filthy bribes on men who in many instances never even asked for them is most reprehensible. We take trouble and spend money in teaching the principles of hygiene in our schools. I am taking steps to have the rising Chinese generation in Government Schools at any rate taught that it is as wicked to give as to receive a bribe. (Applause.) Gentlemen: The thanks of this Honourable Council and of the Community at large are due to the Commissioners, and more especially to the Chairman of the Commission, for the enormous labour they have devoted to the work they have now accomplished and it is my earnest hope that improvement in the administration of the Sanitary Laws and a more healthy tone in the subordinate branches of the Department may follow on their investigation. (Applause.)
1 JUL 07
C. O
137
Enclosure 7.
23273
Extract from the "Hongkong Daily Press" of 17th May, 1907.
TUN RICELLENOY'S ADDRESS, HIS EXCELLENCY-Honourable Members of the Legislative Conacil :--I have asked you to must to-day in order to begin a short session in which with your assistance I hope to dispose of some outstanding business and legislation. The Financial Minutes that will be laid will be es plained to you in the Finance Committee by the Colonial Secretary. Among the Bills that appear on the Orders of the Day is the Supple. mentary Appropriation. The only item in the Estimates for last year shewing an excess of exponditare is Miscellaneous Services, due to the law of a large quantity of Subsidiary Coin gent home last year to be sold. Among the Papers to be laid on the Table are the Financial Returns for the year 1906 which show a surplus of $202,400 on the working for the year, and pr excess of assets over liabilities on the 31st of December of $652,236, aof including arrears of Revenue and over-payments amounting to $147,260.65, making a total arcess of assets of nearly $800,000. Those figures show a satis- factory financial condition. (Applause.) In addition we have had a large windfall this year in the shape of the probate duty amounting to over $260,000 on the Estate of the late Sir Robert Jardine, whose name has been long and honourably connected with the history of this Colony. (Applause.) This sum enables us with - out any difficulty to provide at once
the Government's contribution to the Typhoon Belief Fund. That contribution will be devoted to the construction of a new Typhoon Shalter. Thus what we gain by the demise of an old and justly respected colonist we are not inappropriately devoting to the benefit of the shipping of the Colony in building up whose prosperity his enterprise and ability hail a very large share. (Applause) Among the Reports to be laid is that of the Commission which was appointed in May last to enquire into the administration of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance and into the existence of corruption ou
the part of the officials entrusted with the administra- tion of the Ordinance. The Report together with a minute on it by myself, in the capacity of Colonial Secretary before the departure of the Governor, which is not as full as I could bare wished as it had to be prepared at short notice before the Governor's departure, is laid at this the first Meeting of the Legisia- tive Council at the express wish of Sir Matthew Nathan, and his direction was that I should print with the report as much of the evidence, which is extremely voluminons, as would render the report intelligible. I intended to print the
घ
1 JUL 07
whole of the evidence of the European and other principal witnesses, but this would have delayed the report auother two months. I have therofore only had printed as much of the evidence is specifically referred to in the marginal notes of the report, and in two cases in the minutes apon it.
But a typed copy of the evidence of the more important of the witnesses on the point principally of the administration of the Ordinance is laid on the table and can be consulted by Members or by the Public in this room, but must not be removed therefrom. The whole ovidence, to give you an idea of the voluminousness of it, and the work autailed, is contained in those nine volumes. Gentlemen, this is not the time for me to offer comment in detail on the report. While open to no little criticism on many points, its recom- mendations are receiving the most serious consideration of the Government. The most valuable part of the work done by the Commis- sioners, is in laying bare a very wide-spread corruption among the subordinate officials of the Sanitary Department. The evidence furnished by the Commissioners has already resulted in the dismissal of a number of Officers, many of them English Sanitary Inspectors in enjoyment of very good salaries, while the cages of others are still under in- i vestigation. It is humiliating to read of Englishmen in the position of these men BY utterly devoid of all self respect and lost to a sense of honour as to allow them- selves to sink into such a life of dishonesty as is evidenced in the report. Their conduct, gentlemen, drags the name of Englishman of which every Englishman ought to be proud, into the mire, and tarnishes the national honour. On the other haud the conduct of a certain section of the Chinese population in offering and even pressing filthy bribes on men who in many instauoes never even asked for them is most reprehensible. We take trouble and spond money in teaching the principles of hygiene ja our schools. I am taking steps to hure the rising Chinese generation in Government Schools at any rate taught that it is as wicked to give as to receive a bribe, Applause.) Gentle. men: The thanks of this Honourable Council and of the Community at large are due to the Commissioners, and more especially to the Chair- man of the Commission. for the enormous labour they have devoted to the work they have now accomplished and it is my earnest hope that improvement in the administration of the Sanitary Laws and a more healthy tone in the subordinate branches of the Departament way follow on their investigation. (Applause.)
?
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.