630118-1899-L-C-Minutes-No-9 — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 5TH AUGUST, 1899.

2. Will the Government lay upon the table a statement of the total expenditure payable out of the Colonial Treasury in connection with the preparations for and the occupation of the Colony's new territory leased by China to Great Britain per the Convention of 30th June, 1898? 3. What steps have the Government taken to bring the Police Force up to its full strength as authorised by Ordinance, and are the Government prepred to introduce an Ordinance sanctioning the increase of the force to a strength sufficient for the adequate policing of the Colony's new territory?

4. Will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the correspondence which passed between the British Government and the Imperial Government of China and the Colonial Government on the subject of the arrangements to be made in accordance with the Convention of 20th June, 1898, for the better protection of the Chinese revenue from loss by the smuggling of opium from Hongkong into China?

5. Åre the Government prepared to introduce a Bill to amend the Women and Girls' Protection Ordinance on similar lines, so far as circumstances permit, to those embodied in an “Ordinance to amend the Women and Girls' Protection Ordinance, 1896," read a first time in the Singapore Legislative Council on Tuesday, 13th instant- the outcome of corres pondence between the Straits Government, the Straits Settlements Association and the Secretary of State for the Colonies; and if not, will the Government inform the Council of the cause of the delay?

The Acting Attorney General replied.

QUESTIONS. Mr. BELILIOS, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions

1. Will the Government state whether or not there has been any change, improvement, or progress in the mode of treatment of the plague patients in the Colonial Hospitals since the disease appeared in epidemic form in 1894?

2. As the proportion of deaths to cases is larger here than in India, where considerable progress in treating the disease has been made, why has not constant (say, weekly) communication been opened with the Indian Government for the purpose of securing the latest information as to treatment of patients?

3. If no such communication has been attempted, will the Government take steps to secure it

without further delay?

4. Does the Government supply the Medical Staff at the Hospitals with all the necessary instru- ments (such as microscopes, &c.) for the purpose of diagnosing cases when first presented? If not, will the Government take steps to procure all the needful appliances for the conduct of medical investigations without delay?

The Acting Attorney General replied.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF WONG PING LAM, alias WONG Ü KAI.-The Acting Attorney General moved the first reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE PIERS ORDINANCE, 1899.-The Acting Attorney General addressed the Council and stated that he did not intend to proceed with the second reading of the Bill at that meeting. BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF TS'OoI YEUK-SHÁN.—The Acting Attorney General moved the second reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Council in Committee on the Bill.

Mr. WHITEHEAD addressed the Council.

Council resumed.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Acting Attorney General moved the third reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed.