1862-07-03 — Page 1

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.

NO. 8 OF 1862.

THURSDAY, 3RD JULY, 1862.

PRESENT:

His Excellency The GOVERNOR and all the Members, except Mr. PERCEVAL, absent at Shanghai.

The Council met to-day, pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the Council held on the 21st June, were read and approved.

The Bill, entitled "An Ordinance to apply a Sum not exceeding Four hundred and fifty-five thousand four hundred Dollars to the Public Service of the Year 1863," was read a second time;

And the Council went into Committee upon the Estimates for the said Year. The following Votes were then agreed to:—

CIVIL ESTABLISHMENTS:— $ c. The Governor, ................................................................... 240.00 Colonial Secretary, ............................................................ 5,820.00 Colonial Treasurer, ........................................................... 1,800.00 Auditor General, ............................................................... 7,120.00 Clerk of Councils, ............................................................. 72.00 Surveyor General, ............................................................. 8,660.00 Postmaster General, .......................................................... 13,080.00 Registrar General, ............................................................. 2,286.00 Harbour Master and Emigration Officer, .......................... 7,296.00 Police and Lighting Rate Collector, .................................. 3,420.00

JUDICIAL ESTABLISHMENT, ............................................. 6,190.00 ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT, .............................. 702.00 EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT, .................................. 7,448.00 MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT, ............................................. 11,726.00 POLICE MAGISTRATES, ...................................................... 4,182.00 POLICE, ................................................................................... 126,173.00 GAOLS, ................................................................................... 28,482.00 CHARITABLE ALLOWANCES, ........................................... 480.00 TRANSPORT, ......................................................................... 1,500.00 WORKS AND BUILDINGS, .................................................. 135,500.00 ROADS, STREETS, AND BRIDGES, ................................... 68,500.00 MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES, ........................................... 250.00 LAND AND HOUSES PURCHASED, ................................... 10,000.00 SPECIAL EXPENSES, &c., .................................................... 4,449.00 TOTAL, ......... $ 455,376.00

The appropriation Bill being in accordance with the above Votes, the Governor put the Question,—That this Bill do pass, and that the Title be "An Ordinance to

apply a Sum not exceeding Four hundred and fifty-five thousand four hundred Dollars to the Public Service of the Year 1863."

Question put and carried, the Ordinance being numbered "No. 11 of 1862."

The Bill "to alter the form in which Sentence of Death is passed" was read a second time;

And the Council went into Committee upon the said Bill.

Section 1 agreed to.

Preamble struck out.

Title amended and agreed to.

The Bill having gone through Committee, the Governor put the Question,—That this Bill do pass, and that the Title be "An Ordinance to amend the form in which Sentence of Death is passed."

Question put and carried, the Ordinance being numbered "No. 12 of 1862."

The Bill "to repeal Ordinance No. 12 of 1858" was brought forward for the second reading,—

And the Governor put the Question,—That this Bill, entitled "An Ordinance to repeal Ordinance No. 12 of 1858, entitled 'An Ordinance for Practitioners in Law,'" be read a second time.

Debate ensued.

Council divided.

Ayes (6.)

SURVEYOR GENERAL.

AUDITOR GENERAL.

COLONIAL TREASURER.

ATTORNEY GENERAL.

ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY. CHIEF JUSTICE.

Question carried.

The Bill was read a second time.

Noes (2.)

MR. MURRAY. MR. CHOMLEY.

And the Council went into Committee upon the said Bill.

Section 1 was amended, and agreed to.

Two new Sections were added, and ordered to stand as Sections 2 and 3. The Council having adopted the amendments made in Committee,

The Governor put the Question,—That this Bill, as amended, do pass, and that the Title be "An Ordinance to repeal Ordinance No. 12 of 1858, entitled 'An Ordinance for Practitioners in Law.'"

Question put and carried, the Ordinance being numbered "No. 13 of 1862." The Bill "for granting Patents for Inventions" was read a second time, And the Council went into Committee upon the said Bill.

Sections 1 and 2 were amended, and agreed to.

Sections 3 to 5 inclusive, agreed to.

Schedules A and B agreed to.

Preamble agreed to.

The Bill having gone through Committee, the Governor put the Question,—That this Bill do pass, and that the Title be "An Ordinance for granting Patents for Inventions within this Colony."

Question put and carried, the Ordinance being numbered "No. 14 of 1862."

Leave to address the Council being obtained, it was moved by the Chief Justice, seconded by Mr. Chomley, and carried unanimously,—

That the following be entered as a Minute on the Proceedings of the day, and signed by as many Members of Council as may desire to do so.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY

SIR HERCULES GEORGE ROBERT ROBINSON,

Governor of Hongkong.

We, the undersigned, Members of the Legislative Council of Hongkong, beg leave to assure Your Excellency, on the eve of your departure for Europe, of the high respect and esteem with which we regard Your Excellency, and of our earnest hope that you may enjoy a safe and pleasant voyage.

In the three years during which Your Excellency has been Governor of Hongkong, the Colony has advanced rapidly in wealth and population—public works of great importance have been commenced and carried on—extensive changes, having for their object the security and welfare of the inhabitants generally, have been made in our laws and institutions—and all these things have been done without pecuniary aid from the Home Government. The Finances of the Colony are in a sound and prosperous condition, notwithstanding the greatly increased expenditure, and the various departments of the Government all work harmoniously together.

We earnestly hope that Your Excellency will derive renewed health and strength from your temporary sojourn in Europe, and we venture to assure Your Excellency that it will afford us great pleasure, whilst we now wish you "God speed" on your departure, to meet Your Excellency again in this Council Chamber, there to renew those relations which have existed between us for a period of very nearly three years, to the advantage, we trust, of the community of this Island.

The Governor replied in the following terms:

GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

I thank you most sincerely for this expression of your kind feelings upon my approaching departure, and for the gratifying assurance you convey to me of your respect and esteem.

The last three years have indeed, as you observe, been marked by the rapid growth of the Colony in wealth and population and by a corresponding increase in all the sources of revenue. These altered circumstances have called for, and at the same time supplied the means of carrying out, those public undertakings and measures to which you have referred, and whatever good may result from them I shall attribute it to the advice and assistance I have at all times received from you, and to the action of a united Legislature.

Although for a short time removed from personal intercourse with you I shall continue to watch over your progress with unabated anxiety—fervently praying that the blessing of the Almighty may direct your Councils and prosper your efforts to secure the permanent welfare of the Colony.

The Council then adjourned sine die.

W. T. MERCER,

Acting Governor.

Read and approved this 17th Day of December, 1862.

L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO,

Clerk of Councils.