61179-1919-Legislative-Council-Minutes-No-2 — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, MARCH 7, 1919. 111

QUESTIONS.--Mr. HOLYOAK, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions:-

(1) With reference to the following Resolution unanimously passed at a crowded Public Meeting

in the Theatre Royal on the 7th November last :

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"That the Government be asked to appoint a Commission to enquire into the Housing

Problem and transit questions in connection with the same.”

and submitted to the Government in a covering letter from the Constitutional Reform Association on the 8th November to which the Government replied on the 15th November

that

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the Resolution quoted therein will be laid before His Excellency the Governor on

his return to the Colony'

in view of the resignation of His Excellency Sir Henry May will the Government state what measures it now proposes to take to give prompt effect to the wishes of the Colony? (2) With reference to the following telegrams despatched by Reuter's Agent to Reuter's head office

in London

on the 8th November :---

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Large Public Meeting resolved unanimously that Germans deported from the

CC

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CL

Colony to Australia should at the conclusion of the War not be permitted to

return to Hongkong or China but be repatriated to Germany. The Meeting

re-affirmed the unaltered conviction that no German subject be allowed to reside in the Colony or trade here for a period of years."

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on the 9th January :-

At a Public Meeting it was unanimously resolved to telegraph the Secretary of State for the Colonies asking for reform in the Constitution of the Legislative Council to secure the inercase from 6 to 9 of unofficial members thus giving a majority of the unofficial.”

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Will the Government state whether these telegrams were suppressed or not by the Cable Censor,

under instruction from the Government, and if so why?

(3) Will the Government state when the censorship of commercial, private and press telegrams is

likely to cease?

(4) Will the Government take steps to urge the Admiralty to include Hongkong in the tour of the Grand Fleet which it has been announced will be sent to Australia, New Zealand, and India?

(5) Will the Government take steps to secure for Hongkong, as public War Souvenirs, some of the

Guns captured from the Germans ?

(6) What was the date of the last Census and when does the Government propose to take the next

one?

The Colonial Secretary replied.

NON-FERROUS METAL INDUSTRY BILL.-The Attorney General moved the First reading of a Bill intituled An Ordinance to restrict temporarily the persons who may engage in business connected with certain non-ferrous metals and metallic ores.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

BANKING BUSINESS (PROHIBITED CONTROL) BILL.-The Attorney General moved the First reading of a Bill intituled An Ordinance to prohibit the carrying on of banking business for the benefit of or under the control of certain persons.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

SUMMARY OFFENCES BILL.-The Attorney General moved the First reading of a Bill intituled An Ordinance to amend the Summary Offences Amendment Ordinance, 1918.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time.