687364-1879-Publishing-papers-respecting-Revenue-from-Houses-of-ill-fame- — Page 1

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No. 232.

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 19TH NOVEMBER, 1879. 693

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Papers respecting the Revenue from Houses of ill fame, have been laid before the Legislative Council.

By Command,

W. H. MARSH,

Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 18th November, 1879.

The Right Honourable Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bart., M.P., to His Excellency Governor Pope Hennessy, C.M.G.

HONGKONG, No. 24.

DOWNING STREET,

13th April, 1878.

SIR,I have the honour to inform you that a question of which I enclose a copy has been asked in the House of Commons as to the Revenue derived under Ordinance No. 10 of 1867, from houses of ill fame in the Colony under your Government.

It has been alleged that the balance of the fund now in hand amounts to $50,000, and though I can scarcely think that such is the case, I should wish to have full information on the subject.

If therefore this point has not already been dealt with by the Commission, I request that you will either invite them to include in their report a statement of the condition of any fund that has been formed under the 66th Section of the Ordinance, together with any recommendation on the subject that they may think proper to make; or that you will obtain this information from the records of the Treasury and report to me at an early date the result of your enquiry.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

M. E. HICKS-BEACH.

To

Governor HENNESSY, C.M.G.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

Extract from the Order Book of the House of Commons.

SIR HARCOURT JOHNSTONE.-To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether his attention. has been directed to a recent outrage committed under the regulations of the Chief Inspector of Police at Hongkong, which is now forming the subject of inquiry by a Commission appointed by the Governor :

*

And, if he will cause special investigation to be made as to the manner in which the Revenue derived from licensing houses of ill fame is raised and expended for the Service of the Colony.

(Thursday, 4th April.)

His Excellency Governor Pope Hennessy, C.M.G., to The Right Honourable Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bart., M.P.

No. 54.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 1st July, 1878.

SIR,-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 24, of the 13th of April, enclosing a copy of a question asked by Sir HARCOURT JOHNSTONE in the House of Commons as to the revenue derived from houses of ill fame in the Colony under my Government.

2. I transmitted a copy of the despatch to the Commission on the Contagious Deseases Ordinance, and I also communicated with the head of the departments concerned, that is the Treasury and the Registrar General's department.

3. I found that the fund to which the second and third paragraphs of your despatch refer, has not been in existence for many years. The section of the Ordinance No. 10 of 1867 mentioned in the