1868-02-21 — Page 1

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG. No. 1 OF 1868.

THURSDAY, 21ST FEBRUARY, 1868.

PRESENT:

His Excellency Governor SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B. The Honorable the Chief Justice (JOHN SMALE.)

The Honorable the Acting Colonial Secretary (CECIL C. SMITH.)

The Honorable the Acting Attorney General (HENRY JOHN BALL.) The Honorable PHINEAS RYRIE.

The Honorable WILLIAM KESWICK.

ABSENT:

The Honorable the Auditor General (W. H. RENNIE), absent with leave. The Honorable FRANCIS PARRY.

The Council meets this day at 3 P.M. by special Summons.

His Excellency the Governor administers to WILLIAM HASTINGS ALEXANDER, Esquire, Acting Colonial Treasurer, who is in attendance, the Oath of Office as a Provisional Member of this Council, and that Officer takes his Seat accordingly.

The Minutes of the Council held on the 5th December last, are read and confirmed.

The Jury List for the Year commencing on the 1st of March, 1868, is laid on the Table for Revision, and His Excellency invites Honorable Members to a consideration of the Names on the List which should be marked off as Special Jurors.

Whereupon, in the course of Revision, the Chief Justice explains the necessity for increasing the number of available Common Jurymen, and with that view proposes a Resolution, seconded by the Acting Attorney General, that all Brokers be removed from the Special Jury List, in order to strength the body of Common Jurors.

And on His Excellency putting the Question,—

Debate ensues.

Council divides—

Ayes (2.) Noes (5.)

The ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL. The CHIEF JUSTICE.

Question put, and negatived.

Mr. KESWICK.

Mr. RYRIE.

The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER. The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY. His Excellency The GOVERNOR.

The Revision of the List is then resumed and completed, 45 of the names in the said List being designated as "Special Jurors."

Consideration is next given to several Notices served upon the Registrar of the Supreme Court, as also to sundry Applications to the Acting Colonial Secretary; and these Notices and Applications having been dealt with by His Excellency and Council, the Jury List is amended, and finally agreed to.

His Excellency then adjourns the Council at half-past 4 o'clock.

RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL,

Governor. Read and confirmed, this 5th Day of May, 1868.

L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO,

Clerk of Councils.