628774-1899-Draft-Bills-proposed-to-be-introduced-into-the-Legislative-Council--Hongkong-Extension-Exemption-Local-Communities-New-Territories-Regulation — Page 9

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8TH APRIL, 1899.

6. This Ordinance shall remain in force for a period of Duration of one year from the date of its coming into operation and for Ordinance. such further period or periods as may from time to time be determined by resolution of the Legislative Council.

Objects and Reasons.

The object of this Bill is to confer temporarily power upon the Executive Council of this Colony of making Rules for the collection of revenue from the new territories which have recently been added to this Colony.

This measure is introduced as a temporary expedient in order to remove the difficulties which must necessarily be experienced in dealing with certain sources of revenue which are new to this Colony, and in order to obviate the necessity for, and the delays which would be occasioned by, passing numerous Ordinances and amending Ordinances through the Legislative Council.

HENRY E. POLLOCK,

Acting Attorney General,

531

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 204.

The following Extracts from Papers relating to the Extension of the Colony of Hongkong are published for general information.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 8th April, 1899.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.

HONGKONG.

(Secretary of State to Governor.)

DOWNING STREET,

6th January, 1899.

Governor,

Sir,

I am now in a position to communicate to you the views of Her Majesty's Government as to the future administration of the territory which, under the Con- vention between the United Kingdom and China of the 9th June last, has been added to the Colony of Hongkong, and to convey to you their instructions as to the steps to be taken for its formal occupation in the name of Her Majesty the QUEEN.

2. I have in the first place to enclose an Order of Her Majesty in Council dated the 20th October last and declaring the territories within the limits and for the term described in the above Convention to be part and parcel of the Colony of Hongkong. You will cause this Order in Council, which has not at present been made public, to be published in the Colony at as early a date as possible.

3. You have already become acquainted with the general aspects of the ques- tions involved in the transfer of this territory, and it is unnecessary therefore that I should here dwell upon them at any length. There are three points which Her Majesty's Government have regarded as of special importance in the preliminary stages of the negotiations. They relate to Kowloon city, the northern boundary of the leased territory, and the collection of the Chinese duties on opium.

4. The questions of the civil administration of Kowloon city and of the extension of the northern frontier so as to include the town of Sham Chun will require no immediate action on your part pending negotiations with the Chinese Government, but-while such negotiations are pending-no time should be lost in giving attention to the third question, that of the prevention of smuggling into

Sir H. A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.,

&c., &c., &c.