704567-1870-VOTES-AND-PROCEEDINGS-OF-THE-LEGISLATIVE-COUNCIL-OF-HONGKONG-No-2-OF-1870-WEDNESDAY-30TH-MARCH-1870- — Page 1

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AFWEEN WAS THEM INHE

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 16TH APRIL, 1870.

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.

No. 2 or 1870.

WEDNESDAY, 30TH MARCII, 1870.

PRESENT:

His Excellency Governor SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B.

The Honorable the Chief Justice, (JOHN SMALE.)

The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, (JOIN GARDINER AUSTIN.)

The Honorable the Attorney General, (JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.)

The Honorable the Colonial Treasurer, (FREDERICK H. A. FORTH.) The Honorable HUGN BOLD Gibb.

The Honorable PUINEAS RYRIE. The Honorable WILLIAM Keswick.

The Honorable RICHARD ROWETT.

ABSENT:

The Honorable the Auditor General, (WILLIAM H. RENNIE), absent on leave.

The Council meets this day at 3 P.M. by Special Suinmons.

The Minutes of the Council held on the 25th February last, are read and confirmed. The Bill for the Preservation of Birds is read a Second time, amended in Committee, and passed, bearing the Title of “An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the Advice of the Legislative Council thereof, for the Preservation of Birds,"-being "No. 1 of 1870."

The Bill to co-operate with the Chinese Authorities for the Suppression of Piracy is brought forward for the Second reading, and His Excellency states that this Bill had been introduced in pursuance of Instructions from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, which directed the re-enactment of Ordinance No. 2 of 1868, now expired. The Despatch (No. 148 of 14 September, 1869,) conveying the above Instructions, is then read and considered.--After which, the Bill is read a Second ime, committed, and passed, bearing the Title of "An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the Advice of the Legislative Council thereof, to enable the Governor to co-operate with the Chinese Authorities for the Suppression of Piracy,"-being "No. 2 of 1870." On the representation of the Attorney General, who states that upon further consultation with the Members of the Profession he is desirous to submit a more comprehensive measure which he has prepared on the subject of the Admission of Attornies, and the Chief Justice concurring, the Bill relating to the Admission of Attornies is withdrawn by order of His Excellency. The Bill for the Establishment of a Chinese Hospital is read a Second time, amended in Committee and passed, bearing the Title of "An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the Advice of the Legislative Council thereof, for establishing a Chinese Hospital to be supported by Voluntary Contributions, and for erecting the same into an Eleemosynary Corporation,"-being "No. 3 of 1870.".

His Excellency lays on the Table the Emigration Bill which was read a First time at a Meeting of the Council held on the 25th February last, together with Despatch No. 174 of 19th October, 1869, from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, respecting further Legislation on the sub- ject. His Excellency then fully explains to the Council the future Policy of Her Majesty's Government as to Emigration from Hongkong, which the Bill is intended to carry out.

Discussion follows-

After which, the Bill is read a Second time, amended in Committee, and passed, bearing the Title of "An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Ilongkong, with the Advice of the Legis· lative Council thereof, to make further Regulations respecting Chinese Passenger Ships,"-being

'No. 4 of 1870.”

"

His Excellency then lays on the Table the Annual Report for 1869 from the Acting Captain Superin tendent of Police, and calls attention at considerable length to the Statistics of Crime in the Colony, just completed, from 1865 to 1869, by which a great decrease in 1869, amounting 22.6 per cent, is evidenced in Serious Offences as compared with 1868, and 51 per cent as illu trated by Comparative Returns of the latter half of 1865, and the latter half of 1869. His Excellency concludes by stating that this Meeting of the Council may possibly, for some time af least, be the last over which he will be able to preside, as he is compelled by the state of hi healtlt to avail himself of the Leave of Absence to proceed to England, which had been accord to him by the Secretary of State, though if possible, he would return from Japan for a short period to assist in passing the Estimates for 1871, before finally leaving for Europe.