1886-02-03 — Page 1

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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL No. 15.

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WEDNESDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY, 1886.

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PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM HENRY MARSH, C.M.G.

Administering the Government in the absence of His Excellency SIR GEORGE FERGUSON BOWEN, G.C.M.G. His Honour the Chief Justice, (SIR GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt.)

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.)

,, the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY.)

,, the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER.)

,, the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE.)

,, PHINEAS RYRIE.

,, WILLIAM KESWICK.

,, THOMAS JACKSON.

,, FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON.

,, WONG SHING.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 27th ultimo, were read and confirmed.

VOTE OF MONEY REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.—Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government:—

W. H. MARSH.

C.S.O.

66 of 1886. The Officer Administering the Government lays before the Council an application which he has received from the Chairman of the Commission appointed by Sir GEORGE BOWEN in January, 1885, to arrange for the proper representation of Hongkong at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition to be held in London this year. The Chairman on behalf of the Commission asks for a further grant by Government of £2,000 to meet the expenditure on account of the exhibits forwarded by this Colony, the sum of £500 which was voted by this Council on 4th November, last, having proved wholly inadequate for that object.

Part of the exhibits have already gone forward, and the remainder are nearly ready to be shipped. His Excellency recommends the Council to vote the further sum now asked for, by the Commission, to enable the Colony to be worthily represented at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition.

Government House, Hongkong, 28th January, 1886.

By direction of His Excellency, the Acting Colonial Secretary laid on the table the correspondence on the subject of the above Minute (C.S.O. 66 of 1886).

The Acting Colonial Secretary moved, and the Colonial Treasurer seconded, that the above Minute be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Honourable W. KESWICK moved, as an amendment, that the proposed vote be taken into consideration now without being referred to the Finance Committee.

The Honourable T. JACKSON seconded.

Question—put and passed.

The Honourable W. KESWICK, pursuant to notice, moved the following resolution, and addressed the Council:—

That it is desirable to amend the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Ordinance, 1879, by adding immediately after the words (1) That the hull of the ship is sufficient for the service intended and in good condition (section V sub-section 8 clause (a) paragraph 1.), the words following, that is to say, provided that such Government Surveyor shall declare that the hull of any wooden paddle-wheeled river steamer is sufficient for the service intended and in good condition without requiring such river steamer to be docked, if it be reasonably proved to him that such river steamer has been re-metalled within the three years immediately preceding the date of survey and that she has not grounded since the last survey.

The Honourable P. RYRIE, seconded and addressed the Council.

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The Honourable the Attorney General addressed the Council, suggesting a reference of the question for the consideration of the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

The Honourable T. JACKSON addressed the Council.

His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government addressed the Council in support of the Attorney General's suggestion.

The Honourable W. KESWICK then withdrew his motion, promising to state a case for the consideration of the Secretary of State.

BILL ENTITLED THE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES AND FESTIVALS ORDINANCE, 1886.—SECOND READING.—On the motion of the Attorney General, seconded by the Acting Colonial Secretary, this Bill was read a second time.

The Attorney General gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

POSTPONEMENT OF THE OTHER ORDERS OF THE DAY.—The Honourable P. RYRIE moved, and the Honourable T. JACKSON seconded, that the other Orders of the Day be postponed.

Question—put and passed.

The Council then adjourned until Wednesday, the 10th instant, at 4 P.M.

W. H. MARSH,

Administering the Government.

Read and confirmed, this 10th day of February, 1886.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.