652987-1891-Legislative-Council-No-10-22nd-May — Page 3

C.8.0.

650 of 1891.

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 6TH JUNE, 1891.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

453

The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Nine hundred and Eighty Dollars, ($980), as a compassionate allowance to the widow and daughters of the late Mr. F. V. RIBEIRO, Clerk in the Audit Office, in consideration of her husband's twenty-one years' service.

Government House, Hongkong, 25th March, 1891.

The Acting Colonial Secretary moved that these Minutes be referred to the Finance Committee. The Colonial Treasurer seoonded.

Question-put and agreed to.

A Petition from the Stock and Share Brokers Association was presented by the Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD and read to the Council praying for the postponement of the second reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Law in respect of the sale of Shares in Companies registered under the Companies Ordinances 1865 to 1886 and other Joint Stock Companies.

The Honourable P. RYRIE laid on the table the following protest against the payment of the noiety of the Military Contribution for 1890, on the 21st of February last:-

Whereas at a meeting of this Honourable Council held on the 26th day of March 1890 past, a vote was taken for the payment out of the Colonial Treasury to the Military chest of a sum of Twenty thousand Pounds Sterling (£20,000), or its equivalent in dollars, as ad- ditional Military Contribution for and in respect of the year 1890;

And Whereas no portion of the monies voted was disbursed during the year ending the 31st December last ;

And Whereas for the payment out of such monies or any portion thereof after the said 31st day of December a Vote or Revote by this Council was requisite and His Excellency the Governor had no authority, except perhaps, in a case of extreme necessity to issue his warrant for, or in any way authorise such payment without such Revote;

And Whereas at the meeting of Council held on the 30th day of April last His Excel- lency the Governor, Sir GEORGE WILLIAM DES Vœux, in his place in Council, stated in reply. to a question that he had on the 21st February last on his own responsibility and without the authority of this Council by his Warrant, directed payment out of the Colonial Treasury of this said sum of Twenty thousand Pounds Sterling, additional Military Contribution in respect of the year 1890;

And Whereas it has not been shown to this Council that any adequate or any urgent necessity existed for the payment of the said monies on that date without the authority of this Council, and no sufficient reason has been assigned or explanation given for not calling together this Council and obtaining a Revote of the Money;---

Now therefore, we the undersigned Unofficial Members of Council, in our places in Council, as the Representatives of the public interest and as the lawfully constituted Guar- dians of the public purse, and for the preservation of the rights of this Honourable Council, solemnly protest against the action of His Excellency the Governor in issuing his warrant, without the authority of this Council, for the payment of the said sum of Twenty thousand Pounds Sterling, additional Military Contribution and against the payment of the said monies.

We have further most earnestly to protest against the action of His Excellency the Governor in concealing from this Council until its meeting on the 30th April last, and until a question had been put on the subject, the fact that this money had been paid, on his autho- rity, on the 21st of February last; in laying on the Council table, on the 25th February last, a Minute recommending the Revote of the Council, of this additional Military Contribution for 1890, the Minute being silent as to the payment of the money; in permitting this Council to discuss, in Finance Committee on the 25th February, and in full Council on the 5th and 19th March in his own presence, the question whether this money should or should not be revoted, the Council being deliberately left in ignorance of the fact that the money had already, on the 21st February, been paid out of the Colonial Treasury, and that it was beyond recall.

We pray that this our Protest may be recorded on the Minutes of this Council and may be forwarded to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Legislative Council Chamber,

Hongkong, 7th May, 1891.

P. RYRIE. HO KAI.

T. H. WHITEHEAD.