658072-1889-Legislative-Council-No-8-22nd-March — Page 4

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30TH MARCH, 1889.

Anticipating as certain the approval of the Council to the prosecution of the scheme, whatever the form in which this Ordinance may finally pass, the Governor has already appointed an Engineer who will, under the supervision of the Surveyor General, devote himself exclusively to the reclamation, and will submit at once for consideration his view as to the staff which will be required in order to begin and prosecute the works with all possible speed.

With a view to cause as little obstruction as possible to the trade of the Port, it is proposed that only two, or at the most three of the seven sections of the reclamation shall be taken in hand at a time; and it is probable that a commencement will be made on those at the two extremes of the foreshore.

Before concluding the Governor deems it well to acknowledge thus publicly the service which has been rendered to the Colony by the Honourable C. P. CHATER, in initiating this great enterprise, and in assisting to bring about the arrangement under which it will be accomplished. It is also only right to mention in this place the Honourable J. M. PRICE, whose able reports on the project have secured its approval by the highest engineering authority in England and its sanction by the Secretary of State, and who has thus rendered not the least of the many valuable services, now unhappily come to a close, which will render his name ever memorable in this Colony.

It may moreover be noticed in this connection that the plans, also elaborated by Mr. PRICE, for the junction of the East and West Prayas were sent to England for the approval of Her Majesty's Government some two months ago. As the local Naval and Military authorities are now in entire agreement with the Civil Government on this subject, and as the Imperial Government is only asked to pay towards the cost, a sum less by several hundred thousand dollars than the value of the reclaimed land to be acquired by the War Department and the Admiralty, it may be hoped that this great work of improvement, now by the growth of the population become absolutely necessary, will also be very soon commenced, and that the negociations of the last twenty years, hitherto unhappily fruitless; will thus at length be brought to a satisfactory termination.

Should this prove to be the case the first, and most important, steps will have been taken towards the realization of the hope, which the Governor earnestly entertains, that before the close of his administration these two great works may be finished-works which in adding a new face to the Town throughout nearly three of the four miles of its length and affording increased opportunity for its expansion in three different directions, may be expected to give a very powerful impetus to the advancement of the Colony.

By Command,

Government House, Hongkong, 22nd March, 1889.

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

VOTE REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor :-

C.S.O.

633 of 1889.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Four hundred and Seventy-two 8472.58. Dollars and Fifty-eight Cents, as Personal Allowance to Mr. BRUCE SHEPHERD, Deputy Land

Officer, from the 18th March instant, at the rate of $600 per annum.

The expediency of this Vote will be explained in Finance Committee. Government House, Hongkong, 21st March, 1889.

The Colonial Secretary moved that this Vote be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

VOTE PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excel- lency the Governor, laid on the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee (No. 3), dated the 7th instant, and moved that the following Vote referred to therein be passed, viz. :—

EXCESS OF THE ESTIMATES FOR 1889.

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS. Miscellaneous Services.

C.S.0. 398 of 1889.

C. Compassionate allowance to the family of the late Mr. Ho TSUNG-CHI, Chinese Writer

in the Registrar General's Department,

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

.$ 120.00