636673-1897-Legislative-Council-Minutes-No-7 — Page 3

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 28TH AUGUST, 1897.

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

With reference to the Report of the Retrenchment Commission will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the despatches and instructions received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies in relation thereto, and in connection with applications in respect of salaries similar to those recently referred by His Excellency the Governor to a Committee?

Will the Government lay upon the table a return shewing all sterling payments made in England for any purpose or in the Colony on a gold basis with the equivalent dollar amounts dis- bursed by the Treasury in respect thereof, such return to commence with 1890 and to include the estimated payments for 1897 and 1898?

What steps do the Government now propose to take with a view to the speedy disposal of the Crown land available at Taipingshan and what were the causes of the failure of the Govern- ment to obtain a bid for any lot at the recent sale by public auction?

Will the Government lay upon the table a detailed statement or account of the loan of £200,000 ruised in 1887, shewing separately in sterling and in dollars all receipts and all payments in connection with or in respect of the principal, interest, and sinking fund, with the dates and the rates of exchange at which each item was converted from sterling into dollars or vice versâ, in short, a detailed account shewing how much interest per cent. per annum the rate- payers have paid for the loan in question, and a similar account to date in respect of the last loan of £200,000 floated in 1894, shewing in addition what amount thereof is still available, if any, how and in what way the monies have been expended, and what are the available assets in respect of sail disbursements? The statement to shew in what securities the sinking fund has been invested, the cost thereof in sterling and in dollars, the annual revenue derived therefrom and the present market value of the securities.

Will the Government direct the Medical Officer of Health to report:-(1.) Upon all cases of typhoid fever which have occurred in the Colony during the last 12 months; and (2.) Äs to whether or not he has instituted any enquiry into the history of these cases, adding thereto the causes which have led to the recent greater prevalence of this disease in the Colony, und with what results?

The Colonial Secretary replied and laid on the table the various statements and a Report of the Medical Officer of Health asked for by the Honourable Member.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO FURTHER AMEND THE PREPARED OPIUM ORDINANCE, 1891.- The Attorney General moved the first reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE No. 28 of 1895.—The Colonial Treasurer moved the first reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF HO MUI SZ ALIAS HO LIN SHING.- The Attorney General moved the first reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time..

ADJOURNMENT.The Council then adjourned till Thursday, the 26th August, 1897, at 3 P.M.

Read and confirmed this 26th day of August, 1897.

J. G. T. BUCKLE,

Clerk of Councils.

WILLIAM ROBINSON,

Governor.