VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISALTIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG. No. 9 OF 1879.
TUESDAY, 30TH DECEMBER, 1879.
PRESENT :
His Excellency Governor J. POPE HENNESSY, C.M.G.
The Honourable the Chief Justice (SIR JOHN SMALE).
The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (W. H. MARSH).
The Honourable the Acting Attorney General (J. RUSSELL).
The Honourable the Acting Colonial Treasurer (M. S. TONNOCHY). The Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE.
The Honourable WILLIAM KESWICK.
The Honourable J. M. PRICE.
ABSENT:
The Honourable H. B. GIBB, on leave of absence.
The Council meets this day at 2.30 P.M., by Special Summons. The Minutes of the previous Meeting of Council of the 9th December, are read and confirmed.
The Acting Attorney General draws attention to an error in the Minutes of the 22nd November, which had escaped his notice when they were being read for confirmation.
Instead of the words "upon the motion of the Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE seconded by the Honourable WILLIAM KESWICK" in connection with the second reading of the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Bill, there should have been the words "upon the motion of the Honourable the Acting Attorney General seconded by the Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE."
Upon the motion of His Excellency the Governor it is agreed that the Minutes be amended as suggested.
The Council resumes the consideration of the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Bill in Committee.
In Subsection 14 of Section XXXVIII of Chapter I of Part III, the Governor draws attention to the word "shall" in the last line of the Subsection, and statues that it is re-enacted advisedly from Ordinance 6 of 1866, and with the approval of the Secretary of State, whose despatch on the subject had been laid before the Select Committee of the Legislative Council, and with special conference to the prevention of smuggling when the smugglers deliberately violate the laws of Hongkong, the power remaining with the Governor of mitigating or remitting the penalty if he should think fit to do so, as pointed out by Lord CARNARVON.
The Governor states his objections to the basis of settlement, proposed before His Excellency's arrival, on behalf of the Hongkong Government, respecting the Blockade question and indicates a plus by which it may be possible to get rid of the Customers Stations and Chinese revenue cruisers around the harbour.
Remarks are made on the subject by the Honourable W. KESWICK, the Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE and the Honourable the Acting Attorney General.
The Bill is finally committed and upon the motion of His Excellency the Governor , who states that is will not come into operation until after reference to the Secretary of State, is passed bearing the title of, "An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, to consolidate and amend the laws relating to Merchant Shipping, the duties of the Harbour Master, the control and management of the waters of the Colony, and the Regulation of vessels navigating the same" being "Ordinance No. 8 of 1879".
His Excellency adjourns the Council sine die.
J. POPE HENNESSY,
Governor
Read and confirmed, this 26th Day of February, 1880.
H. E. WODEHOUSE,
Clerk of Councils.
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