THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 18TH OCTOBER, 1890.
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Honourable Members will recollect that during the course of the present year a Private Bill was introduced with the object of enabling the Hongkong Land Investment Company to transact business elsewhere than in this Colony, and to extend its powers of investments which under its present Articles of Association it is unable to do. The Ordinance passed through its different stages, but before my assent was given to it objections were raised against it and I was requested to submit the matter for the decision of the Secretary of State. This I did and the Secretary of State in reply forwarded copy of a Public Bill which was then passing through the Imperial Parliament on the subject, stating that he had no objection to a similar measure being passed here. The Ordinance which will be laid before you is therefore mutatis mutandis a copy of the English Act.
Bills to amend the Public Health Ordinance of 1887; to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Merchant Shipping, &c.; to amend the Opium Ordinances; to consolidate the Law relating to Chinese Passenger Ships and the conveyance of Chinese emigrants; to amend the Law relating to Bankruptcy; to amend our Laws in regard to Gambling and to provide against the Adulteration of Food are all in course of preparation and will be brought before you very shortly.
It will be remembered that at our last meeting previous to the recess a Bill was intro- duced by an Honourable Member to amend the Law respecting the sale of Shares in Companies registered under the Companies Ordinances. This measure is undoubtedly one of considerable importance and in order to save time it was proposed that I should, during the recess, send a copy of it to the Secretary of State for his consideration. I did so and so soon as I receive a reply I will inform the Council accordingly.
I have already mentioned to you, Gentlemen, my desire to find further space than exists in this Island for the interment of such Chinese who die here and whose relatives are not in a position to remove their remains for burial elsewhere. This, as is the case with most questions of difficulty and importance, requires some time for solution, but I have good reason to hope, although my original idea may not be carried out, that I shall soon be able to attain in some way the object I have in view.
The question of Gaol extension has not ceased to occupy my attention since we last met as I am fully convinced of the necessity of providing in some way or another, further prison accommodation. I have addressed the Secretary of State on the subject and although there are no doubt arguments in favour of building a new Prison which it would not have been right of me to have concealed from him I have expressed an opinion, in order to avoid so large an expenditure as would be involved in the erection of a new building, that the existing Gaol should be added to on its present site by the Magistracy being removed to a piece of ground which I believe has long been lying idle in the vicinity of the quarters occupied by the Captain Superintendent and Police Inspectors.
Until I hear what the Secretary of State's views are in the matter the question cannot be definitely settled. But in the meantime such a sum has been inserted in the Estimates as is likely to be required next year either for one work or the other. If the present Gaol is enlarged in the manner I have suggested, the cost, including the erection of a new Magistracy,* &c., is estimated at $170,000.
The correspondence which has taken place between the Secretary of State and myself respecting the increase of our Military Contribution will be laid on the table. To comment on it is unnecessary on my part. Honourable Members will see the views I expressed and the replies that have been received and they can judge for themselves in the matter.
The question of the Naval and Military Establishments being removed from the Town of Victoria is engaging the consideration of the home Authorities and I believe that before very long it will be ripe for a decision.
I may inform the Council that Lord KNUTSFORD has approved of the formation in this Colony of a Volunteer Machine Gun Corps and a Volunteer Mounted Rifle Corps as recom- mended by the Committee appointed to consider this question in 1889, and that the Maxim guns, the cost of which was voted in March last, have been ordered.
My attention was drawn some time ago to the fact that a certain amount of over-pressure existed in the Schools of this Island more especially as regards Chinese children. Honour- able Members will have observed that enquiry is now being made into this point. Whether over-pressure exists in the Schools or not the result of the investigation will probably show, but I may inform the Council that I discovered that the number of attendances required in the Aided Schools here was greater than that demanded in other Colonies. For this I could see no sufficient reason and I recommended to the Colonial Authorities that it should be reduced. To this proposal the Secretary of State has acceded and the same number of attendances will hereafter be required here as are required at the Schools in the Straits Settlements.
Papers will be submitted to you respecting a proposed reduction in Postage Rates with a view of obtaining a uniform postage for all the different Colonies and thus to do away with certain anomalies which now exist. The estimated loss to the Imperial Revenue, should the scheme be carried out, is about £105,000 a year and Her Majesty's Government desire to
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