644479-1894-Legislative-Council-No-3 — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14TH APRIL, 1894.

NOTICE OF MOTION.-Mr. WHITEHEAD gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would move the following resolution :—

That in view of the fact that the present Opium Farm expires on the 28th February, 1895, and that tenders for the new farm must be sent in not later than 30th November, 1894, it is expedient that a Commission be appointed forthwith, with the amplest powers to investigate and report within four months on the working of the Farm in the past; the terms and conditions upon which and the time for which the new Farm, if any, is to be granted; the defects, if any, in the existing Opium Ordinances, and the amendments to be made therein with a view to the prevention of the smuggling of Opium, raw or prepared, from the Colony, in breach of our Treaties and engagements with the Government of China, and to the protection from risk of forfeiture and fine, through the operations of smugglers, of ships and-steamers trading from this port to China and Cochin-China; and with a view to the prevention of the annoyances and indignities inflicted upon Chinese residents and travellers by the perquisitions of the officers of excise appointed by the Farmer under Ordinance.

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

REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.

Will the Honourable the Registrar General inform the Council whether he concurs in the recommendations made by Mr. A. M. Thomson in the last paragraphs of the Acting Registrar General's Report for 1893, laid before the Legislative Council at its last meeting, in favour of retrenchment in the Registrar General's Department, amounting to close upon $5,000 per annum, and if so, has he at any time called the attention of the Government to the propriety of effecting such an annual saving, and if so, where, and when, and if not, why not?

NEW DRAINAGE SEPARATE SYSTEM.

Will the Government furnish the Council with a return shewing—

(1) The extent to which the new drainage scheme on the separate system as designed

by Mr. Osbert Chadwick, C.M.G., has been carried out,

(2) The departures, if any, from Mr. Chadwick's designs,

(3) The total amount of moneys expended on the new scheme up to 31st December

1893,

(4) The quantity of work remaining to be done,

(5) The estimated cost of completing the same,

(6) The cost of the deep sewer, commencing at the Murray Barracks Nullah, running down Arsenal Street, and along the Praya to its outfall about Fenwick's Yard, and (7) What amount of the cost of this deep sewer, running through and draining pro- perty, nearly one half of which belongs to the Imperial Government, has been paid or will be refunded by the Military Authorities,

and further, will the Government state whether in the opinion of the responsible authorities the separate system has worked satisfactorily up to date, and if not, what are the reasons for its failure, and the remedial measures, if any, it is proposed to adopt.

HONGKONG Post Office.

Will the Government lay upon the table a statement shewing the gross income, and the gross expenditure of the Post Office for the years 1890, 1891, 1892 and 1893, separately, and any liability still outstanding connected with those years, also separately,

POST OFFICE, TREASURY, COURT HOUSE, LAND OFFICE, &C.

Will Government procure and lay upon the table an estimate of what money these premises would probably realise if exposed to auction, and what would be the probable cost of erecting a suitable Post Office, and Court House, including a Land Office, &c., on Government ground on the new Praya Reclamation.

OPIUM ORDINANCES.

Will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the Petition, dated 12th December, 1893, to The Right Honourable The Marquis of Ripon, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, from the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steam-boat Company, Limited, and the China Steam Navigation Company, Limited, praying for Government assistance in their efforts to suppress smuggling on board their steam-ships by causing such amendments to be made in the Hongkong law as may be thought necessary and effectual, &c., Sc., and a copy of any reply which may have been received thereto.